Mary Ann Staib received her early dance training from Lisa Hayden and Magdalena Maury School of Classical Ballet, where she was a member of the Georgia Youth Ballet. At the University of Georgia, Mary Ann received the 1999 Lucy Lampkin dance scholarship and earned her BSEd with certification in Dance (2003) while studying ballet, modern and ballroom. She was a member of the UGA Ballet Ensemble, Ballroom Performance Group, and Contact Dance and designed/constructed costumes for these companies in addition to her own choreography. After graduation, she worked as the director's assistant to the UGA Ballet Ensemble and taught dance lessons at DanceSpace in Athens, GA. In 2005, she moved to Boston, MA, to teach ballroom dance at Arthur Murray Dance Studio. Though she has received ballroom training from Georgia instructors, she credits much of her education to Brigham Young University's celebrated summer ballroom dance program, where she studied under world-renowned ballroom dance champions Michael Mead and Toni Redpath, Alain Doucet and Anik Jolicoeur, as well as James and Jaana Kunitz. Mary Ann has experience in a multitude of styles, ranging from smooth and rhythm to social dancing. Mary Ann is a current member of SIDEWAYS Contemporary Dance Company, a professional company based out of Atlanta, GA, and has also created choreography for SIDEWAYS.
Our Studio
Atlanta Dance Central is the premier dance studio serving all of the north metro Atlanta area. We currently feature two state of the art dance studios with sprung sub floors to protect dancers from injury, high quality surface floors, ample barre space, and full length mirrors.
Our dance instructors all hold degrees in dance, have professional dance experience, and have years of experience teaching children and adults.
We are dedicated to teaching each individual to their fullest potential and providing an environment in which children and adults can grow. We strive to educate the mind and body and prepare students for any vision they have for their future, whether it includes dance or not.
Our Staff
Charlotte Foster
Owner/Studio Director
Graduating Magna Cum Laude from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance, Charlotte Foster is the studio director of ADC. She also currently serves as founder and artistic director of SIDEWAYS contemporary dance company. Her most recent project includes founding the Foster-Schmidt Dance Academy for Down Syndrome with Vince Schmidt. Her work, Being (Interpretations of Interpretations), represented the University of Georgia at the American College Dance Festival in March 2006, where it received impressive feedback from noteworthy dance professionals: Ann Reinking, Steve Rooks, and Wendy Perron. Of 48 pieces submitted, Being was one of 10 selected to be performed at the Gala Showcase. Her work was presented at University of Georgia’s Center for Undergraduate Research Organization Conference (CURO) and featured in the University of Georgia’s Journal of Undergraduate Research (JURO). Knowbody, a piece created in 2007 specifically for SIDEWAYS, toured to New York where it was recognized by current TV choreographers, Mia Michaels and Brian Freidman. Michaels deemed the piece “timeless” and commented on the honesty of both the choreography and the performers, a trait that Foster demands from her dancers. Before moving to Athens in 2004, Foster attended the University of Florida, where she pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance. While in Gainesville, she was chosen to be a member of the University of Florida Dance Team; the Dazzlers. She also choreographed three full-length musicals, and eventually founded and directed her own jazz dance company, entitled Extreme Dance Company. Throughout the past five years, Charlotte has taught jazz, modern, tap, ballet, kinder dance, musical theatre, lyrical, hip hop, and voice. Her students range from age three to adult.
Mary Mattmann
Assistant Studio Director
Mary Mattmann is 2008 graduate of the University of Georgia with an AB in Dance and an ABJ in Public Relations. Mary graduated Magna Cum Laude and with High Honors from the Honors Program, completing her honors thesis on cultural appropriation of African American dance forms. While at UGA, Mary performed and choreographed with a number of university and community groups. Her choreography was selected for the American Collegiate Dance Festival and featured in the Young Choreographer's Series and Tap Dawgs Showcase. Mary supplemented her dance training by spending two summers at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Mary was a Marketing Fellow at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in Chicago, Illinois, a Public Relations Apprentice at Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, SC, and completed public relations internships with UGA’s African American Cultural Center and Dancefx in Athens, Georgia. Mary was also an active member of the Public Relations Student Society of America and Phi Sigma Pi Honor Fraternity, and served as Special Events Chair on the executive board for UGA’s Relay for Life. Mary is a current member of SIDEWAYS Contemporary Dance Company, a professional company based out of Atlanta, GA, and co-directs Notchyomama’s Modern Project, a professional collective in Georgia. Mary is the Public Relations Director for both companies. To compliment her dance knowledge, Mary also has an enthusiasm for general fitness and is a certified personal trainer and aerobics instructor through FiTour. Mary has over four years of dance teaching experience, including Southern Dance Connection, Roswell Parks and Recreation Performing Arts, and Creative Movement and Dance in Atlanta, GA as well as Dancefx in Athens, GA and Commerce School of Dance in Commerce, GA. Mary loves to teach every age tap, jazz, contemporary, modern, and ballet!
Mary Ann Staib
Instructor
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