George Dance the Elder was a monumental sculptor and architect active, particularly in London, England where he was clerk of works, in the 18th century. He was born in London around 1694, the son of London mason, Giles Dance (died around 1751) and his first wife. He was the father of architect, George Dance the Younger (born 1741, died 1825).
Dance died at his home in Chiswell Street in the parish of St Luke's, Old Street, London on 11 February 1768 and was buried in the churchyard at St Luke's on 17 February.
Sources:
Artists' Paper Register, 'Artists' Papers Register Person Authority Record, GB/NNAF/P7392, Dance, George (1700-1768', http://www.apr.ac.uk/artists/searches/artistrecs.asp?ARID=GB/NNAF/P7391 [accessed 7 January 2008]
Colvin, Howard, A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840, 3rd edition (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1995), pp. 287-288.
Jeffery, Sally, ‘Dance, George, the elder (c.1694–1768)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford: Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Jan 2008) http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/7095 [accessed 7 January 2008]
National Archives, National Register of Archives, Person Detail, 'Dance, George (1700-1768) Architect, GB/NNAF/P161780', http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P7391 [accessed 7 January 2008]