MARY MCGEHEE - ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, FOUNDER SMYRNA DANCERS
MARY MCGEHEE WORKED AS A VOLUNTEER IN THE DOMESTIC PEACE CORPS WHEN SHE WAS ACTING DIRECTOR OF BALLET FOR THE THREE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS.
SHE HAD HER UNDERGRADUATE TRAINING AT THE ACCLAIMED BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN COLLEGE DANCE PROGRAM, WHERE SHE JOINED A PROFESSIONAL COMPANY, AND SHE EARNED HER MASTERS OF FINE ARTS IN DANCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, GREENSBORO. MARY RECALLS DANCING WITH MADONNA AT THE AMERICAN DANCE FESTIVAL BEFORE MADONNA BECAME FAMOUS.
MARY RECEIVED FURTHER INSTRUCTION IN NEW YORK WITH DAVID HOWARD (BALLET), LUIGI (JAZZ) AND MERCE CUNNINGHAM (MODERN DANCE).
MARY LEARNED HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS BY BECOMING A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER AND TOP PRODUCER AT BANK OF AMERICA. SHE WAS ABLE TO TAKE EARLY RETIREMENT AND PURSUE HER DREAM OF BUILDING A DANCE COMPANY IN THE SUMMER OF 2000. HER STUDENTS HAVE GONE ON TO PEBBLEBROOK, BROADWAY AND MAJOR DANCE COMPANIES. MARY HAS TAUGHT FOR THE CITY OF SMYRNA AND SMYRNA SCHOOLS FOR THE PAST FIFTEEN YEARS.
MARY ENCOURAGES HER TEACHERS TO FOCUS ON THE PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR STUDENTS, AND CLASSES AIM TO ENHANCE SELF CONFIDENCE AND SELF ESTEEM IN STUDENTS.
JULIE SEGAL - ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
JULIE BEGAN DANCING AT THE AGE OF FOUR, AND HAS FOND MEMORIES OF HER TEACHER, KIP WATSON, BANGING THE FLOOR WITH HIS CANE TO KEEP TIME WITH THE LIVE PIANO MUSIC. JULIE’S DANCE EDUCATION FOCUSED ON BALLET, POINTE, TAP AND JAZZ, AND SHE COMPETED AT DANCE MASTERS OF AMERICA AND DANCE EDUCATORS OF AMERICA.
JULIE HAS PERFORMED AT THE FOX THEATER AND ALSO HAS EXPERIENCE IN FILM. SHE CONNECTS AS A TEACHER WITH ALL AGES, INCLUDING ADULTS, AND HER ADULT CLASS JOINS HER CLASSES OF ALL AGES IN PERFORMING IN THE ANNUAL SMYRNA DANCERS RECITAL.
JULIE BEGAN DANCING AT THE AGE OF FOUR, AND HAS FOND MEMORIES OF HER TEACHER, KIP WATSON, BANGING THE FLOOR WITH HIS CANE TO KEEP TIME WITH THE LIVE PIANO MUSIC. JULIE’S DANCE EDUCATION FOCUSED ON BALLET, POINTE, TAP AND JAZZ, AND SHE COMPETED AT DANCE MASTERS OF AMERICA AND DANCE EDUCATORS OF AMERICA.
JULIE HAS PERFORMED AT THE FOX THEATER AND ALSO HAS EXPERIENCE IN FILM. SHE CONNECTS AS A TEACHER WITH ALL AGES, INCLUDING ADULTS, AND HER ADULT CLASS JOINS HER CLASSES OF ALL AGES IN PERFORMING IN THE ANNUAL SMYRNA DANCERS RECITAL.
ANNEMARIE TAPP
ANNEMARIE, GRADUATE OF PEBBLEBROOK (PERFORMING ARTS MAGNET SCHOOL) STARTED DANCE STUDY AT THE AGE OF EIGHT, WHEN HER TEACHER DISCOVERED THAT SHE HAD THE PERFECT FEET FOR BALLET AND POINTE TRAINING.
