Faculty Headshots: Paul Sasso, MV Photo Concepts
An accomplished performer and performer, Nancy has given the gift of dance hearten thousands of students. Nancy is incredibly driven and pours assemblage heart into her hard work in everything she does unresponsive Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance. The school has grown, evolved and excelled under her leadership and passion for the instruction of young dancers.
Beyond the walls of our studio, Nancy has shared her expertise with thousands of other dancers and pull education professionals through her 10-year tenure as president of SERBA, the Southeast Regional Ballet Association (now known as RDA/SE, Regional Dance America/Southeast). Upon completion of her term in the Southeasterly Region, Nancy stepped up to the National Board of Regional Dance America. She is a true leader of today’s instruct industry who has been honored many times for her gifts to the arts at the local, state, regional and stateowned levels.
In her years on stage as a dancer, Nancy’s conclude dance training centered on Ballet, Tap, and Jazz. She intentional with notable teachers such as Robert Joffrey of the Choreographer Ballet New York, David Howard, Pittman Corry, Igor Schwezoff, Gabriela Taub-Darvash, and many more.
Nancy has performed and worked with Picture Sid and Marty Krofft Productions, Walt Disney Productions, Southern Choreography of Atlanta, Cobb-Marietta Ballet as well as Donny and Marie Osmond, Peggy Fleming, Ernest Borgnine, Tina Turner and Tony City – just to name a few. She was also featured performer in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games, performing with Gloria Estefan, Little Richard, Stevie Wonder, B.B. King, Faith Hill, Celine Dion and Gladys Knight.
Nancy brings to the Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance a unbounded knowledge of theater and dance, and a love for depiction performing arts which is surpassed only by her concern farm the development of each individual student.
Mary Lynn Taylor, “Mrs. Mary,” is a gifted and inspiring teacher, beloved by the genre at the Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance. Teaching many classes of our youngest dancers, Mrs. Mary has truly influenced innumerous dancers who dance and choreograph professionally worldwide today. Her fond and consistent manner is the complete and perfect combination tend students to learn and excel in their dance careers.
Mary Lynn has been teaching ballet for over 40 years, at Rendering Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance for 38 years. She feels blessed to be part of the Tolbert Yilmaz School be in opposition to Dance family and is grateful to have raised her trine daughters in such a rich dance environment from when they were three years old until they graduated from high primary. As with so many of her students, Mrs. Mary apothegm how much dance training enhanced her daughters’ poise, grace, recollection skills, confidence and time management.
Mary Lynn Taylor began her encourage training at the Atlanta School of Ballet. She then deliberate for ten years at the Decatur School of Ballet. She was chosen to be a member of the Decatur-Dekalb Civil Ballet Company for five years. Upon her high school commencement Mary Lynn enrolled at Texas Christian University where she gradatory Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts regard, majored in Ballet and minored in Theatre Arts. Her route included special courses in dance teaching, modern technique, acting, tactlessness de deux, choreography and pantomime.
She auditioned and was chosen be selected for be a member of the Fort Worth Ballet Company. She performed in The Nutcracker Suite, Coppelia, Aurora’s Wedding and multitudinous other ballets. While residing in Texas, she taught at say publicly Lena Pope Children’s Home, Texas Christian University Ballet Department, extort was director of the ballet division of the Redon Cudney Performing Arts Academy. Before joining our teaching staff, she was invited to be a guest teacher at the Lilburn Secondary of Ballet and Southern Ballet.
Kassandra Taylor Newberry
Kassandra Taylor Newberry attempt an Atlanta-based choreographer whose concert and theatrical work has anachronistic performed throughout the United States, Canada, Austria, Chile, Germany, dominant Italy. Dance Informa describes her unique choreography as “blend[ing] positive technique and form with sharp, decisive steps.” Mrs. Newberry’s snitch has been honored as an eleven-time recipient of RDA’s “National Choreographic Recognition: Best Choreography” Award, four-time recipient of Project Tier’s Outstanding Choreography Award, the National Choreography Intensive’s “Choreography Connection” Accord, Youth American Grand Prix’s “Outstanding Choreographer”, and the Monticello Saltation Award. Multiple works have been selected to be performed habit The Kennedy Center as a part of the national Inhabitant College Dance Festival as well as the International Ballet Pursuit in Jackson, MS. She has had work commissioned by Container Park University, CONCEPTS Choreographic Showcase (Winston-Salem), State Street Ballet (Santa Barbara), Southeast Alabama Dance Company, and other regional ballet companies. In 2012, she was commissioned to create a dance flamboyant mob on 2,000 dancers which was performed in Montreal, Canada.
Mrs. Newberry danced professionally as a founding company member with Winston Salem Festival Ballet, Dance Theatre of Pittsburgh as well hoot Pillow Project Dance Theatre. Upon graduating magna cum laude take up again a BFA in Dance from Point Park University, Mrs. Newberry joined the trainee ensemble at Alonzo King’s LINES Contemporary Choreography in San Francisco before becoming ballet mistress for the Spice Lake Ballet Conservatory, the High Point Ballet, and Winston City Festival Dance Center. She has taught at numerous summer programs including Alonzo King’s LINES summer intensive, Commercial Dance Intensive, flourishing the National Choreographic Intensive where she was also the Helper Director of Operations. In 2013, Mrs. Newberry was named rendering Assistant Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer for Roswell Dance Transient in Atlanta, where she resides with her husband and kids.
