The Dance Centre
JoAnna Parker, All Levels Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Musical Theater, Contemporary
JoAnna Parker has been dancing since the age of 2. She started ballet and tap at The Dance Centre
and has been here ever since. JoAnna has studied all dance disciplines and has studied ballet under Pavel Rotaru and Kay Whiffen at the Rotaru International Children's Ballet. Mrs. Parker has choreographed and performed in numerous musicals such as Cats, Annie Get Your Gun (in which she played the lead role),
Fiddler on the Roof, Lil Abner and all the Broadway Spectaculars for Rome Little Theater. She also performed in Pepperell High School's show choir. JoAnna was a member of Allegro Dance Company, under the direction of Georgie Riegel, for 10 years and now teaches all levels of tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical and musical theatre. JoAnna has been teaching at The Dance Centre since 2004. JoAnna is the proud mother of her son, Kaydon and daughter, Mollie Eloise.
About The Dance Centre
The Dance Centre offers a comprehensive dance program for the pre-school child through professional adult and is just about to celebrate its 37th anniversary. Classes include beginning, intermediate and advanced levels in classical ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, hip-hop, modern, contemporary, lyrical, ballroom and musical theatre. We also have a specialized pre-school program for boys and girls ages 2-5. Special classes and workshops such as Theatre Arts, Ballroom Dance, Baby Ballet and Hip-Hop Fusion are also available.* Our aim is to give students an education and appreciation for the art of dance, turning out dancers who are well-rounded in all dance disciplines. Classes are creative and innovative, emphasizing correct body placement, terminology, strength of movement and performance skills. Each student is considered on an individual basis with placement decided at the director's discretion. *Due to Covid-19 concerns, some classes are not available this year and class size is limited.
Mary Beth Cauthen, Owner and Director
Mary Beth, a cum laude graduate of Berry College, formed The Dance Centre in 1983. Her dance background includes study in New York at the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, the Broadway Dance Center and the School for Ballet and Theatre Dance. In Atlanta she has studied with the Atlanta Contemporary Dance Company, the City Center Dance Theatre, Terpsichore and with Ruth Mitchell Dance Studio. She has also trained with Rockette Sandi Friedman and Jason Kalish, a former Tap Dog. Mary Beth trained under Susan Robinson and served as an instructor at The Art of Dance in Rome from 1978-1983 and studied with the notable ballet teacher Stanley Zompakos at Shorter College. Mary Beth has served on the audition committee for the Georgia Governor's Honors Program in dance as well as Dance Coordinator for the Rome Area Council for the Arts.
She holds many choreographic credits including The Nutcracker for RACA, Cabaret for Berry Players, many musicals including Quilters, Tintypes, Bound for Broadway, Fiddler on the Roof and Man of La Mancha for the Shorter Players, Godspell for Darlington Players and Twelve Dancing Princesses, The Littlest Angel and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever for the Creative Playhouse Children's Theatre. She also created and produces our original bi-annual production of The Night Before Christmas and Winter Wonderland at the Rome City Auditorium.
Mary Beth served many years as an executive officer on the Board of Directors for the Rome Area Council for the Arts and was rehearsal co-coordinator for the Rome Symphony Debutante Ball for 10 years. She was part of the production team for the Sexual Assault Center’s annual Celebrity Dance Challenge for 9 years, serving as judge, choreographer, stage manager and rehearsal coordinator. Mary Beth has two grown children, Anna Claire and Hampton, a son-in-law, Sam and grandson, Will.
Hannah Camacho, Intermediate & Advanced Lyrical
Dance, literature, and motherhood are three of Hannah's greatest passions. Hannah Camacho has been a student at The Dance Centre for 17 plus years. Hannah has assisted many classes and recitals during her time at The Dance Centre as well as taking classes in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, and contemporary during her dance career. Hannah participated in the pre-professional modern company Allegro for eight years and also participated in The Dance Centre's company Synergy. Hannah is trained to accommodate the needs of a wide range of dancers. She taught ballet and tap in Cherokee county for the company Creative Movement and Dance enjoying the ages four to eight. Hannah has also served as a substitute and assistant for many other levels of dancers. Hannah wishes to continue studying dance to become a better dancer, teacher, and choreographer. Her hopes and dreams are to take her greatest passion and embellish it into her students hearts and minds, growing them into talented and beautiful dancers. Hannah recently completed her degree in early childhood education at Berry College and serves as a teacher in the Rome City Schools. She eventually wishes to teach literature at a university while continuing pursing her passion as a dancer. She is mommy to son, Oliver, and daughter, Tillian.
