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North Atlanta Dance Academy

Faculty

Michael Garrison

Founder / Director

Mr. Garrison is a native of Atlanta. In 1976 he began his training with the Ruth Mitchell studio in Buckhead and entered the North Carolina school of the Arts in Winston -Salem in 1977.

He began his professional career in 1980 with the Tampa Ballet returning to Atlanta in 1981. Michael performed with Ballet Rotaru, Carl Ratcliff Dance Theatre and Ruth Mitchell Dance Company.  He danced principal and soloist roles in “The Nutcracker”, “Don Quixote”, “Swan Lake”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “Carmen” and “Giselle.”  Throughout his career he distinguished himself as a gifted character dancer - receiving acclaim for his powerful dramatic portrayal of “Poe” in Ruth Mitchell’s “Tales of Edgar Allen Poe”, Ginger Prince's "Lifeline" as well as his characterization of  “Sancho Panza” in Rotaru’s “Don Quixote.”  During his three-year tenure with Carl Ratcliff Michael performed in many original Ratcliff choreographies. 

Michael most recently created his original three-act ballet titled "Pirates of the Phantom Waves". In 2005 he created his own version of Carmen on North Atlanta Dance Theatre. He also staged Aurora's wedding from Sleeping Beauty. He performed in NADT’s “Paquita,” his contemporary version of “Afternoon of a Faun,” “Fire~Water~Passion,” as well as the roles of Cavalier and Heir Drosselmeyer in his “Nutcracker.” 

Michael has been teaching for twenty-eight years and is a master teacher in ballet and modern. From 1985 until 1991 he taught for the Rotaru Ballet School. During this time he also conducted company classes. In 1991 he embarked on a successful freelance career. In 1997 he founded the North Atlanta Dance Academy in partnership with his wife Kitty.  In 1998 they founded North Atlanta Dance Theatre. 

Mr. Garrison's teaching style is well suited for students who are attuned to fast paced learning. Mr. Garrison's ability to comprehensively break down technical elements while getting young students moving quickly instills a love of dance as well as sound technique.

Tatiana Dubois

Ballet, Character, Pointe

Tatiana Dubois has been an integral part of our faculty at North Atlanta Dance Academy since its inception in 1997.  In 1983 Tatiana graduated from the National School of Ukraine in Kiev.  After graduating Tatiana performed from 1983 to 1989 with the Professional Ballet Theatre Company in Kiev.  She toured Russia, Ukraine and many other locations in Eastern Europe.  From 1989 to 1995 she danced with the Virsky, the Ukranian National Dance Company, under the direction of Pavlo Virsky.  The company performed demi-classical and folk dance works.  During her tenure the company toured France, Monaco, Switzerland, Egypt, Israel, Germany and Austria.  Tatiana has choreographed numerous works for our North Atlanta Dance Theatre Spring Concerts and Nutcracker.  For the Dance Theatre’s first season in 1998 she choreographed Narada, which was also performed in Spring Concert 2005 Latin Nights.  Her choreographic skills and extensive knowledge of traditional European folk dancing, classical ballet, and pointe are invaluable artistic resources for our school and Dance Theatre.  

Susan Davern

Pre-Ballet, Modern

Susan's dance training began with the Washington Ballet, Joffrey Ballet and the Boston Ballet.  After receiving her dance degree she studied and performed with modern innovator Eleo Pomare.  She later moved back to Washington, D.C. to pursue other avenues.  Susan began performing with Arlington Dance Theatre and the Kathy Harty Grey Company, a Martha Graham company.  During this period she also studied with renowned modern pioneer Eric Hawkins.  Despite this hectic schedule and working full time in the building industry, Susan found time to teach in Northern Virginia at several dance studios.  She performed annually with a political satire group called Hexagon, raising money for charities by giving performances in Washington, D.C.  Susan also began choreographing for ADT and local as well as state Junior Miss programs and high school pageants.  She found performing on television and cable TV enriching as well.  Her family transfrerred to Georgia, and Susan finally found her home here in Alpharetta. 

 Ellen d`Hemecourt

Ballet, Pointe

Ellen began dancing at the age of four and entered professional training at age 9 with Alexandra Zaharias at which time she was also chosen to demonstrate for children's classes.  At age 12 she brought 7 young children under her wing and taught them classes on her own for a year.  She continued intense ballet training under Vladimir Marek, and at age 15 was invited tojoin the junior company of the San Antonio Ballet and to teach for their school. Including Zaharias and Marek some of her most memorable training has been from Mayra Worthen-Vance, Kathy Thibodeaux, David Howard, Paul Mejia, and Lauri Worril-Biggs. Ellen has taught all levels of ballet, and most recently concentrating on advanced levels and private classes. Ellen is known for her enthusiasm for the dance in the classroom and on the stagewith an encouraging, motivating, and charismatic persona.  She has danced professionally for 10 years with Ballet San Antonio, Ballet Magnificat, and as a guest artist. She is principal dancer and has been a resident artist with North Atlanta Dance Theatre for four years. Ellen and her husband Brian have two children, Mathew and Mollye.

