Cartersville School of Ballet named
August Merchant of the Month by
Cartersville Downtown Development Authority
August 1, 2013 - August is “Back to School” month, and time to get back to classes for Cartersville School of Ballet, located at 43 Public Square in historic downtown Cartersville. Cartersville School of Ballet has been in operation since 1972 offering the highest caliber of training. The school’s curriculum is based on a nine-month program (September through May), with specialty camps and programs offered during the summer months.
Tara Currier, manager of Cartersville Downtown Development Authority, states, “we are so fortunate in this community to have access to such fine arts, museums and talented local performers. When you look at the accomplishments of Cartersville School of Ballet, you have to commend the staff and the curriculum for their outstanding achievements and excellent performance.”
Terri Kayser, Artistic Director of the Cartersville School of Ballet, has been studying and performing classical ballet, modern, tap and jazz dance since the age of seven in both Atlanta and New York. She graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Dance from Georgia State University, and her performing credits include principal roles with the City Center Dance Theatre and the Carl Ratcliff Dance Theatre. She has appeared in “Damn Yankees” with Dick Van Dyke and “My Fair Lady” with Victoria Mallory, as well as the musicals “Brigadoon” and “Mame” at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. Her choreography has been seen on the stages of the Alliance Theatre, Theatre Gael, the Academy Theatre of Atlanta, the Gainesville Theatre, and the Grand Theatre of Cartersville.
Kayser has served as the chairman of the Dance Division of the Governor’s Honors Program at Valdosta State College; co-authored a Quality Core Curriculum Guide in Dance for grades six, seven and eight; and served as the Dance Consultant for the Art Start project for the Georgia Council for the Arts and the Department of Education in 1992. She has taught at Georgia State University, North Side School for the Performing Arts, Dekalb School for the Performing Arts, and currently at Woodland School of the Arts in Cartersville.
Director and resident choreographer for Cartersville City Ballet, Kayser states, “[I] love Cartersville. We are so fortunate to have the charm and character of a small town, [with] such wonderful venues like the Grand Theatre.”
In addition to Kayser, there are a variety of instructors at Cartersville School of Ballet who are carefully selected on the basis of their academic as well as performance experience in the field of dance. Kayser gives praise to her staff, saying she is, “very fortunate to have such knowledgeable instructors.”
Cartersville School of Ballet, Ltd. is the official school of the Cartersville City Ballet. The company is a dynamic, versatile group of dancers who study at Cartersville School of Ballet, Ltd. The company consists of three levels – the Junior and Senior Company and the Pre-Professional Company. Auditions are held each spring at the studio. Dancers are selected on the basis of skill and a high degree of motivation and self-discipline. Their involvement requires additional rehearsal time outside of class. Choreographers from around the Southeast have set works on the company, ranging from classical to contemporary. Annually, the company presents concerts, children's shows, and the holiday classic the "Nutcracker." The company also hosts "A Dance Kaleidoscope," a performance that features the Cartersville City Ballet as well as guest companies from the North Georgia area. Cartersville City Ballet is a non-profit corporation supported financially by contributions, membership dues, and ticket sales.
