Faculty & Staff
Mary Cadle
Director
Mary’s professional career began with the Cincinnati Ballet Company. While there, Mary met her husband and moved to Jackson, MS to join Ballet Magnificat! After several years of touring, Ballet Magnificat! opened their first school, and Mary was the first teacher. Since then, she has given her full energy to training young dancers in the art of classical ballet as well as mentoring and encouraging them to use their gifts for God’s glory.
In 1997, Mary and her family moved to Nashville. After teaching in various schools locally and in surrounding communities, the Cadles opened their own dance school, Worship in the Arts Academy, which later became First Light Arts Academy. They directed the school for six years. Most recently, she taught ballet at Ann Carroll School of Dance. Mary has been Director of Fellowship School of Dance since 2009. Mary and her family live in Franklin.
Rachel Glaze
Administrator
Rachel is a native of Florida, where she began her dance training at the age of three. She trained with the Northwest Florida Ballet under the direction of Bernadette Sims, Todd Eric Allen and Dorothy Lister. After graduating high school, Rachel went on to join the Northwest Florida Ballet Company as a soloist and later as a principle dancer where she had the opportunity to perform lead roles in many classical ballets. While performing with the company, Rachel also helped develop North West Florida Ballet's Academy program. She taught techniques of ballet to third grade through high school students as a part of their daily school program. She taught for the School of Nashville Ballet for six years, and has continued sharing her passion of ballet with students in the Nashville area since moving.
Olivia Rosselli
Curriculum Coordinator
Olivia discovered her love for dance at a young age. She began her classical ballet training at First Light Arts Academy. She also studied at Vanderbilt Dance Program and Ensworth School of Dance and performed as a part of Vanderbilt Dance Theatre. Olivia had a dance scholarship to Belhaven University in Jackson, MS where she studied classical ballet and modern dance. She performed in many original contemporary ballet works. Olivia graduated from Belhaven University with a BFA in Ballet Performance in May of 2014. Olivia loves being back in Nashville.
Abigail Hicks
Abigail Hicks trained in classical ballet, pointe, modern, and tap at Dancers’ Studio in Lexington KY before moving to the Nashville area for college. She studied the Liberal Arts at New College Franklin and had the pleasure of learning swing dance and performing in a ballet piece during that time. After performing in the summers with Ballet Under the Stars throughout high school, Abigail returned for four years to teach and choreograph several pieces for their pre-shows. Abigail has also been privileged to take ballet classes at FSCA for the past four years and is excited to be joining their teaching staff.
Instructor
Amie Barriger
Amie Barriger started dancing at 10 years old and has been in love with it ever since! She studied in and around Nashville at Ann Carroll School of Dance, Franklin School of Performing Arts, School of Nashville Ballet, and Metro Parks Dance Division, then moved to Salt Lake City, UT to attend The University of Utah and study dance. An injury brought her back to Nashville where she discovered a love for teaching. In the past 20+ years, Amie has taught classes in Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Lyrical Worship, and Jazz at Ann Carroll School of Dance, Harding Academy School of Dance, Harpeth Hall Dance program, and Fellowship School of Dance, and has been a guest teacher at schools in the Nashville area. She had the privilege of directing the student Performing Company at Fellowship School of Dance for many years. Amie has completed instructor certifications in the Vaganova syllabus , Leap N Learn, Progressing Ballet Technique, and is a certified Clinical Somatics Exercise instructor. It is her desire as a teacher to provide a safe space for dancers to explore the healing power of movement and community. She considers it an honor to work with students as they discover dance as part of their story.
Instructor
Caryn Camacho
Caryn is originally from Asheville, NC where she grew up training with In His Steps Dance Ministry and Ballet Conservatory of Asheville. In 2018 she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance from Belhaven University in Jackson, MS with an emphasis in choreography and performance. During her college years, Caryn had the privilege of traveling with Arrows International and Feet Speak Dance Company on summer tours to Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Upon graduating, she moved to Texas to dance with Ad Deum II Dance Company and teach for various studios in the Houston area. Since then, she has taught ballet, pointe technique, jazz, contemporary, and modern dance technique for various studios. Caryn has attended summer programs with Ballet Magnificat, Ad Deum Dance Company, and Zion Dance Project. She is excited to continue her teaching career with Fellowship School of Creative Arts.
Instructor
Jan Carter Stumbo
For over 30 years, Jan has worked professionally as a dance instructor, choreographer and AFAA certified personal trainer. Intensive training in classical ballet, classical jazz (Giordano), musical theatre, and modern dance enabled a career including performance opportunities across the United States. Jan was honored to open for Tony Bennett as a lead dancer with The David Humphreys Orchestra, performed a solo in Amy Grant’s Tennessee Christmas, and was a lead in Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, along with a variety of commercial projects including CMT’s Top 20 Countdowns and numerous commercials. Jan was a lead dancer, rehearsal director and founding member of Epiphany, a modern dance company expressing faith through dance in Nashville. Jan was also the assistant director for seven years at Franklin Classical School, choreographing their spring musicals including Titanic, Scarlett Pimpernel, Fiddler on the Roof and Comedy of Errors and Ruth. Currently, Jan is teaching at Cookeville Leisure Services School of Dance and Fellowship School of Creative Arts in Franklin, TN. Jan also offers wedding first dance lessons and personal fitness classes to clients in Middle Tennessee, and is available for master classes, workshops, and choreography in any location.