Jessica Norwood

Jazz / Hip Hop

 Jessica began her teaching career at the Edge Performing Arts in Hollywood, California. Upon moving to Atlanta with her husband David and their two children she has taught at the Atlanta Ballet Center and Dance 101 in Atlanta.

 Jessica has been a jazz performer for over sixteen years. She was one of the youngest dancers to be accepted as a Laker’s Girl. Jessica has performed extensively on the stage, screen and television. She performed with the touring company of The King and I, A Chorus Line, Can-Can and South Pacific. Her television credits include an ABC television movie of the week starring Nicollette Sheridan as well as specials in Toronto, Paris and Asia. She has performed for companies such as Nike, Reebok, Ford, Volvo and Apple Computers.

Stacey Slichter

Ballet / Pointe

Stacey has been teaching children of all levels for over ten years.  She has performed the Grand Pas de Deux in Sleeping Beauty and Fate in Carmen. She has also performed Michael Garrison’s Echa Pa’Lante solo in NADT’s Spring Concert 2005, Snow Queen and Russian in NADT’s Nutcracker 2005 and Snow Queen and Arabian in NADT’s Nutcracker 2006 and 2007.  Most recently, she gave a strong and beautiful performance as Myrtha in the 2008 performance of “Giselle”and Sugar Plum Fairy in the 2008 Nutcracker.  Stacey began training in Miami, Florida under the direction of Lynne Dresson, Gloria Gaither and Victoria Leigh. She spent her summers training at The Houston Ballet Academy. After attending and graduating from The Harid Conservatory, Stacey joined The Sarasota Ballet of Florida as a company member. She has also danced with Ballet Eddy Toussaint USA, Ballet Memphis, and Atlanta Ballet, in addition to performing with The Sarasota Opera.. Stacey is enjoying  her 22 month old daughter, Maren.

Rikki Smith

Pre-Ballet

Rikki is from Greensboro, NC where she trained at the Greensboro Ballet.  She attended Mercyhurst College in Erie, PA, graduating with a BA in Dance Performance. She performed with the Mercyhurst Dancers in productions of Swan Lake, La Sylphide, La Bayadere as well as many contemporary works.  Rikki then performed for two seasons with Atlanta Festival Ballet in Stockbridge, GA, dancing the leading roles of Wendy’s brother John in Peter Pan  as well as Chinese and Spanish in The Nutcracker. She also performed in productions of Alice in Wonderland and Carmina Burana. Rikki is currently a resident artist with North Atlanta Dance Theatre.

Erin-Elizabeth Watts

Ballet, Pointe

Kristy Nilsson

Modern

Kristy Nilsson performed and trained with Atlanta Ballet and Charleston Ballet Theatre and trained under principal dancers from American Ballet Theatre, National Ballet of Canada and Martha Graham Dance Company.  Kristy was a Dance Pedagogy (dance instruction) Honors student at University of Oklahoma and graduated Cum Laude from the renowned High School for the Performing & Visual Arts in Houston. While performing in Houston, Atlanta and Charleston, Ms. Nilsson was selected to dance contemporary works by Trey McIntyre, John McFall, Ben Stevenson, Daniel Pelzig, Jill Eathorne Bahr, and Chris Lidvall, and has danced soloist roles in such classics as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, La Bayadere and Paquita. Ms. Nilsson has also performed with theatrical dance and musical theatre companies, including performances at Sea World, Six Flags, Piccolo Spoleto and The World's Fair in Seville, Spain.  Ms. Nilsson enjoys teaching ballet, modern dance, craft of choreography and theatrical dance to hundreds of students each year - ranging from “Baby Ballerinas” to pre-professional.  Ms. Nilsson has choreographed more than eighty concert works, ranging from six minutes pieces to full-lengths, that have been performed by twenty-one companies in nine states, to wide acclaim. Ms. Nilsson's choreography has been honored with juried selections and awards from the Southeastern Regional Ballet Association, Regional Dance America and Dance Canvas.  Ms. Nilsson is delighted to serve on our faculty and work with our inspiring dancers each week.  Kristy is happily married to Scott Nilsson, a former dancer and professional dance photographer. They love living and working together in Atlanta.

