Generation Dance Company

09/30/2026

GDCO family, it is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of Mrs. Mary Jones, lovingly known as “Dear,” on Sunday, September 20.

The wife of Simon Jones and grandmother to Betina Johnson and Danielle Lesure, along with several other grandchildren and great-grandchildren (GDCO students Matias & Myelle Lesure), Dear was a cherished pillar of her community, especially at Brown Chapel AME Church. She was also a loyal and dedicated supporter of Generation Dance Company.

In our 27 years, Dear may have missed only two shows. She attended every anniversary celebration, celebrated with me at my wedding, and never missed an opportunity to tell me how special GDCO was to her. Her love for me, my daughter, and our studio was something I always felt and will forever treasure.

Please continue to keep the Jones family, especially our beloved Betina and Danielle, in your prayers.

Dear, thank you for loving us so faithfully. Your presence will be deeply missed, and your love will always be part of the GDCO family. 🤍 Rest in Peace 🤍

09/21/2026

Happiness is watching your child dance! 💙

GDCO is approaching the close of our 2026–27 Open Enrollment period. If you have been considering enrolling your child at Generation Dance Company, now is the time—we would love to welcome your dancer into the GDCO family!

We accept students from age 3 through high school seniors, with classes available for various ages and experience levels.

For enrollment information, contact us:

📞 (815) 419-3179
📧 [email protected]

Studio Hours:
Monday–Thursday: 5:30–8:00 p.m.
Saturday: 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

You may also send us a message right here!

We hope to see your child dancing at GDCO soon!

Rooted in heritage. Inspired by the future.

09/18/2026

GDCO… Wow!!!

KEEP UP THE AMAZING JOB!!! Double Good has extended our fundraising time 2 additional days because we have been killing it!!!!! Keep going!!!! We have until Monday at 5:00pm!

09/16/2026

GDCO Family… WOW!

We are well underway with our annual Double Good Fundraiser, and we have just three days remaining! Those who are participating are absolutely KILLING IT! We see your hard work—GREAT JOB!

If you have not reached your personal goal yet, there is still plenty of time to increase your sales! Reach out to more friends, family members, coworkers, neighbors, and supporters by email, text, or social media. The most successful fundraisers are usually the ones who share their pop-up store with as many people as possible—so keep asking and keep sharing!

We have a few top sellers who are way up there, but remember the larger goal: COVERING YOUR DANCER’S RECITAL FEES! Every sale helps bring you closer to that goal.

Here is another idea: If someone does not want to purchase popcorn, the Double Good site gives them the option to make a donation directly to your dancer’s fundraiser instead. That is what I have done for the past few years because I was being chased down for popcorn fundraisers all the time-lol! Your dancer still receives credit for 50% of the donation, making this a great option for your non-popcorn-loving supporters.

We still have time, GDCO—so keep sharing, keep asking, and keep pushing toward your goal!

GO! GO! GO! Let’s finish strong! 🍿💙

09/12/2026

GDCO ... Our Double Good Fundraiser begins TOMORROW!!! Have you started your pop-up store in your dancers name? have you got the right code to log in to the Double Good App and begin? If you need the code, please contact the studio (you can message here).

We have 7 days. It begins Saturday, September 12th at 5:00pm, and goes until Saturday, September 19th at 5:00pm

Good luck! Have fun!! LET'S GO!!!

09/04/2026

09/02/2026

We are excited to once again offer the Annual GDCO Double Good Popcorn Fundraiser!

📅 Fundraiser Dates: September 12–19, 2026

In previous years, Double Good fundraisers were limited to only 4 days, but we are excited to announce that families will now have 7 FULL DAYS to fundraise!

You can begin to spread the word though actual orders will not officially begin until 5:00pm on sat. September 12th!

08/30/2026

What a BEAUTIFUL day of BLACK JOY! 💙✨

Generation Dance Company was proud to be a part of the 2026 Black Joy Parade in Joliet! Our dancers showed up, represented, danced, smiled, and celebrated alongside our community — and we could not be more proud of them! 💃🏾🕺🏾

A HUGE thank you to our GDCO dancers, our awesome parent volunteers and GDCO staff... for your energy, your support, and for spending this very long day with us. Parade days take a lot of preparation, waiting, walking, dancing, and teamwork — and our GDCO family handled it beautifully!

Thank you to the organizers of the Black Joy Parade for creating a space where our community could come together to celebrate our culture, our families, our businesses, our organizations, our music, our creativity and, most importantly, our JOY! 🖤

And thank you to everyone along the parade route who cheered, waved, danced with us, shouted out our dancers, and showed GDCO so much love! We felt every bit of it! SPECIAL SHOUT OUT to Dianna Ibarra and her sisters Rosie & Leslie for driving big red Clifford in the parade for us! It was the perfect place for some of our littles to sit!

