GEORGIA DANCE THEATRE
Leading Artists
ABBY CALDWELL
Abby Caldwell has trained with Georgia Academy of Dance & the Performing Arts for 15 years and was a scholarship company member of Georgia Dance Theatre for 5 seasons.
Abby has received additional training from prestigious companies such as Richmond Ballet, Atlanta Ballet and Milwaukee Ballet – all under scholarship. She was accepted to and attended such prominent companies such as Miami City Ballet and American Ballet Theatre.
Abby has danced professionally with Milwaukee Ballet II under the direction of Michael Pink and had the privilege of performing with Milwaukee Ballet in Michael Pink’s La Boheme, The Nutcracker, & Momentum, Swan Lake Pas de Trois and Momentum, Napoli. Additionally, Abby has performed in Atlanta Ballet’s The Nutcracker and Snow White and Miami City Ballet’s Noire in which she performed the Soloist role. In addition, she has performed with American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive Program as Soloist in Le Corsaire.
Abby received several Soloist roles as a Georgia Dance Theatre member. She danced as a French Immigrant in Director Sherri Davis’ original ballet of West Side Story. In addition, she performed the Cinderella pas in GAD’s production of The Sleeping Beauty and the Pas de Trois in Swan Lake. In Georgia Dance Theatre’s production of The Nutcracker Ballet,Abby danced the lead roles of Dew Drop Fairy of Waltz of the Flowers and as the Ribbon Candy. Abby is excited to be returning to Georgia Academy of Dance & the Performing Arts to continue her passion for dance and assist in educating the next generation of GAD dancers. Abby makes her debut season as a professional company member of Georgia Dance Theatre for the 2018-2019 Season.
Abby Caldwell has trained with Georgia Academy of Dance & the Performing Arts for 15 years and was a scholarship company member of Georgia Dance Theatre for 5 seasons.
Abby has received additional training from prestigious companies such as Richmond Ballet, Atlanta Ballet and Milwaukee Ballet – all under scholarship. She was accepted to and attended such prominent companies such as Miami City Ballet and American Ballet Theatre.
Abby has danced professionally with Milwaukee Ballet II under the direction of Michael Pink and had the privilege of performing with Milwaukee Ballet in Michael Pink’s La Boheme, The Nutcracker, & Momentum, Swan Lake Pas de Trois and Momentum, Napoli. Additionally, Abby has performed in Atlanta Ballet’s The Nutcracker and Snow White and Miami City Ballet’s Noire in which she performed the Soloist role. In addition, she has performed with American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive Program as Soloist in Le Corsaire.
Abby received several Soloist roles as a Georgia Dance Theatre member. She danced as a French Immigrant in Director Sherri Davis’ original ballet of West Side Story. In addition, she performed the Cinderella pas in GAD’s production of The Sleeping Beauty and the Pas de Trois in Swan Lake. In Georgia Dance Theatre’s production of The Nutcracker Ballet,Abby danced the lead roles of Dew Drop Fairy of Waltz of the Flowers and as the Ribbon Candy. Abby is excited to be returning to Georgia Academy of Dance & the Performing Arts to continue her passion for dance and assist in educating the next generation of GAD dancers. Abby makes her debut season as a professional company member of Georgia Dance Theatre for the 2018-2019 Season.
ALISON CASPERSEN
Alison Caspersen grew up in Edwards, Colorado and began her training at Vail Valley Academy of Dance under the direction of Anne Powell and Karen Samuelson. She received additional training from The Rock School for Dance Education of Pennsylvania, Milwaukee Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Washington Ballet, and Kaatsbaan. In 2014, Ms. Caspersen was honored to be a part of the Helen Pickett Choreographic Essentials Workshop.
Ms. Caspersen received professional trainee status with Ballet Austin and performed with the company in The Nutcracker Ballet choreographed by artistic director Stephen Mills. She has also appeared in Ballet Austin’s Paquita and Women in Light. Ms. Caspersen continued her training with Atlanta Ballet as both a Conservatory dancer and contracted Fellowship artist. She has performed in Atlanta Ballet’s Nutcracker and Pinnochio and danced the featured role of the Evil Queen in Snow White.
In addition to her professional performing career, Ms. Caspersen was a dance educator for the Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education and Ballet Austin. Alison has danced the lead roles of Sugar Plum Fairy & Snow Queen in Georgia Dance Theatre's production of The Nutcracker Ballet. Ms. Caspersen is in her fourth season as a professional company member of Georgia Dance Theatre.
Alison Caspersen grew up in Edwards, Colorado and began her training at Vail Valley Academy of Dance under the direction of Anne Powell and Karen Samuelson. She received additional training from The Rock School for Dance Education of Pennsylvania, Milwaukee Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Washington Ballet, and Kaatsbaan. In 2014, Ms. Caspersen was honored to be a part of the Helen Pickett Choreographic Essentials Workshop.