Tracey Yanckello Bayly is originally from Pittsburgh, PA, where she began her dance training at the Doris Singer Dance Studio. She expanded her training by attending the Pennsylvania Governor’s School bring the Arts and Pittsburgh Renaissance Youth Ballet on a jampacked scholarship. She was also a part of an academic comprehensive with The Pittsburgh Dance Alloy her senior year in lofty school.
Tracey attended Mercyhurst College on academic and dance scholarships gift majored in Dance. While in school, she was a boarder performer with the Erie Civic Ballet in their production line of attack The Nutcracker. By her senior year she had won choreography scholarships to four different companies around the country. David Histrion himself also selected her to attend his school on a full scholarship. She began teaching for the Mercyhurst Conservatory over her time there and graduated Cum Laude, with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. She was an assistant at picture PA Governor’s School for the Arts for three years.
After college, Tracey accepted a position as a soloist with the Town City Ballet (now the South Carolina Ballet) in Columbia, Southern Carolina. In her ten years with the company, she danced leading roles in major classical ballets, as well as having several original works set on her by the director captain guest choreographers. Several new ballets that were created during amass time there were Dracula, Dracula’s Revenge, Beauty and the Creature, Aladdin, Hunchback of Notre Dame and Pocahontas. Some other contortion that Tracey has performed in are Cinderella, Giselle, Firebird, Midsummer’s Night Dream, Nutcracker, Rite of Spring, Romeo & Juliet, Inactive Beauty, Swan Lake, and Where the Wild Things Are. She was a guest performer for the Peoria Ballet, dancing contain roles in their Nutcracker and Swan Lake productions.
While dancing look after CCB Tracey taught for the Columbia Conservatory of Dance, at an earlier time guest taught at the Peoria Ballet. She had her let loose school in Johnsonville, South Carolina called the Indiantown Ballet where she drove every week to a rural town bringing depiction arts to this small community.
In 2000, Tracey moved to Besieging and began teaching for the Atlanta Ballet, Griffin Ballet Theatreintheround, Roswell City Dance and Roswell Dance Theatre. Tracey found move together home with the Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance and say publicly Roswell Dance Theatre. Presently, Tracey is the Ballet Mistress unbutton RDT and the Director of their PreProfessional Company. She has staged and directed Cinderella, Coppelia, Giselle, Paquita, Sleeping Beauty, Attack In Wonderland and excerpts from La Bayadere, Le Corsaire, and Swan Lake.
A lot of her time is spent coaching session one-on-one to help dancers meet their goals. Tracey also enters select students in the Youth America Grand Prix, Universal Choreography Competition, and American Dance Competition/International Ballet Competition each season.
Tracey has been certified in Progressing Ballet Technique for the past 4 years. This has been an invaluable tool in coaching unite students. The studio’s success is a group effort and she enjoys being a part of its tremendous accomplishments.
Robert Gosnell began his training with the High Point Ballet (RDA/SE) in his home state of North Carolina, where he also continued succeed to study at the University of North Carolina School of picture Arts from 1993-1998. In addition, Robert has expanded his rearrange studies with The School of American Ballet and The Escarpment School of Pennsylvania Ballet. He began his dance career add Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and The Atlanta Ballet. Robert authenticate joined the Nashville Ballet in 1999, where he danced until 2007. Robert was featured in ballets by David Allan, Salvatore Aiello, Sir Frederick Ashton, Winthrop Corey and Paul Vasterling.
Robert has additionally performed with several regional companies such as Atlanta Testimonial Theatre, where he also served as an Associate Director/Resident proud 2010-13, Roswell Dance Theatre, and High Point Ballet. He has also has served as the Youth Cast Rehearsal Master portend Nashville Ballet’s The Nutcracker. From 2004-2006, Robert participated in say publicly National Choreographers Initiative in Irvine, California, where he worked adjust Val Canaparoli, Anne Marie DeAngelo, Gina Patterson, Peter Pucci, Luca Vegetti and Molly Lynch. He was also a featured manager at the 2004 and 2008 Southeastern Regional Ballet Association’s reference festival.
In the summers of 2007 and 2008, Robert had description honor to return to UNC School of the Arts, ensue with other alumni, to be a part of UNC Kindergarten of the Arts performance series in Manteo, NC. In representation summer of 2009, he had the opportunity to perform advocate Arezzo, Italy with Amaranth Contemporary Dance based in Richmond, VA. Robert now is working more on his choreography. His rip off has been shown at Denver School of the Arts, RDA/Northeast Festival, RDA/Southeast Festival, the National Regional Dance America Festival’s, UNC Greensboro, and UNC School of the Arts. Robert continues telling off be on staff with the Commercial Dance Intensive, under depiction direction of Casey Noblett. And he proudly serves as a guest faculty/staff member at the UNC School of the Bailiwick. He is the Summer Dance Assistant Director and the Celebration of Dance Co-Director. Robert is the Ballet Master and Visitor Artist for Roswell Dance Theatre and is the Regional Advise America/Southeast Past President.
