ALLISON SMITH

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DANCEFX, INC.

Allison Hayn brings 20+ years of industry experience as the Executive Director of Dancefx Inc. After living in New York City for five years, Hayn took over as Executive Director of Dancefx Athens in August of 2009 and has since expanded to Dancefx Atlanta, adding to our Athens and Charleston locations. She is Owner and Director of Open Call Competition, a prestigious national touring dance competition offering dancers the opportunity to be guided by top industry professionals. At Dancefx, she oversees Dancefx, Inc. In addition to teaching 20 classes per week, Hayn directs the Dancefx Concert Dance Company, Apprentice 2 Company, Training Company, Modern Pin-Ups Apprentice Company and FX Company Program.

In addition to her Dancefx life, Hayn enjoys guest teaching around the Southeast- she is a guest choreographer for the UGA Department of Theatre and Film Studies, including their 2019 production of Young Frankenstein, and has choreographed the Winder-Barrow High School musicals since 2010. Her guest teaching also includes the University of Georgia Dance Department, the University of South Carolina's Summer Dance Conservatory, Southern Spice Dance Studio, Cumming Dance Academy and Fever Performing Arts to name a few. She has been a judge for UGA's Greek Grind for the past six years, UGA India Night for the past three years, and Pointe Of Grace's auditions for the past three years. She has served as the Producer of The Pulse on Tour for 13 years, taught at NYC's Broadway Dance Center's Children and Teen Program and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Dancefx community. Hayn is a 2004 graduate of the University of Georgia's Honors Program and was instrumental in the opening of Dancestyle Dancewear and the establishment of the Dancefx Youth Program during her time at school, as well as being a founding member of Dancefx Concert Dance Company(2000).  Email Allison

KAITLIN BUTCHER

DIRECTOR, YOUTH PROGRAM

Kaitlin grew up in Nashville, TN and began dancing at the age of five at Green Hills School of Dance. As an elite company member, she competed nationally for nine years, performed with The Moscow State Ballet when she was ten years old, and trained under the talented Brock Clawson.

Kaitlin is the youth program and company director at Dancefx in Athens, GA. She enjoys teaching master classes and setting competition choreography throughout the Southeast. She guest judges for Open Call Competition and guest teaches for the University of Georgia's Dance Department. Her choreography has been recognized and awarded on a regional and national level.

Kaitlin loves being involved in the Athens community and has worked and choreographed for a number of local events and organizations including Project Safe's Dancing With the Athens Stars, Athens Regional Medical Center's Pink Glove Video, Coldwell Banker Upchurch Realty National Lip Sync Video, Alzheimer's Association Walk, and Athfest Music and Arts Festival.

Kaitlin holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Georgia with an emphasis on Human Anatomy and Physiology. She provides experience, talent, and knowledge to the Athens and dance community.

Email her at kaitlin@dancefx.org

CATHERINE HUFF

DIRECTOR, ENRICHMENT & OUTREACH

Dancefx is honored to welcome Catherine Huff as Director of Enrichment and Outreach. She is our newest full time admin! She has been on staff at Dancefx since 2020 and has taught in the classroom for the last 15 years (with children ages 6 weeks-12years) in special education, general education, and Montessori in both the public and private sectors. She has a masters degree in Early Childhood Education and a Montessori teaching degree.

With Catherine at the helm of Enrichment and Outreach, Dancefx will be able to do more good in the community. Her first projects are heading up the alliance with The State Ballet of Ukraine, working with public and private schools on collaborations, and initiating in-house classes and workshops that utilize her expertise.

Email her at catherine@dancefx.org

NATALIE COX

DIRECTOR, CONTACT BALLROOM COMPANY

DIRECTOR, REVOLUTION SALSA COMPANY

Natalie Cox is the Director of Contact Dance Company at Dancefx, is Artistic Director of UGA's Ballroom Performance group (BPG), teaches The University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education, and performs and teaches at various other venues around Northeast Georgia. Natalie received her A.B. from the University of Georgia in 2003 and her J.D. from the University of Georgia in 2006. While at UGA, she was a member of the UGA's BPG from 2002-2006 and served as president her last year. Notable annual performances include DanceATHENS, the Dancefx Spring Concert, and the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina. 