Ms. Caspersen received professional trainee status with Ballet Austin and performed with the company in The Nutcracker Ballet choreographed by artistic director Stephen Mills. She has also appeared in Ballet Austin’s Paquita and Women in Light. Ms. Caspersen continued her training with Atlanta Ballet as both a Conservatory dancer and contracted Fellowship artist. She has performed in Atlanta Ballet’s Nutcracker and Pinnochio and danced the featured role of the Evil Queen in Snow White.
In addition to her professional performing career, Ms. Caspersen was a dance educator for the Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education and Ballet Austin. Alison has danced the lead roles of Sugar Plum Fairy & Snow Queen in Georgia Dance Theatre's production of The Nutcracker Ballet. Ms. Caspersen is in her fourth season as a professional company member of Georgia Dance Theatre.
KELLY DORNAN
Kelly Dornan received her dance training under scholarship from the Washington School of Ballet led by Artistic Director Kee Juan Han and under scholarship with the Texas Ballet Theater led by master teacher and choreographer Ben Stevenson. In addition, Ms. Dornan was a scholarship recipient to the Milwaukee Ballet and trained under the direction of Artistic Director Michael Pink.
For three seasons, Ms. Dornan has danced professionally with the Colorado Ballet Studio Company under the direction of American Ballet Theatre’s former Principal dancer Gil Boggs. During her time with the Colorado Ballet, Ms. Dornan had the opportunity to work with various prestigious choreographers and perform in multiple classical and contemporary repertoire.
These prestigious works include performing in George Balanchine’s Serenade, Michael Pink’s Dracula, Anthony Tudor’s Pilar of Fire, Twyla Tharp’s Brief Fling,Christopher Wheeldon’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Colorado Ballet’s Nutcracker. Additional classical repertoire that Ms. Dornan had the honor of performing include Yuri Possokhov’s Firebird, Marisu Petipa and Leve Ivanov’s Swan Lake and Derek Deane’s Romeo and Juliet.
Ms. Dornan makes her debut season as a professional company member of Georgia Dance Theatre.
Kelly Dornan received her dance training under scholarship from the Washington School of Ballet led by Artistic Director Kee Juan Han and under scholarship with the Texas Ballet Theater led by master teacher and choreographer Ben Stevenson. In addition, Ms. Dornan was a scholarship recipient to the Milwaukee Ballet and trained under the direction of Artistic Director Michael Pink.
For three seasons, Ms. Dornan has danced professionally with the Colorado Ballet Studio Company under the direction of American Ballet Theatre’s former Principal dancer Gil Boggs. During her time with the Colorado Ballet, Ms. Dornan had the opportunity to work with various prestigious choreographers and perform in multiple classical and contemporary repertoire.
These prestigious works include performing in George Balanchine’s Serenade, Michael Pink’s Dracula, Anthony Tudor’s Pilar of Fire, Twyla Tharp’s Brief Fling,Christopher Wheeldon’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Colorado Ballet’s Nutcracker. Additional classical repertoire that Ms. Dornan had the honor of performing include Yuri Possokhov’s Firebird, Marisu Petipa and Leve Ivanov’s Swan Lake and Derek Deane’s Romeo and Juliet.
Ms. Dornan makes her debut season as a professional company member of Georgia Dance Theatre.
GRACE KOURY
Grace Koury, a native of Altoona, PA, joins us from Rochester, New York. Ms. Koury was a member of the Rochester City Ballet of New York. Ms. Koury attended Indiana University Jacobs School of Music on The Dean’s Scholarship. There she had the pleasure of performing many works by renowned choreographers ranging from Antony Tudor’s Dark Elegies, Paul Taylor’s Musical Offering, George Balanchine’s Rubies, Emeralds, Western Symphony, Four Temperaments and Divertimento No. 15. As a part of Jacobs School of Music, Grace also had the opportunity to perform as a featured dancer in the operas La Traviata and The Last Savage.
Through the Charlotte Ballet at Chautauqua Institute, Ms. Koury had the opportunity to perform Western Symphony which was taught my world-renowned ballerina, Patricia McBride. In addition to Indiana University Ballet Theater, Grace has received dance training from Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Pacific Northwest Ballet, The School of American Ballet, Chautauqua School of Dance, and Allegheny Ballet Company.
Ms. Koury holds a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance and an Outside Field in Arts Management from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Ms. Koury makes her debut season as a professional company member of Georgia Dance Theatre.
Grace Koury, a native of Altoona, PA, joins us from Rochester, New York. Ms. Koury was a member of the Rochester City Ballet of New York. Ms. Koury attended Indiana University Jacobs School of Music on The Dean’s Scholarship. There she had the pleasure of performing many works by renowned choreographers ranging from Antony Tudor’s Dark Elegies, Paul Taylor’s Musical Offering, George Balanchine’s Rubies, Emeralds, Western Symphony, Four Temperaments and Divertimento No. 15. As a part of Jacobs School of Music, Grace also had the opportunity to perform as a featured dancer in the operas La Traviata and The Last Savage.
Through the Charlotte Ballet at Chautauqua Institute, Ms. Koury had the opportunity to perform Western Symphony which was taught my world-renowned ballerina, Patricia McBride. In addition to Indiana University Ballet Theater, Grace has received dance training from Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Pacific Northwest Ballet, The School of American Ballet, Chautauqua School of Dance, and Allegheny Ballet Company.