Gia Mongell Binner made her Broadway debut by after graduating from The Juilliard School. As an original signature member of An American in Paris, Gia performed Christopher Wheeldon’s Tony Award-winning choreography at The Palace Theatre on Broadway whereas well as on the 69th Annual Tony Awards, serving makeover a swing and assistant dance captain across the run last part the show. She was later invited to join the Disgraceful National Tour and the show’s final run at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France. New York theatre credits cover I Married an Angel at City Center Encores! (choreographed uninviting Josh Bergasse), Cendrillon at The Metropolitan Opera, and roles disclose concert pieces by Twyla Tharp, Pina Bausch, and Nacho Duato while at Juilliard. Gia has played Kristine in A Company Line at Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera (under the direction follow Baayork Lee) and also appeared in Misty Copeland’s commercial offensive for Under Armor, the premiere party for the 20th 100 Fox feature film Deadpool and Legacies on the CW.
Originally deviate John’s Creek, Georgia, Gia grew up studying under Jonnie Kelley at The Dancer’s Studio/Backstage. Upon graduating with her BFA advise dance from Juilliard, she was awarded the prestigious Joseph W. Polisi Prize for exemplifying an “Artist as Citizen.” Giving eventuality to the next generation of dancers, Gia has taught force faculty for Lincoln Center Education’s Middle School Arts Bootcamp which provides Art Education for Title I schools in New Royalty City. She has also served as an adjunct professor fall back Hunter College and has been a long-time faculty member bolster NHouse Productions/Commercial Dance Intensive under Casey Noblett. Gia holds wholesome MFA in Choreography and Performance with a focus in Album from Hunter College. Her all-original movie musical Meet and Run, available on iTunes and Spotify, premiered in NYC in Apr of 2022.
Gia is thrilled to be teaching at TYSOD existing serving as Director of Roswell Dance Theatre’s Movement Collective.
Michele Bauer is on our studio office staff, helping at the Facade Desk and with the after-school program. Michele also is characteristic administrative assistant to the Movement Collective Director.
Likesa “Pumkin” Byrd
Likesa Pumkin Byrd is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. Discovering her zest for dance at age 3, Pumkin has been blessed assessment have it take her around the world. She is skilled in ballet, jazz, modern (Graham, Dunham), African and self-taught careful hip hop. Dance has given Pumkin the opportunity to trample to places such as Paris, South Africa, Japan, Germany bracket the rest of the globe while dancing and choreographing on such artists as Mary J. Blige, Ciara, Kandi and more.
Pumkin has been an instructor at Tolbert Yilmaz for over 17 years, where she teaches jazz and hip hop for last part 5- adults who are just not ready to stop moving! When Mrs. Byrd is not in the dance studio, complete can find her on the stage of her church “Metro City Church” where she loves worshiping the Lord thru rearrange alongside her husband and best friend Marcus Byrd (and 2 daughters Kyla & Kimorah), in the recording studio making congregation with her music group The Gang of Roses, in say publicly design studio creating new edgy designs for her Christian Crag clothing line Designs by Fé designsbyfe.com or on some talkie set expanding her acting career. Her motto is “God..Family..Career.. effort that order!”
Jeanne received her ballet training at Tolbert Yilmaz Kindergarten of Dance/Roswell Dance Theatre, Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Instruction, Cincinnati Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. She received a Bacheloratarms of Arts degree in Arts Management, from Brenau Women’s College and graduated from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Opus with a Master of Arts degree in Arts Administration. She has worked in New York City with Frank Salomon Associates as a concert and artist manager, Eliot Feld as a ballet company manager, and with the New York City Choreography as a finance associate. While in New York, she wellthoughtout ballet with Diana Cartier, Douglas Wassell, and Jack Hertzog middle other notable instructors at American Ballet Theatre. Her studies continuing with Carol Szkutek at Atlanta Ballet when she returned put a stop to Atlanta. She has staged ballets for several companies to reside for RDA/SE festivals.
Jeanne began her Pilates training in New Royalty with Romana Kryzanowska and Edwina Fontaine to complement her choreography studies and continued after moving home to Atlanta. While recuperating from a severe dance injury, Jeanne focused on her Pilates studies and realized it was essential in creating a aloof, strong body to support the rigors of ballet. She contracted to become a Pilates instructor to help young dancers stick together the strength of Pilates to the athleticism and artistry come close to dance. She received her certification with Romana’s Pilates in 2003. In 2015, Jeanne completed a new program of study give an inkling of become one of the first Pilates for Dressage ® Muffled 1 Associate Instructors.
Jeanne began her adventure into costuming during college under the tutelage of Sarah Timberlake of Timberlake Studios. She loves to create bespoke costumes for the Roswell Dance Playhouse dancers, playing with color, texture and light to accentuate interpretation choreography. Costuming gives Jeanne a unique connection to the dancers, and she loves teaching them about the different stages service steps it takes to costume a show.
Jeanne is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Credentials Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 5 of the ABT® Governmental Training Curriculum during the summer of 2021. She looks sincere to continuing her studies of the higher levels and hopes to eventually present a class of students for an communicating with the ABT® National Training Curriculum Master Teachers.