Continual training is very important to Natalie; she annually attends dance camps such as the Adult Ballroom Camp at Brigham Young University and the Independence Day Ball Camp in Washington, D.C. During her travels, she has had the great fortune of taking lessons from ballroom greats such as Ron Montez, Jean Marc Genereux & France Mousseau, Pierre Allaire & Mireille Veilleux, Karina Smirnoff, and Tomas Mielnicki & J.T. Thomas. Email Natalie

JANET ROBERTSON

YOUTH & ADULT BALLET

Janet Robertson has been teaching with Dancefx since its inception, and has been an faculty member at the University of Georiga Dance Department since 1985, primarily basing her teaching methods and philosophy on the years she spent working with Stanley Zompakos, former member of NYCB. Her training was further enhanced, having been coached for performances by Anna Sokolow and Ernestine Stodelle.

Robertson shares her many talents with the Athens community as a guest teacher and choreographer and for the East Athens Educational Dance Center; as guest choreographer for the UGA Ballet Ensemble; in collaboration with Peggy Thrasher; and as an actress and set decorator with the Town & Gown Players. She recently finished a series of 20 videos for the Carl Vinson Institute of Government's research project on mediation and conflict resolution under Peggy Herrman and Jerry Gale. Robertson was given the Dance Athens 2004 Award for Excellence by the Athens dance community. Robertson holds an A.F.A. in Dance from Sullins College, where she trained under Valentina Belova, a B.A. in Art and an M.A.T., both from Lynchburg College in Virginia.

BRITTNEY SEABOLT

ADULT & YOUTH CLASSES

Brittney took her first ballet class at the age of six. She immediately joined the competition company, where, over time, she expanded her training from one style of dance to a multitude of styles. Fourteen years and four studios later, Brittney's training has grown to include ballet, pointe, contemporary, modern, lyrical, jazz, tap, hip-hop, breakdance, and musical theater. Brittney joined the Dancefx family in 2011 as an FX company member where she quickly discovered her passion for choreography. She soon began choreographing her own competition solos. Two years later, she joined the teaching staff. Recently, Brittney spent a summer training in multiple styles with The Joffrey Ballet School and was offered a position in the Joffrey Trainee Program, in New York. Brittney often trains under today's leading choreographers through conventions and master classes. She is currently a member of the Dancefx Concert Company.

ERIKA DOUGLAS GREENE

ADULT CLASSES

Erika grew up dancing in at the Athens School of Ballet and performed with the Athens Ballet Theatre for over 20 years. She studied under Janet Robertson and Marianne Hale. She also participated in workshops with Ron Colton and Joan Buttram. She not only danced with the Athens Ballet Theatre but served as Assistant Artistic Director and Stage Manager. Today, Erika is a full time special education teacher, and a mother of two little boys. She continues to stay involved in the dance community by teaching ballet and stage managing. 

CHELSEA HARNEY

DIRECTOR OF XPRESSION, XHIBITION, ADULT TAP COMPANY, ADULT CLASSES, YOUTH CLASSES

Chelsea set her feet on the stage at age 2 and never stopped performing. She has been trained in ballet, pointe, contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, ballroom, clogging and tap. She received most of her training from Fara Fox Tyree School of Dance before spending three years at Dancer's Pointe under the direction of Danielle Bridgewater. She has performed in several productions of the Nutcracker, The Snow Maiden, Sleeping Beauty, Firebird and An American in Paris. She was a company member of the Winchester Dance Ensemble where she performed in various community festivals, parades, shows and competitions. She trained with the Louisville Ballet Company and the Lexington Ballet Company in Kentucky. She also has training in musical theater and has been a featured dancer in musicals such as Wicked, Chicago, High School Musical and A Chorus Line. 

