Business Details
50+ Years
experience
Your Premier Ballet Company in Marietta, GA
Founded in 1960 by Marietta native Iris Hensley, The Georgia Ballet has served as a cornerstone of artistic excellence and community enrichment for over six decades. As a nonprofit organization, we combine professional ballet performance, comprehensive dance training, and impactful outreach initiatives to serve diverse audiences across Metro Atlanta. Our mission-driven approach emphasizes accessibility, offering programs like subsidized field trips, free dance instruction for underserved communities, and specialized classes for children with special needs. Under the leadership of School Director Ashleyanne Hensley, our curriculum provides classical ballet training to students aged 3-100, focusing on technical precision, musicality, and artistic expression.With a legacy of innovation, we present iconic productions like The Nutcracker while maintaining rigorous summer intensives taught by faculty and guest instructors from renowned companies. Our commitment to E-E-A-T principles is demonstrated through decades of service, partnerships with educational institutions, and recognition as Cobb County's highest arts honoree. We maintain transparency through detailed program descriptions, donor recognition tiers, and clear tuition structures while upholding ethical standards in arts education and performance.
Services
Ballet Performances
Dance Training
Community Outreach
Summer Intensives
Arts Education
Special Needs Programs
Nutcracker Production
Teacher Workshops
Youth Programs
Scholarship Programs
Details
- Year established: 1960
Highlights and features
- Serving Cobb County communities for 64 years with artistic excellence
- Led by School Director Ashleyanne Hensley with world-renowned instructors
- Award-winning DanceAbility program for children with special needs
- Rigorous summer intensives with guest faculty from Atlanta Ballet
- Recognized with Cobb's highest arts honor by Lillian Bennet Sullivan Award
Services
Ballet Performances
Professional ballet performances featuring classical works like The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and original productions. Our shows combine technical excellence with artistic storytelling, offering audiences immersive experiences through choreography, music, and visual design. Performances include sensory-friendly options and community engagement opportunities.
Dance Training
Comprehensive dance instruction for ages 3-100 with classical ballet foundation emphasizing placement, musicality, and artistry. Programs include summer intensives, pointe training, and technique classes taught by experienced faculty and guest instructors from professional companies across the Southeast.
Community Outreach
Community engagement initiatives including subsidized field trips, free dance instruction in Title 1 schools, and specialized programs for children with special needs. Our Arts in Education program reaches over 10,000 students annually through performances and classroom instruction.
Summer Intensives
Rigorous summer training programs for ages 9+ featuring ballet technique, body conditioning, and genre-specific classes. Offered in multiple levels with audition requirements, these programs include instruction from current faculty and guest teachers from renowned dance companies.
Special Needs Programs
Accessible dance instruction tailored for individuals with physical or developmental disabilities. Programs include Unified Steps workshops, sensory-friendly performances, and adaptive techniques that build confidence, coordination, and artistic expression in supportive environments.
People
Iris Hensley
Founder/Artistic Director (1960-2003)
Founded Cobb/Marietta Ballet in 1960, later becoming The Georgia Ballet. Recipient of Cobb's highest arts honor, Lillian Bennet Sullivan Award. Established Performing Arts package for Cobb County schools and served on Georgia Council for the Arts dance panel.
Ashleyanne Hensley
School Director
Leads dance curriculum development and instruction, emphasizing classical ballet foundation with placement, musicality, and artistry. Oversees summer intensives and training programs for students aged 3-100 while maintaining educational standards established by the organization's founder.
Robert Trocina
Music Director & Conductor
Award-winning conductor with international experience, appointed Music Director of The Georgia Ballet Orchestra in 2019. Former Artistic Director of Gwinnett Symphony Musical Arts Consortium, with expertise in ballet repertoire including Tchaikovsky's major works.
Questions
What dance styles do you teach?
We offer classical ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip hop, and specialized programs for children with special needs through our inclusive dance initiatives.
Are there performance opportunities for students?
Yes! Students participate in annual productions like The Nutcracker and showcase performances, with advanced students receiving professional performance experience alongside company dancers.
Do you offer financial assistance?
We provide student scholarships, subsidized field trips, and free programs like Momentum (Title 1 schools) and DanceAbility (special needs instruction) to ensure accessibility for all communities.
What summer programs are available?
Our summer intensives include ballet training for ages 9+, pointe programs, princess camps for ages 3-6, and Unified Steps workshops for individuals with disabilities, with varying durations and skill levels.
How can I support The Georgia Ballet?
Support options include annual giving at various tiers ($100-$5000+), monthly donations through the Iris Society, corporate sponsorships, and volunteer opportunities for special events and productions.
Reviews (3)
Nicole Plummer
Nov 24, 2020
Report
Georgia Ballet is exceptional! The quality of training my daughter received was top notch, and the staff went out of their way to work with her and make sure she had everything to be successful-even down to helping her pick out pointe shoes! They took great precaution to help us feel safe during Covid times, and I also really appreciated that. I highly recommend them!
Gabriella C.
Dec 05, 2019
Report
We HIGHLY recommend The Georgia Ballet- our 4 year old took classes here for a year and Miss Camille really brought out her love of dance and taught her SO well. Had we not moved states she would still be attending classes there. Its been VERY difficult to find a teacher or school to replace this one!
Tarah Cicirelli
Sep 01, 2016
Report
My daughter just enrolled here this Fall. I have been impressed by the level of professionalism and enthusiasm of every member of the GAB.