Ms. Koury holds a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance and an Outside Field in Arts Management from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Ms. Koury makes her debut season as a professional company member of Georgia Dance Theatre.
KELLY O'SHAUGHNESSY
Kelly O’Shaughnessy began dancing at the age of 4 at Georgia Academy of Dance and the Performing Arts and became a member of Georgia Dance Theatre in 2010. As a member of Georgia Dance Theatre, Ms. O’Shaughnessy has performed in multiple classical and contemporary ballets. She has performed with Georgia Dance Theatre in Artistic Director Sherri Davis' original ballets including West Side Story, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Jane Eyre. In addition, she has performed classical repertoire of Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet and various roles in The Nutcracker Ballet.
Outside of Georgia Dance Theatre, Ms. O’Shaughnessy has been accepted into nationally renowned programs including Boston Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Washington Ballet, and Orlando Ballet’s trainee program. Over the summer of 2015, she attended The Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet in New York City where she received individualized training from Gelsey Kirkland and Michael Chernov and was invited to their year-round training program.
During the summers of 2014 and 2016, she attended the Kirov Academy of Ballet of Washington, D.C., where she received Vaganova training from Elena Tenchikova, Stanislav Issaev, Victoria Yanchuck, and Cyril Pierre under the direction of Adrienne Dellas. Ms. O’Shaughnessy was offered a position in the Kirov’s Junior Company, a program designed to prepare dancers for success in the highly competitive field of ballet.
In the summer of 2017, Ms. O'Shaughnessy received additional training on scholarship with the Ballet West of Salt Lake City, Utah under the direction of Peter Merz and Adam Sklute. Over her years of summer training, she has learned and performed a wide variety of classical roles, including repertoire from La Bayadere (Gamzatti), Le Corsaire (Medora), Sleeping Beauty (Lilac Fairy), Raymonda, Le Sylphide, Don Quixote, and In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated.
Kelly is currently a third-year Biology major at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. She is also pursuing a minor in Physiology with hopes of becoming a physical therapist for dancers later in life.
Ms. O’Shaughnessy is in her fourth season as a professional company member of Georgia Dance Theatre.
Kelly O’Shaughnessy began dancing at the age of 4 at Georgia Academy of Dance and the Performing Arts and became a member of Georgia Dance Theatre in 2010. As a member of Georgia Dance Theatre, Ms. O’Shaughnessy has performed in multiple classical and contemporary ballets. She has performed with Georgia Dance Theatre in Artistic Director Sherri Davis' original ballets including West Side Story, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Jane Eyre. In addition, she has performed classical repertoire of Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet and various roles in The Nutcracker Ballet.
Outside of Georgia Dance Theatre, Ms. O’Shaughnessy has been accepted into nationally renowned programs including Boston Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Washington Ballet, and Orlando Ballet’s trainee program. Over the summer of 2015, she attended The Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet in New York City where she received individualized training from Gelsey Kirkland and Michael Chernov and was invited to their year-round training program.
During the summers of 2014 and 2016, she attended the Kirov Academy of Ballet of Washington, D.C., where she received Vaganova training from Elena Tenchikova, Stanislav Issaev, Victoria Yanchuck, and Cyril Pierre under the direction of Adrienne Dellas. Ms. O’Shaughnessy was offered a position in the Kirov’s Junior Company, a program designed to prepare dancers for success in the highly competitive field of ballet.
In the summer of 2017, Ms. O'Shaughnessy received additional training on scholarship with the Ballet West of Salt Lake City, Utah under the direction of Peter Merz and Adam Sklute. Over her years of summer training, she has learned and performed a wide variety of classical roles, including repertoire from La Bayadere (Gamzatti), Le Corsaire (Medora), Sleeping Beauty (Lilac Fairy), Raymonda, Le Sylphide, Don Quixote, and In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated.
Kelly is currently a third-year Biology major at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. She is also pursuing a minor in Physiology with hopes of becoming a physical therapist for dancers later in life.
Ms. O’Shaughnessy is in her fourth season as a professional company member of Georgia Dance Theatre.
RAFAELLA MOCELIN
Rafaella Mocelin, originally from Brazil, began her dancing at the age of 4 at Ballet Vera Bublitz.
At the age of 15, Ms. Mocelin received a scholarship to continue her training at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York under the direction of Era Jourayley. During her training at the Joffrey Ballet School, Ms. Mocelin performed various lead roles such as the Black Swan Grand Pas de Deux in Swan Lake, Snow Queen in The Nutcracker & Paquita Pas de Deux in Paquita.
In addition to these lead roles, Ms. Mocelin also had to opportunity to perform in Conservatorie under the restaging of Kaina Elver and Walpurgisnatch under the restaging of Stacy Caddell.
Ms. Mocelin has received additional training from Miami City Ballet under Merit Scholarship and the Joinville festival with artists such as Cristina Helena, Sergio Marshall and Toshie Kobayashi Joinville.