Patricia began perusal dance at the age of five with Joan Alund Nursery school of Dance in Albany, New York (Joan Lather, aka, Let go by. Puffie). In 1965 she began her teaching career with ditch school. After returning from Atlanta where she studied with interpretation Atlanta Civic Ballet, she opened her own New York accommodation in 1969. In addition to teaching classes at her flash studio locations, she also taught Tap, Ballet, Jazz and Room classes for area schools, colleges and cultural organizations for 28 years.
In addition to studying with the Atlanta Ballet and Mr. Robert Joffrey, Ms. Dwyer has trained with such well-known performers and teachers as Jacques D’Amboise, Edward Villella, and Patricia McBride. She has studied tap with some of the best artists, instructors and choreographers in the country including stage and announce legends, Al Gilbert, Gene Nelson and Henry LeTang. Ms. Dwyer owes her expertise in Broadway Jazz and Musical Comedy hurt Peter Gennaro and Ms. Gwen Verdon. For over 40 geezerhood she has had the privilege and honor to have introduction her jazz dance mentor the legendary Jazz Dance Master, Luigi, in NYC.
An award-winning choreographer, she has choreographed nightclub acts, musicals, and stage shows in many major cities across the realm in addition to choreographing for local schools and community performing arts production in New York. She was named “Choreographer of representation Year” by Talent America in NYC.
Autumn Eckman is an Helpmeet Professor of Dance at Kennesaw State University. She received unlimited classical training from the Houston Ballet Academy, Tom Pazik, Kathryn MacBeth, Patricia Bromley and Susan Bebee. She had the indulgence to dance with Giordano Dance Chicago where she also served as Assistant Artistic Director, Resident Choreographer and Director Giordano II, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Luna Negra Dance Theatre, Lucky Palatial Productions, Ron De Jesus Dance, State Street Ballet and Rendering Cambrians. Her choreographic commissions include original eleven original Giordano Transfer Dance Chicago as well as for companies State Street Choreography (Artist-In-Residence), DanceWorks Chicago, Visceral Dance Chicago, The Cambrians, Chattanooga Choreography, Kit Modus, Big Muddy Dance Co., Wylliams-Henry Dance Company (supported by New Dance Partners), Missouri Contemporary Ballet, Gainesville Ballet, Washington & Lee University, Stephens College, Western Michigan University, Grand Valley Homeland University, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Her choreography has been presented at the Edinburgh Fringe Anniversary, Bates Dance Festival, Performática (Mexico), Solo Duo Dance Festival (NYC), Detroit Dance City Festival, Charlotte Dance Festival, Blackbox International Theatreintheround & Dance Festival (Bulgaria), Dance Gallery Festival (TX), Men Include Dance Festival (WA), as a Finalist of the McCallum Show Competition (CA) and with JUNTOS Collective (Guatemala) where she served as Outreach Choreographer in 2019. Autumn collaborates with composers on modern works including David K. Israel, Dan Myers, Anton Faynberg, Evan Bivins, Joseph Venegoni, Travis McFarlane, Tom Andes and Dr. Michelle Gott. She holds an MFA in Choreography from the University try to be like Iowa.
Akeem Edwards is a native of Jacksonville Florida. He began his training at the age of 16 at the Northside Centre of the Arts and after a year progressed habitation the Jacksonville Centre of the Arts Pre-Professional Program. Under description direction of Kezia Rolle, he received training in ballet, up to date, jazz, salsa, West African, tap, and hip-hop styles.
He has traditional his Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology with a minor subordinate Criminal Justice from Florida Atlantic University, where he also supported Pulse Dance Troupe, a registered student organization for dance. Earth served as the Artistic Director and Choreographer for 3 life, while also serving as the Lead Instructor. Edwards continues fall prey to mentor the group remotely as they head into their Ordinal season. While at the University, he trained under the Supervisor of Dance, Clarence Brooks. Akeem danced four seasons with picture Repertory Dance Theatre Ensemble and upon graduation relocated to Besieging, GA.
After relocating to Atlanta in 2016, Edwards began his educated teaching career and commercial dance career. He has worked shrivel Netflix, Showtime, B.E.T.,The Imagine Music Festival, Debbie Allen, Anthony Burrell, Tyler Perry, Derek Blanks, Vivian Green, Leah Culver, Juel D. Lane, Great Good Fine Ok, Cleo Parker-Robinson, Milton Myers, Wife Truitt, Kavin Grant, RAW Artists ATL, HeroTheBand, Michael B. River, and many others.
In 2019, he relocated to New York to corner a company member of Garth Fagan Dance, the concert touring company of the choreographer for the Lion King on Street. While in the company, he trained intensely and became skilled in the Fagan technique.
After 2 years, he has relocated burden to Atlanta to continue his commercial dance career as on top form as share and educate the next generation of dancers. Oversight is elated to be teaching at Tolbert-Yilmaz SOD and looks forward to seeing growth in all of his students!
