Kim (Director) hails from SC with a BA in Psychology with dance and child development emphasis from Columbia College, SC. She holds a Dance Educators of America Certification, level 3  from the teacher’s training school at UNLV. Kim is a former member of the Robert Ivey Ballet and the Columbia College Dance Ensemble, having performed in Spoleto, the World’s Fair, the Southeastern Dance Festival and the American College Dance Festival.  She is the former owner of Dance Expressions studio in TX. Kim is a member of Dance Educators of America and Professional Dance Teachers Association.

Judy received her training under Bonnie Little Roberson. She is certified with Dance Educators of America. She is the former owner and director of the Academy of Dance.

Caroline "Cat" began her belly dance career in the early 1990's under Shalimar Serene in Atlanta GA. During this time, she began her performance career and appeared with the Kennesaw State University dance troupe as an invited soloist in their spring concert. She has performed with two Middle GA belly dance companies- The Firefly Gypsies and the award-winning GRITS Raq. Cat believes continuing education is vital to growth as a dancer, so she regularly attends workshops, seminars and master classes to make her both a better performer and instructor. Some of the more notable names with which she has studied include: Eva Cernik, Petite Jamilla, Leyla Jouvana, Elitha, Bozenka, Morocco, Lotus Niraja and Pricess Farhana. Cat has been teaching both group and private lessons for students ranging from ages 4-81 since 2006.

Nadine is a graduate of Veritas Classical Schools and is a sophomore in the honors program at Macon State College. She has trained at the Academy of Dance. Nadine is currently in her second year as a junior apprentice teacher at the Academy.

Laurel hails from Minnesota. She began her dance training at Betty Jo's Dance Center and is currently an advanced student at the Academy. Laurel is in her second year of teaching at the Academy as a Jr Apprentice Teacher under our certified instructors.

Kristen has been dancing since the age of four, training in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary and musical theatre. Kristen studied extensively in Kentucky where she was a member of a nationally award winning competitive team. She has danced in New York, as well as at Disney World, and has performed and worked with numerous professionals. Once she began college, Kristen started teaching at a studio and found her true passion, being able to share her love of dance with others and help foster that love in young dancers. Since then, she has been teaching for five years and has received numerous awards for her jazz and lyrical choreography at both the regional and national level. She also received a talent scholarship from and now judges for the Distinguished Young Women program of Alabama. Kristen graduated Summa Cum Laude from Auburn University with a degree in English, and she currently is a master teacher and a traveling employee for Platinum National Dance Competitions based out of Atlanta, GA.

Katie

Aliya

Karen trained at the Academy of Dance and is a Dance Educators of America Level 2 certified instructor.

Eilene is our Jr Teacher. Eilene is a graduate of Veritas Classical Schools and is currently a sophomore in the honors college at Macon State.Eilene has trained with the Academy of Dance and the International City Ballet. Eilene has been a teacher apprentice at the Academy of Dance. This is her 4th year teaching at the Academy of Dance.

Ashley hails from Louisiana where she began dancing at the age of 4.  While in high school she became a teacher apprentice at The Dena Guy School of Dance.  In 2001 she gained her certification through Dance Masters of America to teach Ballet, Tap, and Jazz.  While living in Louisiana she was a teacher/choreographer at two studios.  Upon moving to Georgia in 2005, she started taking classes at the Academy of Dance.

Airianna began taking dance lessons at the age of six.  By the age of 13, she’d choreographed her first full-length, jazz piece for a trio of girls with little space to practice and a lot of heart.  Since then, she has received multiple platinum and first place awards as a member of the Dance Dynamics Senior Company and as a soloist.  She is a versatile dancer trained extensively in the areas of ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop and lyrical and has taken classes from various well-known choreographers in New York (on scholarship at Broadway Dance Center) and numerous national conventions.  An experienced performer, Airianna has danced in competitions, on television and has appeared as a featured performer at pageants and other local venues.  As a teacher, she has taught jazz, hip-hop and tap at The Academy of Dance in Warner Robins and Dance Dynamics in Macon as well as choreographed for the HoCo Competition Color Guard, Winter Guard and Spring Musical.  Her goal is to impart both her knowledge and love of dance to each of her students.  

Miguel has been trained by some of the hottest choreographers in Atlanta. His training includes popping with Jeremy Strong and breaking with Jason Caba of Swagger Crew,  to name a few. Miguel has danced with Southern Movement from America's Best Dance Crew. By adding his own Latin flavor and making his style unique, he creates a fun atmosphere for everyone to enjoy.  Taking his class will be a challenge and will improve dancers of every genre. His class is a fusion of many different styles including Egyptian tutting, popping, locking, breaking , and smooth, gliding foot work.

Michelle hails from Birmingham AL. She is certified as an All American Ballroom and Ballet Dance instructor with Farley’s Ballroom Dance Company in Alabama, and has taught Ballroom dance since 1984 with Fred Astaire Dance Company in Alabama and Florida. She has trained extensively in the Russian ballet method under the tutelage of Lynn Russell Davis of the New York City Ballet and Barbra Barker’s Briarwood Ballet. Her tap and jazz training were with Dale Serrano and Corky Bell. As a young ballerina, she starred in the Thumbelina Ballet, Heinz Feet in High Places Ballet, Children of the World Ballet, and The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe Ballet, just to name a few. She placed in the Latin Division of Ballroom competitions in 1986-87 with the Fred Astaire Dance Company. She is a wife of 23 + years and the mother of three amazing young men.

Leah has performed and studied the arts since the age of 3, focusing on dance, music and theatre in PA and NY. She studied dance at Freedom Theatre in Philadelphia, PA. where she trained extensively in Hip Hop, Jazz, Ballet, Tap, and Musical Theatre. Her passion for the arts and a strong discipline in all forms of dance landed her a role in Freedom Theatre's two Off-Broadway shows.  During her college years at Long Island University and the City University of New York's John Jay College, she joined the dance team and two Hip Hop Dance Companies, Sybarite and Seven Thirty/Kids In Motion. Showing her hip hop style on TV, she was a contestant on MTV's Total Request Live dance contest with Rihanna and Madonna. She has taken classes at Broadway Dance Center in New York and has choreographed several Hip Hop performances in NY and PA. Leah loves teaching children and learning new techniques with dance professionals. She is a military wife and mother of two beautiful girls.