These photos capture just a little of what made today so special. 📸

Black Joy ~ Black excellence ~ Black Community was DEFINITELY on display today — and Generation Dance Company was honored to be a part of it!

Until next time… 💙 Moving. Inspiring. Belonging.

08/28/2026

GDCO ... please see the information that has been shared regarding the Black Joy Parade tomorrow. See below regarding traffic and parking options.

TRAFFIC ADVISORY // BLACK JOY PARADE
On Saturday, August 29, 2026, the Black Joy Parade and Celebration is taking place in downtown Joliet. There'll be street closures & detours, as noted below. Please plan for traffic delays and a large amount of pedestrian traffic in the area during this time. Joliet Police will be on site for traffic control, event security, & police presence; please follow all directions given by JPD personnel on scene.
# # #
PARKING
•On-street parking will be allowed in the area (unless signs prohibit)
•Court House parking lot at Jefferson St & Chicago St
•Scott St parking deck (may only access from Scott St)
•Ottawa St parking deck (lower level reserved for ADA)
HANDICAPPED PARKING/DROP-OFF
♿Ottawa St parking deck lower level
STREETS CLOSED 11AM Until Parade End
🚫Crowley Ave, from Ottawa St to Chicago St
🚫Benton St, from Ottawa St to Scott St
🚫Webster St, from Chicago St to Scott St
🚫Cass St, from Ottawa St to Scott St
🚫Van Buren St, from Chicago St to Scott St
🚫Jefferson St, from Ottawa St to Scott St
🚫Chicago St, from Jackson St to Jefferson St
STREETS CLOSED 3PM - 6PM
🚫Chicago St, from Clinton St to Jefferson St
🚫Van Buren St, from Chicago St to Scott St
⚠ NOTE: Entry to the Scott St parking deck will ONLY be accessible from Scott St; Cass St access to the deck will not be permitted.
# # #
In accordance with Illinois law, Joliet Police will also be operating drone technology at the event to allow for real-time public safety monitoring by a certified drone pilot. Joliet Police request attendees to immediately report any suspicious persons or activity by calling 9-1-1.

08/21/2026

🖤🩵 GDCO IS HEADED BACK TO THE PARADE! 🩵🖤

There are some traditions that hold a very special place in our history... and this is one of them.

The Black Pride Parade began in 1987, celebrating our community, our culture and our pride.

In 2000, Generation Dance Company joined the Black Pride Parade, proudly taking our dancers into the streets to dance, march and represent GDCO. We continued participating until the parade was discontinued in the mid-2000s.

And now... IT'S BACK! 🎉 In 2026, this beloved community tradition returns with a new name and renewed spirit:
🖤 THE BLACK JOY PARADE! 🖤 And you KNOW... GDCO WILL BE BACK IN IT TOO! 🩵💃🏾🎶

On Saturday, August 29, a new generation of GDCO dancers will have the opportunity to walk, dance and celebrate along a parade route that GDCO dancers marched more than two decades ago.

There is something incredibly special about that. 🖤
Some of the young dancers who represented GDCO back then are adults today—and now our current generation gets its turn.
DO YOU WANT your dancer TO MARCH WITH GDCO?

We are inviting our GDCO students ages 7 & older to participate!
📌 SIGN-UP DEADLINE: THURSDAY, AUGUST 27
To be included, students MUST officially sign up with Ms. Sandy AND have their NEW GDCO parade T-shirt paid for in full by the deadline.

👕 A NEW GDCO PARADE T-SHIRT IS REQUIRED FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS. See Ms. Sandy (Office Manager) for details. (Previous GDCO shirts will not be allowed. also, see email sent yesterday. Only Adult sizes will be ordered for the Parade. Small Adult - Large Adult. t-shirts will be available in all sizes in September.)

1987 — A tradition began.
2000 — GDCO joined the celebration.
2026 — Black JOY returns... and so does GDCO. 🖤🩵

A SCHEDULED PRACTICE TIME FOR PARTICIPANTS ages 7-13!
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26th at 6:00pm

A 2nd Scheduled Rehearsal will be held for all teenagers 14 and older who are in the Mon. Split Class, Wed. Beg. Teen Class & the Thurs. Adv. Teen Class held on THURSDAY, AUGUST 27th at 6:00pm ... this change was added because we were informed of a conflict regarding the local Joliet High school's holding their open house during the Wednesday scheduled time.

ROOTED IN HERITAGE.
INSPIRED BY THE FUTURE.