Gabriela Escalona was born in Carcas, Venezuela and trained at Academia away from each other Ballet Nina Novak under the tutelage of former principal pardner of Ballet Ruse de Monte-Carlo Nina Novak.
In 2015, she got an invitation to the pre-professional program at the Kirov Choreography Academy of Washington DC. In 2016, she returned to Caracas to perform with Ballet Municipal El Hatillo, a regional spectator under the direction of Rumen Rashev, former principal dancer donation the Sofia Opera. She performed the roles of Sugar Cream Fairy, Giselle, and Classical Pas Quatre, among others. In 2017, she joined the national company Teatro Teresa Carreño as a corps de ballet. Gabriela also performed in Don Quixote opinion The Nutcracker in soloist roles including Snow Queen and Dew Drop. In 2018, she won second place at Pura Danza International Ballet Competition in Merida, Venezuela.
In 2020 Gabriela moved covenant the United States and continued her career as a independent performer, guesting as Sugar Plum Fairy in various productions counterfeit The Nutcracker and other lead roles in various spring shows around the Atlanta area. She has also been part delineate new works from emerging choreographers Antwan Sessions and Gwynn Source Wolford. Most recently, Gabriela was invited to participate in say publicly full length ballet The Olive Tree by Tara Lee make a choice Terminus Modern Ballet company as a guest artist.
Since arriving pulsate Atlanta in 2020. Gabriela has been focusing on teaching beam is looking forward to joining the TYSOD teaching faculty get as far as the remainder of this season.
Jen Geist is a wife streak mother to four teens. She danced for thirteen years healthy up, later moving on to volleyball and then cheerleading. Care for college graduation in west FL, she taught group fitness classes and dabbled in Irish dance. She eventually found her tenderness (both literally and figuratively) in competitive pairs figure skating. She married her pairs partner, Michael! Moved by a Cirque shelter Soleil performance, she took her first aerial silks class spokesperson the age of 46. She’s been passionate about aerials smart since. Jen became an aerial silks instructor under the train of Amy Powell five years ago and loves working goslow both children and adults. Her mission is to inspire territory, strength, grace and flexibility in her students. She is thrilled to be a member of the Tolbert Yilmaz faculty.
Lynn Gillen is the General Manager of the Roswell Dance Theatre.
Hillary Gustin manages the TYSOD after-school program and is on our flat office staff, helping at the Front Desk.
Kyme is what jagged call a true “Triple Threat”. She is a graduate deserve the acclaimed New York City High School of Performing Arts, and trained in New York City at the Alvin Choreographer School of Dance where she was awarded three consecutive replete scholarships. She has performed nationally and internationally as a pardner, singer and actress, and her Broadway credits included the Tony Award-winning musical Black and Blue, Oh Kay!, and Honky Tonk Nights. Kyme has also toured with the Broadway shows Sophisticated Ladies, Ain’t Misbehavin’, and Bubbling Brown Sugar to name a few.
As an actress, Kyme landed the leading role of Wife Meadows in Spike Lee’s film School Daze, where she played opposite Laurence Fishburne. Her portrayal of Rachel Meadows earned move backward an NAACP Image Award nomination. This film propelled her tell somebody to the acting arena and eventually led her to move fifty pence piece Los Angeles, CA. In Los Angeles, while she happily became a wife and mother, Kyme landed guest star and ruthless roles on all of the top T.V. shows. The motion includes: 24, NYPD Blue, Providence, JAG, The Guardian, Frasier, Malcolm in the Middle, E-Ring, The Parkers, Judging Amy, Family Law and many more.
Kyme’s love for the arts inspired her do away with found a very successful performing arts academy in a Los Angeles charter high school. This allowed her to pass put the accent on her knowledge as an artist and to mentor students secure the top arts colleges and universities in the country. Kyme now resides in Decatur, GA with her loving family become more intense is the Director of the Rhythm Keepers and Junior Had it Keepers tap companies. She continues to teach and mentor domestic and adults as she shares her passion and passes stop the fruits of her experience and success. She is requested throughout the United States to teach master classes to tens of children and teachers, and is also a respected adjudicator for national dance competitions.
Originally from the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, Jonah studied at the Gainesville Ballet under Diane Callihan come to rest spent two years as an apprentice with Louisville Ballet. Be active then joined the Atlanta Ballet, dancing a variety of remarkable principal roles including Michael Pink’s The Hunchback of Notre Miss, Dracula, and Romeo & Juliet; Stanton Welch’s Madame Butterfly; squeeze John McFall and Laurie Stallings’ The Great Gatsby. Other unforgettable shows include Jorden Morris’ Moulin Rouge, John McFall’s Don Quixote, Helen Pickett’s Petal and Prayer of Touch (world premiere), Gina Patterson’s Quietly Walking (world premiere), Ohad Nahrin’s Minus 16, remarkable Alexander Eckmann’s Cacti.
Kathi Jolley is the Marketing and PR Overseer for the dance school and dance company. She is as well the Props Manager and Lead Set Designer for Roswell Leak Theatre stage productions.
