The Pride Of Our Program
Our Exceptional Teaching Faculty
Our teachers are dedicated and gifted professionals with experience
in the USA and abroad. They teach only in areas for which they have
been specifically trained, and regularly attend master classes and
dance seminars.
Our faculty consists of more than 20 dance professionals devoted
to the proper and safe training of your dancer. We hire only qualified,
experienced teachers, many of whom are parents themselves and
understand the necessary balance between the discipline that
dance requires and the compassion your child needs to succeed.
Our teachers are hired on a permanent basis and some have been
on staff since we opened in 1979. Our Faculty provides a long
term relationship with your children as they progress through
the various levels and techniques.
Our Faculty
 Tracey Bayly (bio)
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 Nebi Berhane (bio)
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 Alexandra Gherchman (bio)
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 Robert Gosnell (bio)
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 Jillian Hanes (bio)
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 Pumkin Harris (bio)
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 Hye-Young Kim (bio)
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 Jena Kovash (bio)
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 Je'Von McFarland (bio)
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 Orlando Molina
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 Aldawna Morrison
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 Peter Powlus
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 Leah Redner
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 Birda Ringstad (bio)
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 Roscoe Sales
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 Ginger Sausmer (bio)
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 Brandon Sauve
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 Whitney Sauve (bio)
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 Pam Tiedemann
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 Tracy Vogt
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Teacher Faculty Bios
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Tracey Yanckello Bayly
Tracey Yanckello Bayly began her dance training in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she
grew up. Throughout her school years, she won several scholarships including a full
scholarship to the Pennsylvania Governors School for the Arts and The Pittsburgh
Renaissance Youth Ballet, both of which she attended.
At the age of 17, Tracey attended Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania, on a partial
dance and partial academic scholarship. While in school, she was a guest performer with
the Erie Civic Ballet in their production of the Nutcracker. By Tracey's senior year she
had won several scholarships, including winning ballet scholarships to four different
companies around the country. David Howard himself also selected her to attend his
school on a full scholarship. As a dance major at Mercyhurst, Tracey graduated cum
laude with a bachelor's degree in fine arts.
The next year Tracey accepted a position as a soloist with the Columbia City Ballet in
Columbia, South Carolina. Within one month, she began dancing principle roles. In her
ten years with the company, she danced leading roles in major classical ballets, as well as
having several original works set on her by the director and guest choreographers.
Tracey also performed as a guest dancer for companies around the country. One of her
favorite performances was dancing in Swan Lake, performing the roles of Odile and
Odette with her partner and friend Serge Lavoie of the National Ballet of Canada.
After a very enjoyable and prosperous career, Tracey and her husband Mike decided to
move to Atlanta, Georgia and begin a family. Jerod Gianni Yanckello Bayly was born on
June 5, 2001. At this time, Tracey pursued her other passion of teaching dance. She had
begun teaching in high school and continued throughout her college career. For three
years she was an assistant teacher at The Pennsylvania Governor's school where she was
an alumni. She taught at many area schools in South Carolina. Also, she taught at the
Columbia City Ballet full time, for their conservatory, as well as for their professional
company.
Once settled in Atlanta, Tracey taught for the Atlanta Ballet, Griffin Ballet Theatre,
Roswell City Dance and Roswell Dance Theatre. Tracey found her home with the Tolbert
Yilmaz School of Dance, the home of the Roswell Dance Theatre, the school's non-profit
performing company. She is presently the Ballet Mistress of RDT, where she is involved
with their yearly production of the Nutcracker as well as SERBA. Tracey is the Director
of the Pre-Professional company, which she has done for the past five years. She has
staged Giselle, Cinderella, excerpts from Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and this season
will be setting the full length Paquita.
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Nebiyu Berhane
Nebiyu Berhane is a Choreographer/Teacher, specializing in Ballet, Jazz, and
Contemporary. Nebi attended Southern Methodist University and University of
the Arts. Has danced with Dance Theater of Harlem, Ballet West, and Holland
America Cruise Lines/Stiletto Entertainment. Most recently danced with Chicago
Festival Ballet, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, Thodos, Inaside Dance Chicago,
and Momenta.
