Ormao:

About Ormao Dance Company


Ormao Dance Company is a not-for-profit professional modern dance company. Our goal is to bring premier, challenging modern dance performance and classes to Colorado Springs and Colorado as a whole.


In the spring of 1990, Jan Johnson organized and created the dynamic Ormao Dance Company in Colorado Springs. Its name (pronounced or-MY-oh) stems from an ancient Greek term signifying “movement with force” and reflects the diversity of the company’s contemporary dance repertoire.


Ormao’s mission statement is threefold:


  1. •To provoke, challenge, and entertain those in our community and beyond through the creative language of dance.


  1. •To encourage diversity and experimentation in the arts.


  1. •To enrich and enhance cultural opportunities within southern Colorado’s communities and schools by spear-heading initiatives that bring dance to the public and programs that educate people of all ages.



Ormao Dance Company is a firm believer in the beauty and growth achieved through cross-discipline collaborations. So far, we have worked with the following gifted artists and look forward to all future collaborations:


Performing Artists:

Colorado Springs Vocal Arts Ensemble

Colorado Springs Conservatory

Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center – Tactile Gallery

Kennedy Center Imagination Celebration (KCIC)

Smokebrush Reader’s Theater

Colorado Springs Symphony

Colorado Springs Youth Symphony

Performing Arts For Youth (PAYO)

Colorado Springs Conservatory

Colorado Springs Sax Quartet


Visual Artists:

Michael Cellan

Steven Clement

Ann Dettmer

Chuck Mardoz

Tina Riesterer

Ken Riesterer

Maricia Hefti




The Company

Movement with Force

Photo: Steve Starr

“Why Dance?


It is a sensual, powerful way to communicate beyond words in a tactile expression between audience and dancer.  Dance is part of a moment. Our impression can’t be captured by words, photos, videos or any other media.  It requires vulnerability from everyone involved and celebrates human emotion and life experience.  


I feel that contemporary dance is especially passionate in its bravery and choice to welcome any person into its society.  Where ballet separates itself, post-modern dance has

chosen to embrace."  


--Tiffany Tinsley Weeks

Assistant Director

& Company Dancer