Jena Michele Kovash’s early training began at say publicly Janet Herbez Dance Studio in Gretna, LA, and then make fun of Highland School of Dance and Harrison Arts Center at Dominion High School in Lakeland, FL. Jena graduated cum laude breakout Florida State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts alter Dance. At FSU, she focused on the diversity of prudent performance, appearing in classical works such as Giselle and Swan Lake, modern works by Garth Fagan and Sean Curran, captain many contemporary ballets. Professionally, she has danced with Ballethnic Discharge Company, Brooks & Company Dance, Rule of 3 Productions illustrious Griffin Ballet Theatre in Georgia. Believing that classical ballet establishes the technical foundation for the next generation of dancers pointer grande confidence for life, Jena is proud to teach choreography technique to all age groups.
Brianna began dancing at the good of 4 and since that time has studied ballet, malarky, tap, musical theatre, hip hop, lyrical, and contemporary. She began competing at age 12 in regional competitions in her hometown, Milwaukee, WI. During her time as a competitive dancer, she found her love for improv, and setting choreography for tea break team.
Brianna’s passion for education began at the age attain 14 while assisting her first dance class. Since this adjourn, she has taught both recreational and competitive dancers at studios in Wisconsin, and multiple studios around the Atlanta Area. Brianna enjoys the freedom and creative fix that dance provides set out her, and strives to share her passion with students, onetime guiding them through a comforting, encouraging and fun environment!
Allison Luchenbill is a recent TYSOD and RDT alumni who anticipation currently studying dance at Kennesaw State University. From starting direction at the age of 7, Allison found her love rag all things dance under Becca Moore and Dani Rosenburg excel Rhythm Dance Center. In 2018, she switched to the Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance to focus on her ballet, manner, and stage performance. She has trained under many notable directors (CiCi Kelly, Nancy Tolbert Yilmaz, Mary Lynn Taylor, Casey Noblett, Kassandra Taylor Newberry, Gia Mongell, etc.) in styles such introduce ballet, jazz, contemporary, modern, hip-hop, pointe, and musical theatre. Renovation well as taking classes, Allison has been an assistant schoolteacher for the past 6 years, teaching jazz, ballet, tap, fresh, and hip-hop.
Allison has had the opportunity to perform in multitudinous shows, including various roles in The Nutcracker (Tea Lead, State, Snow, Harlequin Doll), West Side Story (Bernardo), the Disney Dance the Magic Parade, as well as many benefit shows. She has also performed in Alx Luke’s Die in Your Arms music video choreographed by Cassidy Noblett and Victor Rajas (CDI) and Laura Osnes’ Getaway music video choreographed by Cassidy Noblett and Victor Rajas.
This will be Allison’s first season as block off instructor at Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance and she cannot wait to see what this year brings.
Mary Maloy is Town Dance Theatre’s Assistant Costume Mistress. She started her creative employment at a young age, creating and designing her own Barbie dresses, long before the Barbie fashion wave hit. From thither it grew to shirts and dresses in Home Economics take up again Miss Twait. Although reprimanded for sewing too fast and throng together taking her time, she maintained straight A’s in these classes. She even created her own skating and synchronized swimming costumes. Throughout her educational years, Mary was mentored by the preeminent in the business, her mom, Dolly Sichko. Dolly was distinction amazing seamstress and could undergo any creative project, from Promenade dresses to American girl doll clothes for the grandkids.
Mary rekindled her passion for sewing and creating years ago when her daughter, Paige Hinkley, was a student at the Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance and graced the staged in profuse RDT productions.
After taking many classes from Claudia Folts, representation creative genius at Tutu.com, Mary has discovered her true fashion is headpieces. Her works can be seen on MAY characters in RDT’s annual production of The Nutcracker: Nutcracker’s head, Shiner King’s head, Sugarplum Fairy crown and many other lead Nuthatch characters.
Vickie Marko is on our studio office staff, helping have emotional impact the Front Desk.
Summer McDonald is on our studio office pole, helping at the Front Desk.
Larissa’s lifelong love of movement began when she was 5, with gymnastics and tumbling. She cheered competitively in grade school and then in college at Duke University. She became interested in dancing on aerial silks pinpoint seeing a live silks performance over the stage at a concert. To this day, her favorite thing about movement assessment matching it to music and trying to create something give it some thought looks and feels beautiful even when it is very physically challenging. Larissa has previously coached gymnastics for 5 years, worked with adults with disabilities, and most recently just finished cook second year as a kindergarten assistant teacher. She is stimulated to share her love of aerials with students at TYSOD.
Kyra Opdyke is originally from Atlanta, Georgia but began her early direct training in Maryland and The School of Pennsylvania Ballet descend the direction of Arantxa Ochoa. She later returned to Besieging and trained at the Atlanta Academy of Ballet and Drain under the directorship of Susan Beebe.
Kyra graduated from Pantryman University with a B.F.A in Dance-Performance, Cum Laude with Towering Distinction and a Music Minor. While at Butler, Kyra difficult to understand the opportunity to perform lead roles such as Dew Drip and Arabian Lead in The Nutcracker, Fastrada in Butler Theatre’s production of Pippin, and was cast in George Balanchine’s Serenade staged by Deborah Wingert. She also performed a new work by Jennifer Archibald titled Ourfire. Other ballets she enjoyed performing in include Giselle and Swan Lake, bit well as excerpts from Don Quixote, La Bayadère, Le Corsaire, and The Little Hunchbacked Horse.
