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Faculty

 

Shelley S. Grames

 

Shelley S. Grames

Shelley S. Grames began her dance training at the age of 12 in Jackson, Mississippi. She studied and performed with the Academic and Performing Arts Complex and Ballet Mississippi. While in Jackson, she had the privilege of studying with teachers and coaches from the International Ballet Competition, her first dance history teacher being Thaila Mara. At the age of 14, Shelley and her family relocated to Savannah, GA, and she became a soloist with Ballet South. After high school she attended Brenau University on scholarship to continue her dance training with Diane Callahan and the Gainesville Ballet Company. In 1997, Shelley graduated with a BFA in dance pedagogy and was the recipient of the Mary Mildred Sullivan Award, the highest award that a graduate may receive.

 

In 1997, Ruth Mitchell invited Shelley to perform professionally with the Ruth Mitchell Dance Theatre. Since then, she has danced professionally with the Ruth Mitchell Dance Theatre, Gainesville Ballet Company, and as a guest artist with several companies in the Southeast. As a choreographer, in 2003, Shelley was awarded the Monticello Award by the Southeastern Regional Ballet Association for her work Pulsating, receiving a full scholarship to RDA’s Craft of Choreography Conference to study with Alan Hineline. In 2004, she was selected to be the Guest Alumni Choreographer for Brenau University and the Brenau Dance Ensemble, where her work was also performed at the American College Dance Festival. In 2007, her work Tarentelle was selected to be performed at RDA’s National Festival. In addition, she has also choreographed several repertoire pieces for the Ruth Mitchell Dance Theatre as well as two full length ballets, Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan. Most recently, Shelley set her Peter Pan in New York on the Leatherstocking Ballet.

 

Shelley currently serves as Assistant Director for the Ruth Mitchell Dance Theatre, where she proudly studies with and works for Lisa Toups, Artistic Director. She also directs the company’s educational programs with Young Audiences of the Woodruff Arts Center. In 2007, she had the privilege of choreographing the Atlanta Symphony’s Young Peoples Concert. Also, in 2007 she was named a teaching artist with Young Audiences’ MetLife, Dance for Life program, a residency program in the Atlanta school system giving children the chance to learn and study dance.

 

 

Faculty Members

 

Lonnie Davis Modern Jazz   Shelley Grames Ballet, Pointe, Modern Jazz   Ellen Hall Ballet, Pointe   Jay Jernigan Jazz, Contemporary, Partnering   Cristin Jernigan Ballet, Pointe

Kathryn McBeth Ballet, Pointe   Hilary Ruffner Ballet, Pointe   George Staib Modern   Lisa Toups Modern Jazz