Staff
Brandi Cunningham Roberts
Artistic Director
Brandi Cunningham Roberts began her training at the early age of four. She has studied jazz with Nilo Toledo and tap with Jo Rowan of St. Petersberg, FL; ballet and Pointe with Kim Tuttle of “Dance Alive”, Gainesville, FL, Jargen Scheidek of the American Ballet theatre, Paul Miley of the Atlanta Ballet, David Howard of the New York City Ballet, Kathryn Dandois of the Sarasota Ballet, Dermounte Burke and Marjorie Mussman of the Princeton Ballet and also Russian style ballet with Janvia Vanova, Luba Gulyaeva, LArisa Sklyankaya, and Irene Kolpakova.
Brandi attended the North Carolina School of the Arts and Princeton School of Ballet summer intensive programs. She has attended the Dance Makers Convention in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. She has traveld to New York City to attend the Dance Teacher Magazine Summer Conference. She studied there with Finis Jhung, Bob Rizzo, Barbara Bashaw, Michael Kerr, and Debbie Allen.
Brandi has appeared as a guest artist and member of the Valdosta State Dance Ensemble in the Valdosta State University’s productions of the Gene Kelly Revue, Dance Celebration, Oklahoma, Fads, Fashions, and Romance, and The Little Match Girl, all directed by Eric Brandt Nielsen.
Brandi brought to us the production of the production of The Litle Match Girl for three years in conjunction with the Valdosta State University Theatre Department.
Brandi also had the opportunity to perform as Clara, Dew Drop, and the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker.
Dance Teacher Magazine chose Brandi as a finalist for best choreography for Amazing Grace.
Brandi has found that dance is an integral part of her life and sharing her talent and love of dance with her students brings her much joy. Brandi’s goal for her students is for them to grow not only as a dancer, but also as a person.
Brooke Butler
Assistant Director
As a 1998 Magna Cum Laude graduate from Valdosta State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre/Dance, Brooke has a 24 year background in the performing arts.
While at VSU, under the direction of Eric Brandt Neilsen, she was a principal dancer (Sally Bowles) in Tribute to Bob Fosse, a featured dancer in Let’s Go Crazy, The Gene Kelly Revue, Let’s Dance, Kismet, and was Susie in the musical production of Crazy for You. During her last year in college she received the ‘Dancer of the Year’ award. She was also a member of VSU’s Dance Team the Red Hots.
Brooke has worked at the Valdosta School of Ballet for 14 years. As part of her training she has worked with Nilo Toledo, Joel Ruminer, Kim Tuttle, and Kathryn Dandois. She was chosen to perform as the Bluebird, Pierott Doll, Arabian, and Can Can in The Little Match Girl and Waltz of the Flowers and Snowflake in The Nutcracker. She has also been the wicked stepmother in Cinderella. She had an opportunity after college to live in New York City and work with MTV on their Campus Invasion Tours.
Brooke has recently volunteered to work on several plays with the Gingerbread Players of Theatre Guild Valdosta. She has choreographed dances for Greatest Americas, The Christmas Toy Shoppe, Babes in Toyland, and Peter Pan. She has also attended the 2003/2004 Dancer Teacher Magazine Conference in NYC. While there she studied with Cathy Roe, Bob Rizzo, The Radio City Rockettes, Debbie Allen, Debbi Dee and jazz master Luigi. Brooke recently attended a tap class with Ivery Wheeler at VSU.
Gaye George
Instructor
Gaye Dampier George began her dance training at the age of four under the instruction of Linda C. Chase. In her sixteen years, Gaye performed the roles of the Angelical cat in Cats, the cat in Peter and the Wolf, Clara, Snow Queen, Dew Drop Fairy, Ballerina Doll and Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker. She has danced under the tutelage of Kim Tuttle of “Dance Alive”, Gainesville, FL and Nilo Toledo of St. Petersburg, FL. As a rising tenth grader at Lowndes High, she was chosen to participate in the Governor’s Honors Program in the area of dance. Gaye graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy.
She is a member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church. Gaye is the wife of Frank, and mother of sons, Judson and Cannon and daughter, Evans.
Lauren Lindsey
Assistant Instructor
At the tender age of four, Lauren began her dance training with Diann Lewis. A few years later she transferred to the Valdosta School of Ballet. While in highschool, Lauren became an assistant instructor. Lauren has performed in the Little Match Girl as a townsperson, a cat and a Russian marionette and in Alice in Wonderland as the White Rabbit. In the ballet Cinderella, Lauren as danced the role of Spirit of the Forest, Summer Fairy, Winter Fairy, and Featured ballroon dancer. She is currently working on her Bachelors of Science in Early Childhood Education.
Emily Gilman
Assistant Instructor
More Information coming soon.