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Michael Garrison
Artistic Director
Michael is a native of Atlanta. In 1976 he began his training with the Ruth Mitchell Studio in Buckhead. In 1977 Michael entered the North Carolina school of the Arts in Winston Salem. He began his professional career in 1980 with the Tampa Ballet returning to Atlanta in 1981. Over the next twelve years 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.” He also performed in many contemporary and modern works. He appeared as a guest artist with the Atlanta Ballet, Gwinnett Ballet Theatre, Albany Ballet Theatre and others. Michael most recently performed in his “Paquita” and his “Afternoon of a Faun” as well as the roles of Cavalier and Drosselmeyer in his “Nutcracker.” Throughout his career Michael 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” as well as his characterization of “Sancho Panza” in Rotaru’s “Don Quixote.”
Michael has been teaching for twenty-eight years. From 1985 until 1991 he taught for the Rotaru Ballet School where he also conducted company classes for International Ballet Rotaru. In 1991 he embarked on a successful freelance career and in 1997 he founded in partnership with his wife Kitty the North Atlanta Dance Academy. In 1998 they founded North Atlanta Dance Theatre.
For the past nine years Michael has been the creative force driving NADT. His rare ability to train dancers as well as choreograph and stage the classics provides a strong single vision guiding North Atlanta Dance Theatre.
Ballet Mistress
Ellen d`Hemecourt ~ Stacey Slichter
Resident Choreographer
Tatiana Dubois
Tatiana Dubois first choreographed Narada for North Atlanta Dance Theatre’s first season in 1998. She has also choreographed for North Atlanta Dance Theatre’s Nutcracker, as well as several works for past Spring Concerts. Tatiana was trained at the Ukraine National School and performed with the internationally renowned Virsky, the Ukranian National Dance Company. Her choreographic skills and extensive knowledge of traditional European folk dancing are invaluable artistic resources for our theatre and school. She has served as a faculty member of North Atlanta Dance Academy since its inception in 1997, providing our students with the valuable opportunity to study traditional folk dancing. She also teaches classical ballet and pointe.
Artistic Advisor
Reagan Messer
Costume Design
Kitty Garrison
Dancers
Resident Artists
Reagan Messer
Mr. Messer has been a mainstay performer with NADT since our inception. He has performed the role of Cavalier in each of NADT’s Nutcracker as well as the Grande Pas de Deux from Don Quixote and the role of Toreador in Mr. Garrison’s Carmen. His fine performances and valuable resources are an integral part of our success. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Reagan trained at the Rotaru Ballet School in Atlanta before joining Boston Ballet II during the 1992-93 Season. He was a semi-finalist at the XV International Ballet Competition in Varna, Bulgaria and also competed in the International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi in 1990, where he was awarded the Marguerite Hoffman Memorial Scholarship, and named Finalist in 1994. As a member of Boston Ballet II during the 1992 Season, he performed in Boston Ballet's productions of Cinderella, The Nutcracker, and Don Quixote. He joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in 1993 and was promoted to the rank of soloist in 1995. Reagan performed many soloist and principal roles during his ten year tenure with Boston Ballet.
Ellen d`Hemecourt
In her fourth season as principal Artist in Residence with North Atlanta Dance Theatre. In 2005 and 2006 she danced the role of Carmen in Michael Garrison's Carmen. She performed the role of Sugar Plum Fairy in NADT’s Nutcracker 2005, and danced Snow Queen and Russian for NADT’s Nutcracker 2004. Ellen began dancing at the age of four, and entered professional training at age nine with Alexandra Zaharias in St. Louis where she was chosen to demonstrate for children’s classes. She continued intense ballet training under Vladimir Marek, and at the age of fifteen was invited to join the Junior Company of the San Antonio Ballet. In addition to Zaharias and Marek, some of her most memorable training has been from Mayra Worthen-Vance, Kathy Thibodeaux, David Howard, Paul Mejia, Lauri Worril-Biggs and Mr. Garrison. Ellen began her professional career with Ballet San Antonio in 1995 as a soloist, and was promoted to principal in 1999. She also performed with Ballet West and the Gainesville Ballet, and toured extensively for three years throughout the United States with Ballet Magnificat, dancing in many original works. Some of Ellen’s highlighted roles are Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty, Fanny Cerrito in Pas De Quatre, Kitri in Don Quixote, and Lead in Paquita. She has also performed many contemporary works including most recently Charlz Carr's Abstract Reflexions. In various Nutcrackers she has danced Russian, Columbine, Marzipan, Spanish, Snow Queen and Sugar Plum. Ellen resides in Alpharetta with her husband Brian and their two children, Matthew and Mollye.
Ralph Jacques
Ralph is in his sixth season with North Atlanta Dance Theatre. He most recently performed in Michael Garrison's Mélange and Charlz Carr's Abstract Reflexions. In 2005 he dance the roles the roles of the Commanding Officer in Michael Garrison's Carmen, and as the Wolf with Little Red Riding Hood in Sleeping Beauty. He has performed Lead Arabian and Snow King in NADT’s Nutcracker performances. Ralph was born in Chicago, where he studied for five years with Boitsov Classical Ballet, and subsequently joined their company. He has been a member of the Dance Theater of Harlem, Atlanta Ballet, International Ballet Rotaru, and most recently Ballet Memphis where he was a principal dancer. He has performed as a guest artist for many companies both nationally and internationally. He toured Romania with International Ballet Rotaru, and Taiwan with the Indianapolis Ballet. Ralph has performed in Minkus Suite, La Rumbera, Cappricio Espanol and Carmen in NADT’s Spring Concerts.
