An archaeologist who is involved in the investigation of culture change during the Woodland Period of central Ohio, including the demise of the Hopewell Phenomenon, through regional and site specific analysis. Currently under analysis are collections from an Adena burial mound (Galbreath Mound), a Middle Woodland settlement (Murphy Site), a Late Woodland settlement (Water Plant), intensive surveys of select regions, and test excavations of numerous settlement localities.

Dr. Dancey's research interests include testing of methods of recovering and analyzing regional scale archaeological data. He is also interested in researching internal settlement structure along with analytic approaches to measuring functional and social properties of settlements. Other interests include lithic production system analysis of chert tools and debitage in sedentary and mobile settlements in central Ohio.