HER TRAINING AT PEBBLEBROOK COVERED THE RANGE OF PERFORMING ARTS: SHE IS EQUALLY TALENTED IN DANCE, VOICE, AND DRAMA AND IS SKILLED AT SETTING CHOREOGRAPHY AND MUSICAL THEATER.
ANNEMARIE ENJOYS COACHING HIGHLY TALENTED YOUNG PEOPLE, AND HAS COMPLETED HER BACCALAUREATE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION .
ANNEMARIE SPENT FIVE YEARS TRAINING AS A TEACHER AND IN SUMMER CAMPS WITH MARY MCGEHEE AND IS A FACULTY MEMBER OF SMYRNA COMMUNITY DANCERS SPECIALIZING IN BALLET AND MUSICAL THEATER.
ANNEMARIE, GRADUATE OF PEBBLEBROOK (PERFORMING ARTS MAGNET SCHOOL) STARTED DANCE STUDY AT THE AGE OF EIGHT, WHEN HER TEACHER DISCOVERED THAT SHE HAD THE PERFECT FEET FOR BALLET AND POINTE TRAINING.
HER TRAINING AT PEBBLEBROOK COVERED THE RANGE OF PERFORMING ARTS: SHE IS EQUALLY TALENTED IN DANCE, VOICE, AND DRAMA AND IS SKILLED AT SETTING CHOREOGRAPHY AND MUSICAL THEATER.
ANNEMARIE ENJOYS COACHING HIGHLY TALENTED YOUNG PEOPLE, AND HAS COMPLETED HER BACCALAUREATE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION .
ANNEMARIE SPENT FIVE YEARS TRAINING AS A TEACHER AND IN SUMMER CAMPS WITH MARY MCGEHEE AND IS A FACULTY MEMBER OF SMYRNA COMMUNITY DANCERS SPECIALIZING IN BALLET AND MUSICAL THEATER.
NICHOLE JORDAN - BALLET SPECIALST
NICOLE ATTENDED HORIZONS PERFORMING ARTS SCHHOL AND WAS TRAINED IN DANCE AT THE INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED BALLET ROTARU. SHE EXCELLED RAPIDLY AT BALLET ROTARU AND ADVANCED TO POINTE AFTER ONLY TWO YEARS OF TRAINING.
NICHOLE HAS BEEN DANCING FOR 25 YEARS AND TEACHING DANCE FOR 12 YEARS. SHE HAS PERFORMED IN THE NUTCRACKER AND DON QUIXOTE AT THE FOX THEATER. AT HORIZON PERFORMING ARTS SHE STUDIED THEATER, AFRICAN DANCE, HAWAIIAN DANCE, CHOREOGRAPHY AND DRAMA.
NICHOLE HOLDS A BACHELOR DEGREE IN MINISTRY AND WAS ORDAINED INTO THE MINISTRY IN 2009.
NICOLE ATTENDED HORIZONS PERFORMING ARTS SCHHOL AND WAS TRAINED IN DANCE AT THE INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED BALLET ROTARU. SHE EXCELLED RAPIDLY AT BALLET ROTARU AND ADVANCED TO POINTE AFTER ONLY TWO YEARS OF TRAINING.
NICHOLE HAS BEEN DANCING FOR 25 YEARS AND TEACHING DANCE FOR 12 YEARS. SHE HAS PERFORMED IN THE NUTCRACKER AND DON QUIXOTE AT THE FOX THEATER. AT HORIZON PERFORMING ARTS SHE STUDIED THEATER, AFRICAN DANCE, HAWAIIAN DANCE, CHOREOGRAPHY AND DRAMA.
NICHOLE HOLDS A BACHELOR DEGREE IN MINISTRY AND WAS ORDAINED INTO THE MINISTRY IN 2009.
ALEXIS BURLEY - STAFF INSTRUCTOR
ALEXIS IS A RECENT GRADUATE FROM WHEELER HIGH SCHOOL WITH A STRONG BACKGROUND IN COMPETITION DANCE. HER TWO COMPETITION TITLES AND GREAT PASSION FOR HER SUDENTS MAKE ALEXIS AN IDEAL INSTRUCTOR TO HELP OUR STUDENTS LEARN AND ENJOY DANCE. ALEXIS WAS RAISED AS ONE OF FIVE CHILDREN WITH AN ADDITIONAL TWO STEP SIBLINGS, SO HER BACKGROUND WITH CHILDREN IS PART OF HER ROOTS.
