Katie Rourke, GDT alumni, was one of 35 students selected nationwide to attend Kaatspaan International Dance Center of New York

Pursuit of Excellence

The very essence of dance embodies the concept of excellence. Dancers who hope to compete on the highest levels must decide to embrace this graceful art by consistently devoting themselves to the habits of dedication, drive, and determination. The pursuit of dance becomes the pursuit of excellence.

Georgia Academy of Dance understands this pursuit. That’s why for fifteen years, director Sherri Davis has built her academy without compromising the level of excellence required by her team of top instructors. The academy currently teaches 550 students, their largest enrollment to date.
 

Shall We Dance?

As leaders in the Georgia dance community, the academy’s instructors are equipped to teach nearly every genre of dance imaginable from jazz to hip hop to ballet to modern to tap. Associate Director Wade Smith has created the largest jazz program in southern Atlanta counties, raising the bar for local dance teams and contemporary dance at the academy.

The company’s staff hails from around the country, including New York and California, and even the world. Ballet Master Ramazan Bapov, one of the academy’s most valuable instructors, was a principal dancer in Moscow and earned his Ballet Master diploma magna cum laude at the Conservatory of St. Petersburg, Russia.

Though widely recognized as the top dance company south of Atlanta, the Georgia Academy of Dance offers professional dance instruction for all skill levels from pre-school to adult. Early Childhood Director DeeLana Styron, who built the program over fifteen years with Davis, introduces dance to the youngest students.

During her ten years of ballet instruction at the academy, Jennifer Seabaugh danced in every production since 1992. She recalls “productions were done very professionally” because Davis organized well.

“We were a family in the studio. The performances always went smoothly. My parents always enjoyed going to them. We never had to worry about anything. We just had to remember our part,” remembers Seabaugh, now a stay at home mom who often visits the studio with her new baby. “I auditioned for Boston Ballet and American Ballet Theatre and was accepted to summer camp. I kept up with all the other girls and even got to the top levels because the quality of my instruction back home was excellent and well-rounded.

Return of the Alumni

Perhaps the best argument for Georgia Academy of Dance’s effect is the growing number of former students who pursued careers in dance, launched their own studios, won dance scholarships, and have even returned to teach.

“We have given children careers from the training they have received at our school. We have helped to mold their lives—and we take that very seriously,” reflects Davis. “Most of these kids started with me at a very young age. I have watched some of my kids grow up and raise families. Some still visit the studio because they tell me Georgia Academy of Dance has always felt like a second home. I am blessed and honored that they feel that way."

Christian Clark, a part-time instructor with the Classical Program, uses his day off from the Atlanta Ballet to teach kids at Georgia Academy of Dance because he “feels the family atmosphere and loves working with the students and staff.” Josh Reynolds, in his second season with the Atlanta Ballet, recently danced in Dracula at the Fox Theatre. He is the youngest male dancer ever signed with the Atlanta Ballet. And even Ms. Davis' stepson, Gray Davis, has chosen dance as a career. He was just signed with American Ballet Theatre of New York.

“Not everyone can dance professionally, but we believe the characteristics that can be learned from dance can carry a child through life—being a team player, overcoming disappointment, leadership,” says Davis. “Commitment, endurance, self-realization. That’s what I learned from dance. And that’s what I hope our dancers learn from this academy."

Former student Amber Molleson Boyd now coaches the local dance team at Starrs Mill High School and teaches Spanish. She began dancing at the academy at age eight and hopes her children will someday share her passion for dance.

“[Georgia Academy of Dance] is demanding, but I don’t think there’s a better place out there. Sherri was always there for me, gave us the best instructors, and was kind of another mom to me because I was always there,” recollects Boyd. “Dance is about passion, it’s a beautiful art. I’m able to share my faith through dancing. I have a passion for dance and a passion for Christ. Those two just go hand-in-hand."

Emory University scholarship student Nichole O'Brien, an eleven-year veteran with the academy and a member of the professional company of Georgia Dance Theatre, returned to teach Hip Hop. Tiffany Lanius, another former student, founded and now directs both Dance South and Encore Dance Project in Whitehouse, Tennessee.

“The community has supported this studio and its performing company, Georgia Dance Theatre, these past 15 years beyond all expectation,” reminds Davis. “The Endowment Committee of the Cultural Arts in Fayette County, Rotary Club, and countless businesses and individuals donated funds and volunteered time to promote the arts through Georgia Academy of Dance. We thank them for their support! We are looking forward to the next 15 years!”