Your Custom Text Here
Owner & Artistic Director of ADA
Ann opened her dance studio in Mt. Pleasant in 1997. She began her formal training with Stanley Zompakos in downtown Charleston. She also studied with Robert Joffrey, Melissa Hayden, Nina Stroganova, among others. She was a member of Charleston Civic Ballet for eight years and then became principal dancer with Robert Ivey Ballet where she performed with the company for eleven years. During that time, she performed at two World Fairs and toured Denmark, Russia and South America.
Ann was a ballet instructor at Charleston Dance Studio for 20 years. She taught for the Mt. Pleasant Recreation Department, Dance Unlimited and The McClellanville Arts Center. Besides her ballet performances, Ann has appeared in multiple musicals and theatre productions. She is currently teaching at the after school program of Ashley Hall and First Scotts Presbyterian Kindergarten along with teaching classical ballet at her own studio.
Mary Beth is a Charleston native who grew up dancing at the Academy of Dance Arts. She graduated from the College of Charleston in 2015 where she continued her dance education and explored modern and contemporary genres. She has been teaching dance for 7 years.
Mary Beth is proud to return to the Academy of Dance Arts family!
SHEILA R. LAWSON
Kindermusik Instructor
Sheila is the Director of Kindermusik of Charleston and received her bachelor’s degree in music therapy from the University of Minnesota. She has had 12 years of experience as a therapist working primarily in psychiatric treatment of adults and children prior to establishing Kindermusik of Charleston in 1987. Over the past 32 years, she has served thousands of families in the Charleston area. Kindermusik of Charleston hires only the most highly qualified teachers, all of whom have music, music therapy and/or early childhood education bachelors or masters degrees. Programs for children ages 0-6 years are offered in Mt. Pleasant at the Academy of Dance Arts and on Daniel Island at Summit Place. Additionally, programs are provided in area preschools within the preschool setting.Visit Sheila's website at www.kindermusikofcharleston.com