Centre Dean

Artistic Director

Centre Faculty

Centre Dean

Sharon Story

Dean of Centre for Dance Education,
Ballet Mistress

Sharon Story is currently in her 16th season with Atlanta Ballet. She joined Atlanta Ballet after a professional dance career that spanned more than 20 years. Sharon began training at the Cobb Marietta Ballet under the direction of Iris Hensley. She continued her professional training under full scholarships in New York City with Joffrey Ballet and School of American Ballet as a recipient of a full Ford Foundation scholarship. She has been a member of Joffrey II, Stars of New York City Ballet, Atlanta Ballet (under the direction of Robert Barnett) and Boston Ballet for ten years. During her tenure with Boston Ballet, Sharon traveled with Rudolf Nureyev around the world. She received her training and inspiration from such legendary and distinguished mentors such as Rudolf Nureyev, Robert Joffrey, Violette Verdy, Jean Pierre Bonnefoux, Patricia McBride, Robert Barnett, Anna Marie Holmes and Fernando Bujones.

In 1996, in addition to her role as ballet mistress, John McFall's vision and mentorship brought Sharon to her current position as Dean of the Centre for Dance Education, which has rapidly grown to one of the largest dance schools in the nation. She is committed to providing a non-competitive atmosphere and access to dance education that is shaped by the community needs, is innovative, and inspires the commitment and excellence that are the trademarks of Atlanta Ballet. Under Sharon's direction, the Centre achieved accreditation with National Association of Schools of Dance. Sharon is a member of the Commission on Accreditation for NASD and is delighted to serve on many community and national boards.

Artistic Director

John McFall

Artistic Director

For the past sixteen years, John McFall has cultivated Atlanta Ballet's artistic vision into one of the country's premiere dance companies. Led by a strong commitment to imaginative and innovative programming, John continues to push the envelope with inspiring productions and unique collaborations, including on-stage partnerships with the Indigo Girls, the Red Clay Ramblers, The Michael O'Neal Singers, and most recently with Big Boi of OutKast.

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, John began his ballet studies at the Conservatory of Music with Tatiana Dokoudovska. In the fall of 1964, he accepted a Ford Foundation scholarship with the San Francisco Ballet School; in the following year, the became a member of the San Francisco Ballet, performing under the direction of Lew Christensen and Michael Smuin; and by 1969, John had risen to prominence as a dancer and became a principal. John is also recognized in the field for his choreography and has created works for a variety of companies across the country, including National Ballet of Canada, American Ballet Theatre, Dance Theatre of Harlem, San Francisco Ballet, and Hubbard Street Dance Company. He has also created choreography for such notable artists as Mikhail Baryshnikov and Cynthia Gregory. Since joining Atlanta Ballet as Artistic Director in 1994, John has choreographed many company favorites including Don Quixote, Firebird, Atlanta Ballet's Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Jupiter, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella.

Additionally, John established the Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education in 1996, which has now grown into the sixth-largest dance school in the nation. Not only does the Centre train superb professional dancers - many of whom have joined the company - but it also provides outreach opportunities to enrich the lives of thousands of young dancers and dance enthusiasts throughout metro Atlanta. John has received three National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships - in 1978, 1980, and 1985, and was recently named in the Atlanta Business Chronicle's 2010 Who's Who edition for excellence in Arts & Entertainment. John continues to build a distinct place for Atlanta Ballet in the dance world through his dedication to developing signature works and pursuing innovative collaborations with top artists and choregraphers.

John McFall's repertory for Atlanta Ballet:

Peter Pan
Atlanta Ballet's Nutcracker
Requiem and this too shall pass
Prisma
Precipice
The Great Attractor
Stella
Jupiter
Swan Lake
Giselle
Sleeping Beauty
The Great Gatsby
Don Quixote
Firebird
Cinderella

Centre Faculty

Direction

Led by John McFall, the Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education features a team of over 40 professional instructors at our Midtown, Buckhead, and Cobb studios. The Centre's instructors are dedicated to providing a nurturing experience in the art of dance that will aid in the physical, intellectual and spiritual development of students at all levels. Our instructors are among the best in Atlanta including current and former members of Atlanta Ballet and other professional dance companies around the world. For a complete list of faculty, please contact the Centre.

Administration

John McFall, Director

Sharon Story, Dean

Tori Soles, Centre Administration

Betsy Rothermel, Registrar/Summer Program Administrative Director

Kate Gaul, Buckhead Principal

Heather Conley, Cobb Centre Principal

Carla Cuba, Community Programs Director

Emily Cook Harrison, MS, RD, LD, Registered Dietition/Nutritionist

Shannon Maiolo, Education Associate/Adult Division Coordinator

Rebecca Renner, Education Associate

Ericka Goss, Education Associate

Principal Faculty

Rosemary Miles and Armando Luna

Professional Instructors & Accompanists

Susan Beebe, Rebekah Bennett, Shirley Bennett, Aly Brock, Giselle Caban, Andrea Catchings, Harmony Clair, Heather Conley, Emily Cargill, Vershion Funderburk, Katherine Gant, Kate Gaul, Vanessa Gibson, Kara Gillcrist, Kayla Harkness, Alera Harrison, Emily Cook Harrison, Sarah Hillmer, Tanika Holmes, Michelle Jericevich-Powell, Stephanie Johnson, Melissa Joy, Reiko Kimura, Caroline Laubacher, Dora Manela, Paige McFall, Margaret Shepherd McPherson, Orlando Molina, Anwar Nasir, Troy Overton, Allyson Raymond, Terese Reynolds-Thomas, Jaime Robtison, Betsy Rothermel, Roscoe Sales, Tori Soles, Paulo Sousa, Melissa Stiers, Carol Szkutek, Amber Thompson, Ericka Shannon-Vanhoosear, Erin-Elizabeth Watts, Martine Weber, Lloyd E. Whitmore, Sarah Noelle Williamson, Alan Brown, Tara Briner, Rick Reynolds, Julie Rice.