Danielle began dancing at the age of 3 at Baird Ballet, under the instruction of Kathy Baird. While there she studied ballet, tap, jazz, modern, lyrical and contemporary. In 2004, Danielle began teaching preschool and elementary school age children. The last few years she has also taught tap and jazz to teens. Danielle participated in the Rome Celebrity Dance Challenge from 2011-2015 and won the People's Choice award in 2014 with her partner. She currently teaches beginner levels of ballet, tap and jazz here at The Dance Centre and remains on staff at Baird Ballet. Danielle has also served as support staff for us for many years, and continues to sub wherever and whenever needed. Danielle and her husband, Eric live in Rome and are the proud parents of daughter Avery Reese. They welcomed a new baby daughter, Sadie Jo, in November, 2019.
Danielle Leonard, PreDance, Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Team Support Staff
Isaac Brackett, Boys' Hip Hop, Musical Theater, Team Support Staff
Isaac is very excited to be returning for his fourth year of teaching at The Dance Centre! Isaac has been dancing for the past 12 years, in the styles of ballet, tap, jazz, musical theater, lyrical, modern, contemporary, and of course hip-hop. Although Isaac is our youngest staff member, he has been slowly but steadily building a resume for choreography. Credits include choreographing for R.O.M.E.'s NWGA Winds, The Montessori School of Rome, The Spivey Hall Tour Choir, and last year choreographing Cedartown Performing Arts Center's production of Heathers 101 the Musical. In addition to his dancing, Isaac also sings and acts and can be seen frequently performing throughout the community. Among others he has performed with the Shorter University Theatre Department, The Rome Shakespeare Festival, Rome Little Theater, R.O.M.E., Upstagers Theatre Company, Rome Civic Ballet, Baird Ballet, and of course, last but not least, The Dance Centre! He is currently also on staff at Baird Ballet. This summer he completed an advanced ballet intensive at Baird Ballet and also at Ballet Magnificat in Jackson, MS. Isaac also serves as an assistant instructor and substitute teacher for our staff.
Tara Dawn Ogle, Advanced Jazz/HipHop Fusion
Individual Competition Choreographer/Coach, Team Support Staff
Tara Dawn Ogle began dancing at age 3 at Donna Ellis School of Dance and continued with Diana's School of Dance, competing at Dance Educators of America with numerous first place finishes. She also studied later with Tom Moore at Georgia Ballet and at Rome Civic Ballet where she founded a competition dance team in 1987.
Tara's teaching experience includes teaching tap, ballet and jazz at Diana's School of Dance and Rome Civic Ballet. She founded the Pizzazz Competition Dance Troupe and won numerous 1st place and national championships in tap, jazz, ballet and lyrical. From 2003-2013, Tara owned and operated Rockmart Dance Academy. Her studio program included ballet, technique, cardio and competition classes for all ages. She also coached Rockmart Middle School Dance Team and Rockmart High School Band Dance Line. Tara also has extensive choreographic credits and is currently the choreographer for the Grand Illusion Show Choir at Rome Middle School. She choreographed and performed as part of Team Mathis in the 2018 Celebrity Dance Challenge and subsequently won the Judge's Choice award.
This year Tara will be teaching advanced jazz/hiphop fusion and doing competition coaching and choreography for individual students and small groups.
Dicie Waters, Support Staff
Dicie Waters knew dance was something she was passionate about from the time she could walk. At the age of 3, she started taking dance at Baird Ballet. She also trained at Joanne Collier School of Dance, and most recently at The Dance Centre. Dicie has had various training in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, lyrical and contemporary styles. Contemporary and lyrical have grown to be her greatest passions when it comes to dance. She hopes to grow this year as a teacher and choreographer. This will be her first year of teaching and she is so excited to help her young students find out who they really are as dancers. Dicie is currently a member of the Rome Braves Brigade and beginning fall of 2019, she will be attending Shorter University to pursue a degree in Middle Grades Education. She plans to teach English/Literature after graduating.
Marika Pearson, Intermediate/Advanced Ballet & Pointe, Support Staff
Marika Pearson is a dance instructor and choreographer with over 18 years of professional experience. She began dancing at a young age training at studios all across the country. She has her Associates in the Arts with a major in Dance. She was a dancer for the modern dance company Mercer Dance Ensemble. Marika has trained in a variety of styles including ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary, modern, hiphop, acrobatics, silk climbing, military and pom. Continued growth and training are very important to her so while living in Seattle, she trained with the physical theatre troupe The Cabiri, learning how to work with aerial silks and storytelling dance. She has also continued to broaden her training by attending conventions such as Tremaine, 5678 and Monsters of Hip Hop. She has choreographed for many competitive dance teams as well as high school drill teams over the years who have gone on to win at both the State and National levels. Dance is Marika's passion and she looking forward to sharing this beautiful and amazing art form with the students of The Dance Centre. We welcome her back for her second year.