Stacey Slichter
Stacey joins us for her fourth season with North Atlanta Dance Theatre. In 2005 & 2006 she performed Fate in Michael Garrison's Carmen. She has also performed Michael Garrison’s Echa Pa’Lante solo in NADT’s Spring Concert 2005 and Snow Queen and Russian in NADT’s Nutcracker 2005 and 2006. 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 professionally with Ballet Eddy Toussaint USA, Ballet Memphis, and Atlanta Ballet, in addition to performing with The Sarasota Opera. Stacey enjoys teaching ballet to students of all ages. Stacey just gave birth to her first child, a beautiful daughter named Maren!
Katie Cloninger
This is Mrs. Cloninger's fourth season with North Atlanta Dance Theater. She has performed as Lead Spanish, Lead Marzipan, Party Parent, demi-soloist in Snow, Waltz of the Flowers, and Arabian in NADT’s Nutcracker. She has also danced in Mr. Garrison’s Cappricio Espanol, and Toreador Girl in Carmen for NADT’s Spring Concert 2005. she has danced soloist roles in Paquita, Mr. Garrison’s Esprit de la Femme, Gold Fairy in Sleeping Beauty and Toreador Girl in Carmen. Kathryn, a native of Atlanta, began her formal ballet training with Atlanta Ballet dancing the roles of Smallest Angel and Party Child in the Nutcracker. She was a charter member of Praise in Motion Dance Company under the direction of Kathy Thoms Law and Rhonda Oltjenbruns. She later studied with Capital Cities Ballet under the direction of Kathryn McBeth, and with Ballet Memphis where she performed in Swan Lake, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, as well as the Nutcracker. Kathryn performed the role of Lead Fairy in Midsummer's Night Dream at Mercyhurst College, Erie, Pennsylvania where she earned her degree in Dance Performance in May of 2004.
Catherine Connors
Catherine Connors enters her second season with NADT. She is originally from Dallas, Texas, began dancing when she was fifteen years old with Tanju and Patricia Tuzer. She also studied during the summer with the Kirov Academy of Ballet and Tulsa Ballet Theater. Catherine furthered her dance education on scholarship at the University of Oklahoma School of Dance, under the direction of Mary Margaret Holt, Dennis Marshall, Donn Edwards and Marjorie Grundvig. After graduating with honors with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2005, Catherine danced with Atlanta Festival Ballet. While at AFB, she enjoyed performing "Ave Maria", "The Nutcracker", "Peter and the Wolf", "The Jungle Book" and "Paquita. Last season she performed in Michael Garrison's Mélange, Charlz Carr's Abstract Reflexions, Reagan Messer's Time and Paquita.
Christina Simkovich
Christina is in her second season with NADT. Last spring she performed in Mr. Garrison's Mélange and Charlz Carr's Abstract Reflexions. Christina began her training at the age of 9 under the direction of Leonid Lubarsky, where she was schooled in classical ballet, character and modern. While with Mr. Lubarsky Christina performed roles such as Sugar Plum, Russian dance, doll, in the Nutcracker… as well as other Lubarsky choreographies. To continue her dance education Christina attended Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and The Pittsburgh High School for the creative and performing arts. At PBT she performed in their staging of the Nutcracker and excerpts from ballets such Serenade and Raymonda. In 2004 Christina moved to Myrtle Beach where she attended The Academy for Arts, Science and Technology. At this school she branched out into other forms of dance forming a great love for contemporary thanks to her instructor Ivy Hale. At the academy Christina also received training from Brian McGinnius, of the Parsons Dance Company. Christina also branched out into the hip-hop world training with people such as Dena Rizzo and Brad Taylor. While in Myrtle Beach Christina performed soloist works at Brooke Green Gardens Night of a Thousand Candles, modern and contemporary work along with classical ballet Raymonda variation.
Kevin Terry
Kevin is a 2007 graduate of North Atlanta Dance Academy. He was a student in the school since the age of nine and was an inaugural student company member. He has performed in Michael Garrison's Fire, Water, Passion as well as many other cotemporary works in the NADT Repertoire. In 2005 he danced the Peasant Pas de Deux from Giselle and he has danced Nutcracker Prince, Spanish, Russian, Marzipan, Perot and Soldier Doll in NADT's Nutcracker. Mr. Terry personifies the joint missions of North Atlanta Dance Academy and North Atlanta Dance Theatre as a versatile, well trained dancer who is benefiting from NADT's professional resident artist program.
.Student Company
Rebecca Benson, Elizabeth Ferrier, Marissa Pan,
Heather Fulbright, Natalie McChesney, Deanna Wiese
Alexandra Einspahr, Mallory Kalajian, Kristen Lawrence, Peyton Phillips, Amanda Rostin, Sasha Sharova,
Elizabeth Carter, Morgan Hall, Alicia Hsia, Tessa Todd, Hannah Wood
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