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Ashley cunninghamDance InstructorMr. Ashley, a native of Atlanta, began his dance training, under the direction of Joan Call Stuart and his mother Becky Cunningham, at Sandy Springs School of Ballet when he was 12. Further training in Atlanta with Patsy Bromley at Terpsichore School of Dance, and Ruth Mitchel with the Ruth Mitchel School of Dance. Mr. Ashley attended the Governors Honors Program for Dance in Georgia. While in High School, he performed with the Chattahoochee Dance Theatre, and the Ruth Mitchel Dance Company.
When not studying dance, he could be found practicing or attending a Break Dance Battle with the Rock Steady Crew of Southwest Dekalb throughout the Atlanta area. He attended Breanu College as a scholarship Dance Major, then transferred to Jacksonville University under scholarship where he studied under Betty Swenson. At the American College Dance Festival he was awarded a full scholarship to the Columbia City Ballet Summer Intensive. He attended The Atlanta Ballet Intensive under scholarship. Throughout his dance career he danced with Bay Ballet Theatre in Tampa Florida, Jacksonville Dance Theatre, and The Florida Ballet. He danced for two years in theme park shows at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Mr. Ashley has been a guest with several Dance, industrial Dance, and Theatre Companies including Sawnee Ballet Theatre, The Point West Dance Company, Dance FX, the Backlight Theater Group, the Alhambra Theatre, and Central Ballet Theatre. What Mr. Ashley is most proud of is his teaching background. His teaching resume includes two prestigious Arts schools. Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, and Lavilla School of the Arts in Jacksonville Florida. He was a featured Ballet instructor at the Sierra Summer Dance Intensive in Reno Nevada. After moving to Tennessee he has been the Artistic Director for Lakeway School of Ballet & Dance, and Downtown Dance Theatre. Director/Owner of Studio 180 Dance. Over a dozen former students have danced professionally at theme parks, cruise ships, film and television, and Dance companies worldwide. Some examples are Disney World, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, The Houston Ballet, SYTYCD, AGT, Bad Boys Of Dance, Aspen Ballet Santa Fe, just to name a few. Mr. Ashley was the Director for the Nutcracker Ballet In Morristown Tn for seven years. When not working or teaching Mr. Ashley enjoys spending time with his family and playing golf. My Why… “To quote the great contemporary dance pioneer Martha Graham, “I didn’t choose dance, dance chose me.” Actually, God chose me to be a dance teacher. I’ve been blessed to have the training and background in the arts that I have. I’ve been given and feel it’s my responsibility to pass on what was given to me; to instill a love and appreciation of dance as an art form. I feel it is my province to help students use their God given gift to grow not only as a dancer but also as a productive member of society and the arts.” |