Workshop/Master Classes
- DePaul University - Jazz/Musical Theater
- Fisher Dance Center - Contemporary
- The Entertainment Project - Fosse Workshop
Musical Theater Choreography
- St. Benedicts - Snow White
- The Art Place - Pippin
- The Entertainment Project - Beauty and the Beast
- The Entertainment Project - High School Musical
Guest Choreography
- Collision Theatre - Shotgun Wedding
- Chicago Dance Crash - Destructible Day Trip
- Schaumburg Ballet - "The Nutcracker"
Teaching Experience
- The Entertainment Project - Director of Dance - Chicago, IL
- Dance Center Evanston-Guest Teacher - Jazz - Chicago, IL
- Naperville School of Performing Arts - Jazz, Ballet - Naperville, IL
- Roswell Dance Theater - Ballet - Atlanta, GA
Education
- CCEPA - 1996-2000 - Atlanta GA
- Southern Methodist University - 2000-2001 - Dallas, TX
- University of the Arts - 2001-2002 - Philadelphia, PA
References
- Priscilla Parche 773-822-1365 - The Entertainment Project
- Lindsay Shepherd 773-484-0306 - Especially Tap Chicago
- Alyce Brinkmann 815-790-7446 - Illinois Youth Dance Theater
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Alexandra Gherchman
- Nadine Boomer Dance Company Israel, Tel-Aviv 1999-2000
- Brighton Ballet Theater NY 2000-2001, Irina Rozin
- Tressor Group NY 2001, Alexander Tressor
- Nina Busson NY, May 2000
- Notario Dance Company NY 2000-2003, Brook Notario
- Off Center Dance Theater NY 2002, Val Suarez, Jana Hicks,Milton Myers
- Momix USA/ Spain 2003, Moses Pendleton
- Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company NY 2003-2004, Nai-Ni Chen
- Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company Israel 2006, Rami Beer
- Koresh Dance Company Philadelphia 2004-2008, Ronen Koresh
- Ballet Hispanico NY 2008-2009, Tina Ramirez
- BJM - Les Ballet Jazz de Montreal Canada 2009-present, Louis Robitaille
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Robert Gosnell
Robert Gosnell is from North Carolina, where he began his training with the High Point
Ballet and went on to study at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (1993-1998),
School of American Ballet, The Rock School of Pennsylvania Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago,
and Atlanta Ballet.
He then joined Nashville Ballet in 1999 and danced with them until 2007. Robert has been
featured in ballets by David Allan, Salvatore Aiello, Sir Frederick Ashton, Winthrop Corey,
and Paul Vasterling and with regional companies Atlanta Dance Theatre, Roswell Dance Theatre
and High Point Ballet.
He has also served as Youth Cast Rehearsal Master for Nashville Ballet's "Nutcracker." Robert
has choreographed several musicals for Brentwood High School, in Brentwood, TN. In the summers
of 2004, 2005, and 2006 Robert attended the National Choreographers Initiative in Irvine, Ca,
where he worked with Val Canaparoli, Anne Marie DeAngelo, Gina Patterson, Peter Pucci, Luca
Vegetti, and Molly Lynch.
Robert has taught as a Guest Faculty member with UNCSA and is currently a contracted teacher
in their Preparatory Program. He was a featured artist at the 2004 and 2008 Southeastern
Regional Ballet Association's annual festival.
In the summers of 2007 and 2008, Robert had the honor to return to UNC School of the Arts,
along with other alumni, to be a part of UNC School of the Arts performance series in Manteo,
NC. In the summer of 2009, he had the opportunity to perform in Arezzo, Italy with Amaranth
Contemporary Dance based in Richmond, VA. Robert is now a freelance dancer, teacher, and
choreographer and on staff with N-House Productions.
For the 2012-2011 season, Robert will serve as the Artistic Associate/Guest Artist with Atlanta
Dance Theatre and as a Guest Artist with Roswell Dance Theatre.
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Jillian Hanes
Jillian Hanes, a native of New York, is an accomplished performer, choreographer
and teacher. Her performance credits include Star Search, Fiesta Texas, Opryland USA,
Opryland Hotel, The General Jackson Showboat, as well as numerous music videos,
television pilots, commercials and industrials. A published journalist, Jillian has
also written a column in Dancer Magazine.
Jillian hopes to spread her passion of dance and the theatrical arts to the next
generation, as well as providing them with knowledge and confidence they can take
with them through life!
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Likesa PUMKIN Harris
Likesa PUMKIN Harris, a native of Atlanta, has been dancing her entire life.
Technically trained in Ballet, Modem, Jazz, African and self taught in Hiphop,
Pumkin is one of the rarities in the dance world today. Pumkin teaches Jazz,
Hiphop, and a Hiphop Ballet class where she wanted to take the classic technique
of Ballet and fuse it with the street of Hiphop.
Once a tour dancer whose tours include the most recent Mary J. Blige and Ciara,
Pumkin, when she's not teaching is recording and performing with her female
alternative rap group "The Gang of Roses." She continues to choreograph for
dance teams and companies around Atlanta as well as TV commercials including
the "Off Broadway Shoes" commercial.
A Hiphop dancer whose repertoire includes Street Hiphop, Jungle, Break Dancing,
Pop Lock'n and Atl Crank, chances are if you see something with Hiphop in it,
Pumkin had something to do with it!
"Find what it is you love and figure out how to make money doing it."
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Hye-Young Kim
Hye-Young Kim began dancing at the age five. She trained under the direction
of Adnenne Delias at the prestigious Sun-Wha Art School in Seoul, South Korea
and later was invited to study at the Kirov Ballet Academy in Washington, D.C.