JESSIE PENOUILH

ADULT CLASSES, DIRECTOR OF XPANSE COMPANY, FX COMPETITION COMPANY

Jessie grew up in Baton Rouge, LA and began dancing at the age of 4. She danced competitively for 7 years with Jete Dance Company and finished out her training at Tari’s School of Dance. In high school, Jessie danced under the supervision of Rebecca Acosta, the associate director of the Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre. During this time, Jessie performed and choreographed for a multitude of school shows including Chicago. During her senior year of high school, Jessie was an apprentice for the contemporary dance company Of Moving Colors. 

Jessie attended Loyola University New Orleans, where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in History and minored in Criminology and Political Science. She was a member of Loyola’s competitive dance team for 1 year and an NBA dancer for 2 years with the New Orleans Pelicans. In her second year, she became co - captain of the team. 

Jessie completed her Master of Public Administration at the University of Georgia in May 2025 and currently works for the university as the Friends Membership Coordinator at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. She is a member of Dancefx Concert Company, Synapse, and Vixens Heels Company. Jessie is a choreographer for the FX Competition Company, the Director of Xpanse Company, and teaches adult classes. Jessie is available for private lessons for contemporary, jazz, and dance team tryouts.

Email her at jessica.penouilh@uga.edu!

MALLORY WARE

YOUTH CLASSES, ADULT CLASSES, JUNIOR & PETITE COMPANY, DIRECTOR OF VIXENS COMPANY

Mallory Ware attends the University of Georgia and is pursuing her bachelor's degree in Marketing, minoring in Human Development and Family Science, and she will receive two certificates in Entrepreneurship and NonProfit Management. Mallory plans on getting her masters in clinical social work and becoming a play therapist, but she believes she will always continue teaching dance! 

Mallory's dance training began at the age of three and continues to this day. She is currently a member of Concert Dance Company at Dancefx. Her training includes 6 years in FX Performance Companies at Dancefx, the South Carolina Summer Dance Conservatory, New York and LA classes, and an internship in New York- working at Broadway Dance Center, The Tank NYC, and Pentacle.

Mallory has been teaching dance for 6 years and enjoys assisting Master Teachers in convention classes. She was Event Coordinator at Open Call Dance Competition for 3 years. In this role, Mallory was able to travel nationally and connect with multiple dance studios, agencies, and partners.

Mallory is currently leading Petite and Junior Company at Dancefx and teaches multiple classes, ranging from PreK to the FX level. Next year, she will join Jackson County's Dance Team as Co-Director. Mallory's true passions are dance and children. Being able to have a positive influence on children and share her love of dance is the greatest privilege and will continue to be her biggest reward as dance educator. 

ANDIE RICHARDSON

YOUTH CLASSES

Andie grew up in Athens, GA and began dancing at the age of three at Dancefx Inc. She was a member of Dancefx's performance and competition company from ages seven to eighteen before graduating in 2023 to attend the University of Georgia. 

Andie is currently pursuing a degree in both dance and political science at the University of Georgia. Andie has trained at Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway, Gibney, Peridance, Millennium Dance Complex, TMilly Studios, XCEL Studios and also attended the David Dorfman Dance Intensive.

In 2023 she held the title of Open Call Competition’s Senior Principal Lead Role, where she toured with Open Call and managed backstage as well as assisted convention classes. Andie is a member of Concert Dance Company, Synapse Ballet Ensemble, and ViXens at Dancefx and loves teaching children how to dance!

TESS HOLLOWAY

YOUTH CLASSES

Tess Holloway took her first dance class at the age of two and immediately fell in love.  She grew up performing in community theater productions such as Annie and Newsies before focusing her attention solely on dance.  She trained in FX company for three years in high school and loved performing and competing with her Dancefx family.