Instructor
Katya Klein
Katya was born in Perm, Russia. She began her training in competitive rhythmic gymnastics then transitioned to classical ballet at age 10. At 17, she was selected to train at a pre-professional Vaganova based program in Washington DC. Katya attended summer intensives at Bolshoi, USA IBC XI SI, Open World Dance Foundation and Kennedy Center for the Arts. Through Open World she traveled to Latvia & Estonia and completed the teachers training course with instructors trained by Agrippina Vaganova. She completed courses in classical ballet, acting and character dance. Katya was a YAGP finalist in 2015, 2016 & 2017 and was selected to compete in the World Ballet Competition in 2021. She is grateful for the opportunities the Lord has given her to receive excellent training with exceptional teachers and is looking forward to passing on her love of dance to a new generation of dancers. God has placed a passion in her heart to mentor and encourage dancers both in their walk with the Lord and how they can use the art of ballet to worship Him.
Instructor
Patricia Cross
Patricia Cross started dance at the age of 4. She performed with the Andahazy Ballet Company in Minneapolis, MN and Rejoice Ballet at Christ Church Nashville. She earned a BS degree in Dance from Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York. She founded Adirondack Dance Theater and Adirondack Ballet Company sponsored by the State University of New York in Plattsburgh. Since moving to Nashville, Patricia has taught at Belmont University, Vanderbilt University, Harding Academy, Jody's School of Performing Arts, Smartt Steps, Opryland USA and Christ Church Nashville. Ms. Cross has choreographed 30 original children's ballets as well as staged a full length 'Nutcracker,' 'Sleeping Beauty,' 'Coppelia,' 'Les Sylphides,' and 'La Sylphide.' Ms. Cross is an American Ballet Theatre certified teacher who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 5 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. In 2000 Ms. Cross founded Rejoice School of Ballet which Motivated by Christ's love, empowers youth to realize their potential through training, nurturing and celebrating dancers from diverse racial, socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. She retired from Rejoice School of Ballet in July 2021. Ms. Patricia has a son, Nathan Cross who is married to Beth Cross and they have two sons, Milo, age 15 and Fisher age 11.
Instructor
Sarah Easley
Sarah began dancing at age 3 in her hometown of Lakeland, FL. She attended Harrison School for the Arts and spent summers studying at Orlando Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. Her senior year, she was awarded by Florida First Lady, Columba Bush, for her achievements in dance. Sarah attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX where she earned a BFA in Dance Performance and a BA in Corporate Communications. During her time at SMU, Sarah trained in the Balanchine and Graham techniques and performed in numerous masterworks. She also spent time dancing and working as a communications intern consultant with Dance Theatre of Harlem in NYC. Sarah is grateful to have found FSCA, where her passions of faith and dance pair beautifully and she gets to share this inspiring interplay with her students! Sarah and her husband, Benjamin, live in Nolensville with their two daughters, Ella and Harper.
Instructor
Grace Weaver
Grace Weaver is a dancer, teaching artist, and storyteller originally from Decatur, IL. She discovered her love of the Arts at a young age and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater for Youth from Samford University. Throughout her collegiate career, she was a member of the Dance Company and continued her dance training in ballet, modern, tap, and musical theater styles. Grace has been a teaching artist with several children’s theater’s around the country including Virginia Samford Theater, Birmingham Children’s Theater, The Alliance Theater, and The Rose Theater. Grace is also a passionate storyteller. Some of her acting and directing credits include Peter and the Starcatcher (Ted), Apollo: to the Moon (Director), Tinker Bell (Michael), Frozen Kids (Director), The Lightning Thief (Mrs. Dodds/Ensemble), and The Giver (Director). Grace believes in the power of imagination and strives to inspire creativity within all ages and backgrounds. Fun fact: Grace has an extensive background in Classical Piano. Soli Deo Gloria!
Instructor
Janae Sims
Hello my name is Janae Sims. I have been dancing since I was three years old and teaching dance since I was 13 years of age. Although I was born in Nashville I was raised in Washington State and spent all my years as a competitive dancer. Once I got to High School I was on a traveling dance team and then joined the dance club at BIOLA University. My dream job was to be a dancer at Disneyland and after 5 years of auditioning I got the job. Even though COViD-19 got the show canceled and never got to even start with rehearsal I was grateful to know that I was capable to dance at the highest level of my dreams. I am over the moon to be able to take all my passion and love for dance and teach at this amazing school of creative arts.
Instructor