ACCOMPLISHED IN ALL FORMS OF DANCE HER FAVORITE STYLES INCLUDE HIP HOP, ACROBATICS AND TAP. SHE IS A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO OUR FACULTY AND HER COMMENT TO STUDENTS " I CANNOT WAIT TO MEET ALL OF YOU - SEE YOU IN CLASS."
ALEXIS IS A RECENT GRADUATE FROM WHEELER HIGH SCHOOL WITH A STRONG BACKGROUND IN COMPETITION DANCE. HER TWO COMPETITION TITLES AND GREAT PASSION FOR HER SUDENTS MAKE ALEXIS AN IDEAL INSTRUCTOR TO HELP OUR STUDENTS LEARN AND ENJOY DANCE. ALEXIS WAS RAISED AS ONE OF FIVE CHILDREN WITH AN ADDITIONAL TWO STEP SIBLINGS, SO HER BACKGROUND WITH CHILDREN IS PART OF HER ROOTS.
ACCOMPLISHED IN ALL FORMS OF DANCE HER FAVORITE STYLES INCLUDE HIP HOP, ACROBATICS AND TAP. SHE IS A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO OUR FACULTY AND HER COMMENT TO STUDENTS " I CANNOT WAIT TO MEET ALL OF YOU - SEE YOU IN CLASS."
MESHA HIGHTOWER - STAFF INSTRUCTOR
MESHA IS A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO OUR STAFF BRINGING A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE TO OUR STUDENTS. HER DANCE AND FITNESS PASSION STARTED AT A YOUNG AGE WHEN SHE JOINED HER MIDDLE SCHOOL DANCE TEAM AND HAS CONTINUED EVERY SINCE - SHE UNDERTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF INSPIRING YOUNG DANCERS. AS MESA'S CAREER CONTINUED SHE HAS EARNED ACCOLADES BOTH AS A PERFORMER AND A TEACHER. IN ADDITION, HER CHOREOGRAPHY HAS BEEN SOUGHT AFTER BY MANY COMMUNITY THEATERS THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
MESHA HOLDS A BACHELOR AND MASTERS DEGREES IN SPORTS ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT. IN ADDITION TO TEACHING AND CHOREOGRAPHING DANCE SHE SERVES AS A FITNESS INSTRUCTOR IN SEVERAL ATLANTA AREA LOCATIONS.
MESHA LIVES BY THE MOTTO:
"A DANCE TEACHER HELPS STUDENTS FIND THE SONG IN THEIR HEART, THE BEAT IN THEIR FEET AND A PASSION FOR LIFE!"
MESHA IS A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO OUR STAFF BRINGING A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE TO OUR STUDENTS. HER DANCE AND FITNESS PASSION STARTED AT A YOUNG AGE WHEN SHE JOINED HER MIDDLE SCHOOL DANCE TEAM AND HAS CONTINUED EVERY SINCE - SHE UNDERTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF INSPIRING YOUNG DANCERS. AS MESA'S CAREER CONTINUED SHE HAS EARNED ACCOLADES BOTH AS A PERFORMER AND A TEACHER. IN ADDITION, HER CHOREOGRAPHY HAS BEEN SOUGHT AFTER BY MANY COMMUNITY THEATERS THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
MESHA HOLDS A BACHELOR AND MASTERS DEGREES IN SPORTS ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT. IN ADDITION TO TEACHING AND CHOREOGRAPHING DANCE SHE SERVES AS A FITNESS INSTRUCTOR IN SEVERAL ATLANTA AREA LOCATIONS.
MESHA LIVES BY THE MOTTO:
"A DANCE TEACHER HELPS STUDENTS FIND THE SONG IN THEIR HEART, THE BEAT IN THEIR FEET AND A PASSION FOR LIFE!"