Artistic Staff

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. 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" and the dark alter-ego in Ginger Prince's "Lifeline."

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 eleven years Michael has been the creative force driving NADT. In 2005 he premiered his original "Carmen". In 2007 he successfully stage the timeless romantic classic "Giselle" and in 2008 he premiered his three-act action ballet titled "Pirates of the Phantom Waves"! His rare ability to train dancers, choreograph new works 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 sixth 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.

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.

Rikki Smith

This is Rikki's second season dancing with North Atlanta Dance Theatre. Rikki is from Greensboro, NC and trained at the Greensboro Ballet. She attended Mercyhurst College in Erie, PA, graduating with a BA in Dance Performance, and performed with the Mercyhurst Dancers in productions of Swan Lake, La Sylphide, La Bayadere, and many other 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, and Chinese and Spanish in The Nutcracker, as well as dancing in productions of Alice in Wonderland and Carmina Burana. She is currently a pre-ballet teacher at North Atlanta Dance Academy.

Cristina Rinik

Cristina began her ballet training at age 11 with North Atlanta Dance Academy and was an inaugural student company member of North Atlanta Dance Theatre. She spent four years training and understanding the fundamentals of ballet from Michael Garrison, Tatiana Dubois and Danita Emma. Her training continued at Gwinnett Ballet Theater under Lisa Sheppard Robson and later at Rotaru Ballet under Pavel Rotaru. At age 17, she moved to Orlando and danced as a trainee at Orlando Ballet under Peter Stark, Samantha Dunster and ballet legend Fernando Bujones. All throughout high school, she attended numerous summer camps including ABT, Boston Ballet, and Kaatsbaan , where she studied under Martine van Hamel, Kevin McKenzie, John Meehan, Robert Hill, Bonnie Mathis, Christian Holder and Jessica Lang. Throughout the years, she performed numerous roles. These include Snow Queen and Lead Marzipan in NADT’s first full-length Nutcracker, Passion in Mr. Garrison’s “Fire-Water-Passion”, and Arabian, Columbine, Spanish and Giselle, as well as other contemporary ballet, character, modern, jazz and tap dances. In January 2005, Cristina returned home from Orlando in order to pursue a career in natural medicine and is currently in school to earn a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and chiropractics. However her love for dance has brought her back to NADT after a three year hiatus. She is delighted to have the opportunity to get back on stage and do what she does best – perform.

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. Christina recently moved to the Atlanta area where she was fortunate to find North Atlanta Dance Theatre and is very excited to perform with them.

.Student Company

Natalie McChesney

Alexandra Einspahr, Ryane Hines, Mallory Kalajian, Kristen Lawrence, Amanda Rostin, Sasha Sharova,

Caci Pritchett, Dasha Vzorov, Carly Wood

Morgan Hall, Alicia Hsia, Silva Stewart, Tessa Todd, Hannah Wood

Erin Burt, Danielle Dawes, Hannah Harvey, Lurda Jurgutis, Claire Kudlata, Emily Patterson,

Morgan Peele, Ashley Race, Caroline Stevens