Tess’ collegiate dance journey began at the University of South Carolina, where she had the opportunity to train under professors with years of experience working with professional dance companies and take classes with Bill T. Jones Dance Company during their month-long residence at the university.  While she loved her first year at USC, she longed for the community and opportunities to teach and perform that Dancefx provided and decided to continue pursuing her degree closer to home.

Tess is currently a student at the University of Georgia, earning a degree in Spanish with minors in Portuguese and Dance, and a member of Concert Dance Company and the Classic City Tap Collective at Dancefx.  Her career goal is to become a medical interpreter and continue teaching dance.  Tess hopes to use her strengths to help others and make a positive impact in her community.  She loves teaching dance because she gets the privilege to share her favorite form of self-expression and watch as it brightens the lives of others.

LEILA HOBBS

ADULT CLASSES, YOUTH CLASSES, FX COMPETITION COMPANY, DIRECTOR OF SYNAPSE & SYNAPSE APPRENTICE COMPANY

Leila has been dancing since she was four years old, and she started training with Dancefx when she was eleven. While training at Dancefx, she danced competitively with the FX Competition Company for seven years. Leila has danced at two of the Joffrey South Ballet Summer Intensives, Millenium Dance Complex, Charlotte Ballet, XCEL studios, and the MVMT summer intensive. In 2022, Leila started setting choreography when she became a company member of Range of Motion Dance Ensemble in Charlotte, NC. In May 2026, Leila was selected as a choreographer for the “Now You See Me” Choreographer’s Intensive presented by Darvensky Louis and Jonathan Michael.

At Dancefx, Leila is a choreographer for the FX Competition Company, the Director of Synapse and Synapse Apprentice, and she teaches youth and adult recreational classes. Leila is also available for private lessons in ballet, pointe, contemporary, and jazz. She has a Bachelors degree in Political Science from the University of Georgia, and is currently a graduate student at UGA pursuing her Masters in Public Administration. In addition to being on faculty with Dancefx, Leila is also a dancer with Concert Dance Company!

Watch Leila’s work here!

Email her at leila@dancefx.org!

SENA KIMURA

ADULT CLASSES

Sena Kimura was born in Lexington, Kentucky, and began her training with the Kentucky Ballet Theatre Academy at the age of nine. She has participated in many performances alongside the Kentucky Ballet Theatre Company, including Beauty and the Beast, Dracula, Peter Pan, The Little Mermaid, The Night Before Christmas, The Nutcracker, The Wizard of Oz, and Sleeping Beauty. She has also had the opportunity to receive mentorship from the world-renowned 'Cuban Jewel,' Aurora Bosch. In 2023, she was accepted into the Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts program for dance. She developed an independent dance collaborative research study under mentorship at the Sports Medicine Research Institute at the University of Kentucky. She is currently working on publishing a paper about the knee biomechanics during a landing phase of a sissonne among dancers. Sena is currently attending the University of Georgia where she majors in Exercise and Sports Science.

CIYANA RAMOS

ADULT CLASSES, DIRECTOR OF SDA

Born in Utah and raised in Athens, Georgia since the age of eight, Ciyana Ramos is a passionate dancer and dedicated instructor who brings both experience and heart to her teaching. She began her training at Dancefx Athens, where her natural talent and work ethic quickly stood out. She later joined the YouthFX Company, performing in numerous Dancefx productions and SweetDreams Company shows that helped shape her into a dynamic and versatile artist.

Ciyana has continued to grow her craft beyond the studio, most recently attending the CLI Conservatory Street Styles Intensive, where she trained under renowned choreographers such as Ava Bernstine Mitchell, Popping Pete, Codie Wiggins, Jay Mils, and Ray Basa. This experience expanded her perspective on movement and performance, deepening her understanding of street styles and industry-level artistry.

She has developed a strong technical foundation and distinctive style across jazz, hip hop, contemporary, and jazz funk, blending precision with personality in every piece she teaches or performs. Currently a senior in high school, Ciyana is already making an impact as a faculty member while preparing to take the next step in her journey. After graduation, she plans to continue pursuing her passion for dance—furthering her training, performing, and inspiring others through movement.

