Maria Ross, Owner of Athletic Arts Center in Jasper, has over 10 years professional experience in the dance and gymnastics industry. Maria performed and choreographed for three seasons with Alabama Reparatory Dance Theater and Dance Alabama! She has received special recognition for her choreography, most recently at Panoply Arts Festival in Huntsville. As the former Director of Children’s Phys. Ed. & Gymnastics at the 92nd Street Y in New York City, Maria developed and managed programs for over 800 students. She trained both competitive and recreational dancers and gymnasts in Alabama and New York. She worked in the education and training department of American Ballet Theater in New York. Maria earned a B.A. in dance from the University of Alabama and a yoga teaching certification from New York Yoga. She is a USA Gymnastics safety certified judge and is certified in Movement Education and Lesson Plan Development and Kinder Accreditation for Teachers. Maria also serves as a board member of the Walker County Arts Alliance and as a service team member for Girl Scouts of Whispering Pines.
Kellie Giles began dancing at age 2 and has studied at numerous studios all over the country and Canada. Most recently, Kellie was chosen by audition to attend the American Ballet Theater Summer Intensive in Tuscaloosa, where she had the opportunity to study with teachers from New York and the University of Alabama. Kellie danced the rolls of “Doll,” “Snow Queen” and “Dew Drop Fairy” in Athletic Arts Center’s first production of The Nutcracker. Kellie is a junior in high school and continues to train and teach at Athletic Arts Center.
Jordan Reed received her first exposure to dance and gymnastics at the age of 5 at Marilyn Sanders. At age 10 she shifted her focus on competitive gymnastics and trained with JFJ Elite Gymnastics in Birmingham and ultimately joined the Bama Bounders competitive team in Tuscaloosa. Her competitive gymnastics accomplishments include: Level 5 State All-Around Champion, Level 4 State Team Champion and Most Dedicated gymnast award at IGC Gymnastics Camp in Pennsylvania. After retiring from competitive gymnastics she became a cheerleader at Cordova High School. Because of her many years of hard work and training, Jordan earned a full cheerleading scholarship at Bevill State Community College. In addition to being a full-time college student, Jordan also teaches tumbling/cheernastics at Athletic Arts Center.
Cindy Laing - A seasoned performer, Cindy worked as a recording artist and toured internationally as a variety singer for many years. Some of her favorite theatrical roles have been Annie in Annie Get Your Gun, Widow Corney in Oliver, Golde in Fiddler on the Roof, Truvy and M’Lynn in Steele Magnolias and Marcelina in The Marriage of Figaro. She also had the privilege of directing Walker Community Theatre’s Rags to Riches and You Can’t Stop The Beat. In addition to her performing accolades she has been designing and building costumes for more than twenty five years for venues including Olde Towne Productions in Washington D.C., Paramount Theme Parks and Cruise Line Entertainment and Central Piedmont Opera Theatre in Charlotte, N.C. Cindy currently teaches private voice lessons at Athletic Arts Center.
Staff
