The Dance Place-North

Carolina Dance Theatre: Megan Rourke - scholarship, Amanda Smith and Emily

Rourke.

Brenau University

Summer Program: Kelly Beth Helton, Emily Rourke and Stephanie

International

Ballet Summer Program: Kristina Hawkins.

Atlanta Ballet:

Ashley Grayson- pre-professional training program.

Nutmeg Conservatory:

Gray Davis - full scholarship.

So, how does

Georgia Academy of Dance manage to develop such stellar kids? The credit

goes to Artistic Director, Sherri Davis, who left the professional dance

circuit 12 years ago to pass on her legacy to others. She created a caring

atmosphere where hard work, discipline and mutual respect between dancers

and teachers has made GAD one of the finest studios in the southeast.

She hasn't

done it alone. Davis has assembled one of the most outstanding teaching

staffs in the southeast. For example, Ramazan Bapov, who received his

master's diploma from the Conservatory of St. Petersburg, was a principal

dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet as well as a silver and bronze medalist

in the International Ballet Competition in Varna.

New addition

Denis Malinkine, most recently of Atlanta Ballet, was graduated from Bolshoi

Ballet Academy and will be performing in Georgia Academy of Dance's spring

production. Melony Hall, of the Mississippi Ballet Theatre and Ballet

Mistress of the Georgia Academy of Dance, is an integral part of the staff.

Tatiana Jouravel of the Boston Ballet will join the staff in the fall.

GAD also has

a powerful jazz program led by Wade Smith, Associate Director of the school

and Katie Jeanes-Watson of the Atlanta professional hip-hop company Culture

Shock.

In addition

to the incredible staff at Georgia Academy of Dance, Davis' performing

company, Georgia Dance Theatre, is the only local dance company to have

a production co-sponsored by the Endowment Committee of the Cultural Arts

of Fayette County.

Georgia Academy

of Dance invites you to experience the self-esteem, confidence, and sense

of accomplishment these dancers have acquired through dance. And witness

the professionalism Georgia Academy of Dance is known for.

They will have

two shows this weekend at Starr's Mill's Wille Duke Auditorium. On Saturday,

they will perform "A Salute to the Music of Aretha Franklin - A Celebration

of Contemporary Dance" at 7 p.m. They will perform "Swan Lake"

on Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 for general admission and are available

at the door.

For information

about the school, fall registration, the performing company or performances

call 770-631-3128 or visit our website at www.gadance.com .

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