JOSH TRUITT

DIRECTOR OF SWEET DREAMS

Joshua has been dancing since the age of 11. He started as a jazz dancer at the Studio D Ballet company in Griffin, Ga where he performed multiple years in the Nutcracker and several spring and fall recitals.

In 2010 he started attending UGA, and while there he served on the UGA Wesley Dance Ministry eventually become dance director as a post grad in charge of the various performances throughout the school year.

This will be his 14th season at Dancefx and his 12th year as a company member. He has served as a choreographer as well as taught classes in both Hip Hip and contemporary. He is a member of the Xpanse Company and will be serving at the Director of the Sweet Dreams Hip Hop Company. He graduated from the University of Georgia with his Bachelors and Masters in Agricultural Education. He’s currently  an elementary teacher as he’s wrapping up his Doctorate in Educational Leadership.

C COBERLY

DIRECTOR OF BOMBSHELLS BURLESQUE DANCE COMPANY

C Coberly began dancing at the age of three at Rome Civic Ballet. After moving to the Athens area, they continued to receive training in ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, musical theater, heels, and burlesque. C has had the opportunity to choreograph for multiple high school musicals and community theater productions, with highlights being Hairspray, Big Fish, and Shrek.

C found Dancefx in 2016 and is currently a member of Xhibition, Classic City Tap Collective, and ViXens. They are also the Director of Bombshells Burlesque Company, teach burlesque classes, and work closely with Hope Haven of Northeast GA. In their free time, C works as the Director of Education at an Assisted Living Community in Athens and is pursuing an HR certification through the University of Georgia.

C loves being a part of the Dancefx community as a teacher and student, because everyBODY is welcome. No matter who you are, what you look like, or where you come from, there is always a place for you at Dancefx.

CARA CELESTE

YOUTH BALLET

Cara Celeste was raised in the north metro Atlanta area where she started her dance training with humble beginnings. When she started to take her training seriously was under the direction of Diane Callahan (dancer with Ballet Nacional de Cuba, San Francisco Ballet, and principal with Atlanta Ballet). Cara’s love for the Vaganova (Russian) Syllabus was cultivated under Callahan and both understood that training needed to persist under a Russian teacher. Cara moved to Kingsport Tennessee her last years of high school to train with Valeria Sinyavskaya (2nd generation Vaganova student and prima ballerina with Novosibirsk Ballet). She continued her Vaganova training in college at Kennesaw State University with Momchil Mladevnov (National Ballet of Bulgaria) and other ballet styles under principle dancers McCree O’Kelly and Christine Welker.

In college Cara realized her passion for the more contemporary dance styles and trained with Ivan Pulinkala, Lisa Locke, Ido Tadmore, Ella Ben Aharon, Helen Pickett, Lauri Stallings, and had the privilege of traveling to Israel to train a week with the Batsheva Dance Company. After college she sought to further her Research in Ohad Naharin’s dance language Gaga under many of his trained dancers in the states such as Danielle Agami (Ate9), Ido Gidron, and many others. She saw that Gaga opened up how she viewed the strict structures of ballet, and in the meantime it made her understand and execute them better.

In 2017 Cara was asked by her former professor, Lauri Stallings, to join gloATL where she toured the south in site specific works and art galleries, along with studio and stage pieces with the Goat Farm and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Along with her company career she helped create works with local musicians such as Chelsea Shag, Cory Smith, and Trey Lander, to name a few.

2020 presented new challenges for Cara as the arts world shifted. She decided to leave the professional dance scene and get her Masters in the Art of Teaching. Her goal now is share ballet technique with contemporary dancers with a new perspective that shines a light on the need for it to be a more versatile dancer by break old cultural traditions that have spanned for nearly 300 years. Structure can still be maintained in a curious environment. Stay curious!

Email her at caracelestemoves@gmail.com!