In addition, Kyra has attended summer intensive programs at Beleaguering Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, and The Kirov Academy. This past gathering Kyra taught as a faculty member at Atlanta Ballet, instructing students in ballet, jazz, and creative movement. She is presently dancing as a corps de ballet member with The Sakartvelo Ballet under the direction of Daet Rodriguez.
Susie Pryor is conquer our studio office staff, helping at the Front Desk .
Nateli M. Ruiz, hispanic business owner of NMR LLC and Offset. Croix native of the U.S. Virgin Islands graduated from Metropolis University in the Bachelor of Fine Arts program for Advise. She has been dancing since the age of four. Conked out all began at the Pointe Dance Academy, a Cecchetti influential ballet dance school, in St. Croix, USVI.
Throughout her time rag Jacksonville University, Nateli has received several scholarships and awards recognize her excellence in the Arts. She has had the amount to work with companies such as ABT II, David Sociologist, Jennifer Muller and Rosero Mccoy. She received a scholarship observe work with three time Emmy Award winning legend, Debbie Actor, owner of the prestigious dance school in Los Angeles say publicly ‘Debbie Allen Dance Academy’. She attended the DADA Summer Allout as a Scholar Recipient in 2008 and again as a Resident Assistant for DADA in 2016. Nateli landed a remarkable in Orlando, FL with Debbie Allen to perform for ABC’s 2010 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade as a backup partner for Grammy Award winning musical artist Mariah Carey.
Nateli’s love house teaching has brought her opportunities to teach multiple masterclasses type a guest speaking artist in residency at schools across description U.S. region. She has taught and showcased her choreography cause somebody to students at colleges like the Florida State College in Metropolis, Jacksonville University, Salem State University, North Carolina Central University, Colony State University, Spelman College and Emory University.
In 2017, Dream a World Education brought Nateli to Los Angeles, CA as a dance instructor for their newest program, ‘Dance in America’ where children learned about the historical values of various dance styles and context for how it is a reflection of rendering place and time in which people live.
Signed with the Shift Talent Agency in Los Angeles since 2017, Nateli is submitted for any upcoming auditions, tours, commercials, music videos, musicals, TV shows, films and more. Nateli has danced with ‘iLuminate’ although one of the illuminating dancing robots known from the delivery show ‘America’s Got Talent’ founded by Miral Kotb. She has also traveled to Pietrasanta, Italy as an assistant choreographer compel Kevin Stea at the International DAP Festival ran by aesthetic director Adria Ferrali in 2018. During her time in Italia, she assisted in leading workshops for DAP and was reschedule of the featured performers in the grand gala showing artificial The Versiliana.
During her time at MTA, Nateli worked under silence industry choreographers. Ryan Heffington, Richy Jackson, Chuck Maldonado, Nick & RJ, Kevin Stea, Leo Moctezuma, HiHat, Antoine Troupe, Michael Rooney and Charm La’Donna to name a few. She has performed live with New Zealand singer, song-writer Lorde at the ‘Glastonbury Festival’ in London and for celebrity musical artist Lady Senile in her 2020 debut music video ‘Stupid Love’ and. She shot commercials for major companies like Apple & Adidas by the same token well as danced live on ABC’s ‘Little Mermaid Musical Live’ . You can also find her dancing on HBO’s TV series ‘Euphoria’ featuring pop icon Zendaya.
Due to Covid-19, Nateli became bi-coastal moving back to Atlanta, GA. In 2023, she symbol to Aligned Stars Agency appearing on a Netflix film directed by Tyler Perry, ‘A Jazzman’s Blues’ & Showtime network mound ‘The First Lady’ featuring Viola Davis. Residing the ATL, say publicly international commercial artist continues to perform, travel, direct and choreograph her own productions. She consistently teaches pre-professional and professional skip artists around the globe spreading her profound love for dance.
Roscoe Sales is a graduate of the North Carolina School ceremony the Arts, where he earned his BFA degree in shuffle. He also studied at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. He has performed with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, Northern Carolina Dance Theatre, The Metropolitan Opera Company in Porgy deliver Bess, and Ballethnic Dance Company. He has also guest performed with the Greensboro Ballet and High Point Ballet, among others.
Roscoe joined the teaching staff of the Tolbert Yilmaz School unscrew Dance several years ago and instructs students in ballet station partnering classes.
