The Mantis Project was founded in 1996 by Geoffrey Doig-Marx.

He had just returned to New York City after being on tour for a couple of years. To save on his dwindling funds, he returned to his work scholarship at a dance school. This allowed him to take unlimited classes in exchange for a ten hour work week.

It was at this time that the dance school had created a new program that let scholarship students show their work at the studio. The Performance was to be held in studio 2. This was a studio that students would take class in during the day and at night it was converted into a theater. They performed two nights during the weekend.

His first piece entitled “Madison-N-57th” was met with acclaim. Several of the students from the studio became early company members and have returned to perform with the company several years later. Mr. Marx’s Assistant Rachel Grisi originated the role of “Death” in “Madison-N-57th” and still works closely with him today.

Mr. Marx teaches Master Classes throughout the United States and abroad. His company often performs and travels with him. He has created several different dance programs that have evolved out of “The Mantis Project”.