Career
He was the City of London surveyor and architect from 1735 until his death. Originally a mason, George Dance was appointed Clerk of the City works to the City of London. He was one of three architects—the others being James Gibbs and Giacomo Leoni—who had been invited to submit designs.
His building has a grand portico, and an "Egyptian Hall", so called because it uses an arrangement of columns described as Egyptian by Vitruvius.
lieutenant was completed in 1752. He also designed the churches of Street Leonard"s, Shoreditch (1736-1740), Street Botolph"s Aldgate (1741-1744) and Street Matthew"s, Bethnal Green (1743-1746).
Further afield, Dance designed the Town Hall of Coleraine in Northern Ireland (1743. Demolished in 1859). Sir John Summerson included Dance in a list of London architects who he felt debased Palladianism, calling his Mansion House "cramped and overdressed".
He had five sons, three of whom enjoyed fame in their own right.
Eldest son James Dance (1722–1744) became an actor and playwright connected with Drury Lane theatre. Third son Nathaniel Dance-Holland (1735–1811) was a notable painter. Fifth son George Dance the Younger (1741–1825) succeeded him as city architect.
Dance is buried in the churchyard of Street Luke"s Old Street, north of the City of London.