Peter Powlus

Associate Director/Musical Theater

Tap

Peter Powlus has a broad range of dance and theater experience.  He has developed a rare versatility and a unique “style”.  He has worked in musical theater, television, radio, film, opera, dinner theater, theme parks, historical drama, mime theater, children’s theater, fashion shows, industrials, and repertory dance.

Mr. Powlus’s’s teaching experience is equally diverse. Over the past twenty-five years he has taught extensively throughout the southeast. He is currently on faculty with the Augusta Ballet School. He has frequently been a guest teacher/choreographer at the Georgia Governor's Honors Program and has participated in workshops throughout the region, including Greenville Ballet, Tennessee Dance Association, and University of South Carolina Summer Dance Institute.  Peter was the Jazz Dance instructor for the 1991 and 1996 Southeast Region RDA Festivals, where his singular technique and style were offered to hundreds of students from throughout the southeast.

Xylina Nuckles

Acting / Voice

As an up and coming force in the industry, Xylina was a part of a special group invited to perform in Edgar Hungary,  Budapest, and Amsterdam. There Xylina was able to perform and share for craft with thousands of students . Such accomplishments segued into formalizing her passion for theatre. As a Georgia Honor Thespian and AMC Movie and Stephens College scholarship recipient.  Xylina attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre and Education. Xylina has performed in many shows such as Rocky Horror, Into the Woods, Once Upon A Mattress, Do Not Go Gentle, 42^nd Street ,and Kiss me Kate and many others.

Christina Salzer

Pre-Ballet

Christina Salzer is a cum laude graduate of Brenau University with a BFA in Dance; and is a member of Nu Delta Alpha Dance and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Societies, and ZTA Sorority.  At Brenau, Christina’s teaching practicums included assisting and teaching pre-ballet, beginning level jazz, intermediate ballet & pointe, and Gainesville Ballet’s Junior Company Pointe classes.  She also danced with the Gainesville Ballet; performed in Brenau Showcase, Evening of Dance, Senior Thesis and Faculty Concerts, guest artists’ pieces performed at Brenau and the American College Dance Festival (ACDF); set two of her own choreographic pieces and presented her dramatic Senior Thesis Inner Illumination choreography and staging.  Christina trained at North Atlanta Dance Academy for over eight years, and was a North Atlanta Dance Theatre company member.   In high school, she assisted with NADA pre-ballet summer programs, and attended pre-professional intensives.

Miriam Golomb

Miriam was born in Philadelphia where she began her early training in the Vagannova style with Olga Kressin, and Lev Vladimirovitch. At age 14 she was a participant in the 5th International Ballet Competition held in Moscow, in the legendary Bolshoi Theater. She continued her education in ballet at the North Carolina School of the Arts, dancing under renowned teachers Melissa Hayden, and Nina Danilova, and spent summers training in Washington, Boston, Atlanta, Budapest and Odessa Ukraine. Miriam has danced professionally with numerous companies including the Ohio Dance Theater, Louisville Ballet, Columbia Classical Ballet and The Alabama Ballet. She is currently a company member of the Georgia Ballet. Miriam has been teaching since she was 16 to children of all ages and has recently been certified in beginner mat Pilates. She looks forward to continuing her education and incorporating it both into her teaching, and her dance.

Ballet

Robert Chabot

Jazz

Katrina Wells Curtis

Katrina began her studies in classical ballet and jazz in Illinois and St. Louis, Mo.  She continued her studies at Atlanta School of Ballet and then again in Ill. at the National Academy of Arts, a boarding school for ballet and orchestral students.

Her professional experience was with the National Ballet of Illinois, Atlanta Ballet and City Center Dance Theater.  After her performing career Katrina began teaching ballet,  pointe and variations in the Atlanta area,  LaGrange, Ga., and Cornelia, Ga.

Katrina and her husband raised their two sons in the north Ga. Mountains, where she helped open Dance On The Mountain Ensemble & School for  Rabun Co. dancers. As well as teaching  classical ballet and pointe for the past 20 years, Katrina is also a licensed massage therapist.  The extensive background in anatomy and physiology from that profession has given her even more valuable knowledge to pass onto her dance students.  Today’s technical demands for dancers are greater than ever before.  Katrina is very passionate about passing on the tradition of classical ballet with knowledge about the muscle structure to help dancers have longer, healthier careers.

Some Headshots By Keiko Guest Photography

Home   About us   Employment   Location  Facility   Programs   Calendar   Pre Ballet   Tuition

Recital Information and Directives  Summer Intensives  Dress Codes

10700 State Bridge Road Suite 13 ~ Johns Creek, Ga. ~ 30022 ~ 770-772-8000

northatlantad658@bellsouth.net