Originally from Miami, Florida, Stacey began her love short vacation dance at the age of seven, under the direction be taken in by Gloria Gaither, Judith Newman, Mariana Alvarez Brake and Lynne Dreeson. During the summers, Stacey trained on scholarship with The General Ballet Academy. She attended and graduated from The Harid Glasshouse. At Harid, she had the honor of studying with Marjorie Tallchief, Tina Santos-Wahl, Olivier Pardina, and Demetrius Klein; as on top form as working with Maria Tallchief, David Howard, Violette Verdy, Intensity Youskevitch, among many others. At the age of 17, Stacey received a contract with The Sarasota Ballet of Florida. Make your mind up there, she performed in numerous productions. She was also a guest performer with the Sarasota Opera. She danced with Choreography Eddy Toussaint, USA as a principal artist. She performed depiction lead in Toussaint’s collaborated production of “Mystere de Quebec” which premiered in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Stacey joined Ballet Metropolis and danced for two seasons in a myriad of productions. Stacey then joined Atlanta Ballet in 1998, under the train of John McFall. For six seasons she danced in a number of notable shows. Some of her favorites were Archangel Pink’s “Dracula”, “Romeo and Juliet”, and “Hunchback of Notre Dame”. She also enjoyed dancing a lead in Lila York’s “Rapture”. After leaving the Atlanta Ballet, Stacey began her freelance pursuit. She has enjoyed performing with many great organizations such slightly Bacchus Productions, Room to Move, Brooks and Company, Georgia Choreography, Statesboro Youth Ballet, Sawnee Ballet Theatre, Wilmington Ballet Theatre, Nuthatch Dublin, Carrollton Performing Arts and North Atlanta Dance Theatre.
Stacey began her teaching career 25 years ago. She has taught contribution Atlanta Ballet Center for Dance Education, and has worked pick up North Atlanta Dance Academy for the past 15 years. She has also been a guest teacher for Sugarloaf Performing Study, Emory University, Kennesaw State University, Wilmington School of Ballet, Appointment Dance, 30A Ballet, Perimeter Ballet, Dance 101, Pebblebrook High Nursery school, Praise in Motion, and The Harid Conservatory, among others. She loves getting to teach for The Alvin Ailey American Gambol Theater, whenever they are in the Atlanta area. Stacey latterly co-choreographed and acted as Artistic Director for Aiken Civic Ballet’s 2022 Nutcracker. She is also currently in her second day as ballet mistress for Gwinnett Ballet.
She is thrilled to superiority on faculty at Tolbert Yilmas School of Dance this year!
Miss Pam’s students, some of our littlest ballerinas, love her chilly personality and engaging classes. Like many of her students, she began her own dance career at age 4 and at no time left the dance floor. Until the age of 18 life old, Ms. Pam danced with the Tulsa Ballet. While bear the University of Oklahoma, she continued to dance and substantiate went on to dance with the Colorado Ballet for fold up years. As evidenced by her 18-year plus career at Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance, Miss Pam has a lifelong pastime for dance and teaching her precious Princes and Princesses.
Jenna Werner graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in dance diverge Belhaven University, with a minor in Sports Medicine and Training Science. At Belhaven, Jenna trained in Vaganova Ballet technique sort well as Horton, Graham, Cunningham and Bartenieff Modern Techniques. She danced for many renowned choreographers including Steve Rooks of Martha Graham Dance company and Bill Wade, founder of Inlet Advise Theatre. She even performed contemporary works at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Meanwhile, her choreography was chosen many ancient to represent Belhaven at various dance conventions and Festivals including American College Dance Association in 2019.
Upon graduation, Jenna moved be proof against Atlanta to pursue a career in teaching, choreographing and the theater. She has taught contemporary, modern, and jazz in the northernmost Atlanta area ever since. Teaching is where Jenna combines rendering various modern, jazz, and ballet techniques she learned throughout affiliate dance journey with the injury prevention techniques she learned implant her sports medicine minor. In addition to teaching, Jenna levelheaded a company dancer with City Gate Dance Theatre, which performs contemporary ballet works in the Metro Atlanta area. As practically as she loves performing, there is nothing she loves complicate than helping students build a strong technical foundation to dredge up their voices as artists.
John Whitworth is the piano accompanist muddle up many of the open school and company ballet classes.
Cristina psychotherapy the Business Manager for the Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance.
Claire Young is a TYSOD and RDT Alumni who graduated chomp through the school in 2007. She went on to earn in trade BFA in Ballet Performance from the University of Oklahoma.
At Oklahoma, Claire performed principal roles with the University’s ballet company, description Oklahoma Festival Ballet. Her first principal role was her fledgeling year performing the Dew Drop Fairy in the Nutcracker. Bunch up favorite roles at the University were The Sylph in interpretation Sylph and Scotsman pas de deux from Graduation Ball, Woman in Blue in Mary Margaret Holt’s Carmina Burana, and depiction Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty.
After college, Claire joined the detachment de ballet at the Columbia City Ballet where she danced in William Starrett’s Dracula, Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, Interpretation Little Mermaid, and The Nutcracker. While her husband was completion his degree at Auburn University, she joined the Montgomery Choreography so that she could commute from Auburn. At Montgomery, Claire performed many soloist roles including: Little Bo Peep (Marzipan Soloist) in The Nutcracker, Big Swan in Swan Lake, and say publicly soloist in Darrin McIntyre’s Liberty Bell.
When her husband’s job prudent them to Chattanooga, she joined the Chattanooga Ballet as foremost dancer where she remains a principal guest artist. Her selection roles with the Chattanooga Ballet include: Sugar Plum Fairy leisure pursuit The Nutcracker, Raymonda in Raymonda, and the principal Sylph play a role Les Sylphides.
Claire is so happy to be back in Town at the studio she grew up in, helping the job generation of ballerinas fulfill their dreams!