MATT GASPER
Matt was born in Michigan and at a young age moved with his family to Moorhead, MN. He is a middle child in a very artistic family. Growing up Matt was interested in dance, martial arts and soccer. He decided to follow his parents footsteps and pursue a career in dance. At the age of 18 (and still in High School), choreographed his first production at Concordia College. After college, he moved to Cleveland and danced with the fifth largest ballet company in the US at the time Cleveland / San Jose Ballet. Where he danced a principle role in Blue Suede Shoes.
After he left the ballet company, he worked in the musical theatre world and moved to NYC. He had many hats in NYC, working in the theatre world, as a bartender and real estate. He now lives in Moorhead, MN where he has taken over and runs the dance studio his parents founded, Gasper's School of Dance. Matt is also the artistic director of the Fargo-Moorhead Ballet company (a professional, non-profit company).
In Matt's spare time (ha), he loves his couch and big TV. Matt loves going to movies and drinking Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Lattes.
LACEY IGOLacey grew up in Blaine / Coon Rapids, MN. She has two amazing and supportive parents and a "little" brother, Chad. She is an auntie to 3 little ones. Chad & Erin's two boys and Matt's brother's little girl. She graduated high school in 2000 and went to Concordia College where she graduated with a BA in Theatre and Fashion.
Lacey currently works full time as an office manager and goes to school part-time online at Academy of Art University (San Francisco). She is getting her 2nd BFA in Graphic Design. In her "spare" time she loves to scrapbook, dance, workout, knit and spend time with Matt. She is addicted to coffee, especially Starbucks and loves shopping at Target (it really is a one stop shop).
LOVE TIMELINE
We met in 2002, when Matt was choreographing Pippin at Concordia College. There wasn't much love at this time, it was strictly work and Lacey wasn't that interested in mean, Mr. Matt "The Shark".
Fall 2003, Matt came back to Fargo-Moorhead (from NYC) to choreograph Go Go Beach at Concordia. Lacey was a senior and one of the dance captains for the production. This time we hit it off. On Matt's birthday we shared our first kiss.
November 2003, Matt was back living in NYC. He paid for a plane ticket for Lacey to come out and visit him! Lacey hadn't flown since before September 11 and never by herself, so she was quite timid. The morning before she would fly out, she told Matt yes. Thanksgiving Day, Lacey flew to NYC for the weekend to visit Matt.
Spring Break 2004. Lacey flew to NYC again to visit Matt over her 10 day spring break. This is the first time Matt said "I love you". Lacey said it back.
May 2004, Lacey Graduated College (Concordia College Moorhead)
May 2004, Matt moved back to Moorhead, MN.
August 2004, We moved to North Hollywood, California. We loved the weather and the atmosphere. Matt didn't like working 5 jobs or his identity being stolen more than once.
October 2005, we made the decision to move back to Fargo, ND. Matt was going to help run his parents dance studio.
We moved multiple times between 2005 and 2011 (in the Fargo / Moorhead Area). We went through many individual transformations, as well as relationship growths. We really discovered how important we are to each other and how we balance each other.
March 2011, We moved into the house Matt grew up in. We renovated the bathroom before moving in. To this day we are still renovating the house. It's a work in progress.
October 9, 2012: We got engaged!
Now, we are planning a wedding...