In 1987 she joined Universal Ballet Company and was quickly promoted to soloist
and then to principal in 1994.
In 1989, she won the gold medal at the Korea Dance Association Competition and
a year later was invited to dance the Don-Quixote at the fifth annual Hong
Kong International Dance Festival. In 1994, she joined the Atlanta Ballet Company
as a principal dancer where she danced for 10 years. Mrs. Kirn has danced
principal roles in such classics as Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle,
La Bayardere, Cinderella, Coppelia, Nutcracker, and Paquita. As well as,
Balanchine's Allegro Brilliant Serenade, Tchaikovsky Pas, Four Ts, Stanton
Welch's Madame Butterfly, Septime, Webrer's Carmen, Peter Martins's Ash,
Fernando Nault's Carmina Burana, Michael Pink s Dracula, Hunchback of Notre Dame
and Romeo & Juliet. Mrs. Kirn also made guest appearances with Nevada Ballet
Theater, Lexington Ballet, Seoul Ballet Theater, Icelandic National Broadcasting
System and most memorable performance at The Korea World Dance Stars festival.
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Jena Michele Kovash
Jena Michele Kovash, has been dancing with brooks & company dance since
2005. Her early training began at the Janet Herbez Dance Studio in Gretna,
Louisiana and then at Highland School of Dance and Harrison Arts Center at
Lakeland High School in Lakeland, Florida. She graduated cum laude from
Florida State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. At FSU she
focused on the diversity of her performance, appearing in classical works
such as Giselle and Swan Lake, modem works by Garth Pagan and Sean Curran,
and many contemporary ballets.
Jena has also studied at the Florida Dance Festival, Dance Theatre of
Harlem and the New Arts Festival with David Parsons. Professionally, Jena
spent three seasons with Ballethnic Dance Company and continues to perform
with Griffin Ballet Theatre.
Believing that classical ballet establishes the technical foundation for
the next generation of dancers, Jena is proud to teach ballet technique to
all age groups throughout the Atlanta area.
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Je'Von McFarland
- 10 years of experience as a dance choreographer for different churches
- Skilled in hip hop, African dancing, and Inspirational dancing
- Thorough knowledge of dance
- Strong team work and organizational skills
- Excellent knowledge of different styles of dance and techniques
- Amazing visual and creative skills
- Ability to retain dance steps and routines
- Proven excellent teaching skills
- Excellent in working with each dancer to perfect each dance ste
- Able to teach all ages starting at 4yrs.
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Birda Ringstad
Birda Ringstad has been teaching tap dance in the Atlanta area since
1986. She started her dance training at the Art Linkletter School of Dance
in Chicago at the age of eight. Birda has studied tap with many of the tap
masters, including Brenda Buffalino, Diane Walker, Josh Hilberman, Gregory
Hines and many more. Her main influence however was the late Tommy Sutton.
Birda continues to travel around the country attending tap festivals and
staying on top of current trends. She is the director of The Rhythm Keepers
Tap Company. Although she considers herself a "rhythm tapper," she's been
known to choreograph a pinwheel or a kick line into her dancers. Birda is
also an accomplished ballroom dancer and instructor.
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Ginger Sausmer
Ginger Sausmer - A Southern Crescent native, Ginger has an extensive
dance background that includes both teaching and technical training in
creative movement, Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop, and Modern Dance.
Ginger has instructed and choreographed for the Dance Academy of Fayetteville,
Clayton Festival Ballet, Dance Clayton, Mt. Zion High School, Dance & Arts
Showcase, Cumming Dance Academy, Creative Movement and Dance, and Tolbert
Yilmaz School of Dance.
Ginger first entered the world of dancing at age 3 at the Dance Academy in
Fayettevilte, where she trained for 17 years. After leaving the Dance Academy,
she was Artistic Director of Atlanta South Dance Company, which toured
greater Atlanta from 1992-1993. While at Georgia State University, she was
a member of GSU's performing dance company, Movement Force. Ginger's
professional performances include the Atlanta Ballet's 1998 production of
"Spring Fever" and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the 1996 Centennial
Olympic Games, the 1996 Tenth Paralympics Games and the 1993 Georgia Games.
Ginger is a 1999 graduate of Georgia State University, holding a BA in Sociology.
She and her husband currently reside in Roswell, Georgia, with their three
children. Ginger is thrilled to share her enthusiasm and creativity with
Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance.
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Whitney Sauve
Whitney Sauve is a native of Marietta, Georgia and has trained since the
age of nine in Jazz, Ballet, Lyrical and Hip-Hop. She has recently been seen
working with professional artists such as "Jadi" and "The Gang of Roses" and
with professional dance company "Brooks and Company Dance." She has
choreographed works for Light the World Parade, Atlanta's Thanksgiving Night
of Hope and the Georgia's Governors Honors Program, to name a few.
Whitney loves teaching at Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance along with her husband
Brandon Sauve. Whitney is also the proud mother of a little girl, Pamela Sauve.
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