The KSU Dance Company is a pre-professional level dance company that performs on campus, regionally and nationally. Students have the opportunity to audition at the beginning of each semester (fall/spring) to be a part of the company. Once selected, students sign contracts with the company for one academic year. The mission of the KSU Dance Company is to bring Western concert dance to the community, as well as serve the mission of education in dance through its outreach programs. Every year the company tours to regional high schools, performing and educating students about dance as a performing art. Through this outreach program, students in the company gain valuable touring experience, while serving an important community mission. In addition to the outreach program, members of the KSU Dance Company receive academic credit for performing in the annual season concert, informal dance concerts, as well as in departmental productions including the annual musical. Through a variety of performance opportunities, it is our goal to provide students with practical performance experiences that extend to the areas of production, design and stage management.
For more information about the KSU Dance Company or to schedule an outreach visit, please contact Ivan Pulinkala at ipulinka@kennesaw.edu or at 770-423-6789.
For audition information contact Prof. Ivan Pulinkala (ipulinka@kennesaw.edu)
Company Members
Lauren Banks
Major: Communication-Public Relations
Minor: Dance
Hometown: Fayetteville, GA
Lauren has trained at Carla’s Dance Factory in Fayetteville, GA for 10 years in ballet, lyrical, jazz and tap. She was on the Fayetteville County High School Dance Team for four years, where she was captain the last two years. She worked for the Universal Dance Association as a dance instructor. This is Lauren’s second year in the KSU Dance Company.
Sara "Rah" Benton
Major: Theatre and Performance Studies
Minor: Dance
Hometown: Redding, CA
Sara started dancing at age four in Redding and then moved to Stuttgart, Germany where she danced for Kuppè’Lau. Her first professional company experience was at the Columbia City Ballet. She danced with San Francisco Ballet School and Marin Ballet. Sara danced with Augusta Ballet from 1995 until 2005 when she then transferred to Atlanta and joined the KSU Dance Company in 2007.
Haleigh Brooks
Major: Marketing
Minor: Dance
Hometown: Woodstock, GA
Haleigh has danced for 17 years. For 10 years, she danced with Steps Dance Center, with whom she performed in Orlando, FL; Myrtle Beach, SC; Gatlinburg, TN; New York City; and metro Atlanta. This is her first year dancing in the KSU Dance Company.
Dale Browne
Hometown: Kennesaw, GA
Dale danced with Praise Him With Dance Studios from 1993 to 2007 and Celebration Dance Company 1 from 1998 to 2007. She attended the Paul Taylor Dance Summer Intensive in 2006 and is currently dancing with North Atlanta School of the Arts as a senior. She is a community student of the Dance Company.
Morgan Carlisle
Major: Psychology
Minor: Dance
Hometown: Springville, TN
Morgan is enjoying her second year in the KSU Dance Company. Before transferring to KSU, she spent a year at Point Park University. Morgan has also danced with the Murray State University Dance Company for three years and at Alvin Ailey and Joffrey Ballet, both in New York City.
Emily Christopher
Major: Early Childhood Education
Minor: Dance
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
This is Emily’s second year with the KSU Dance Company. She has been dancing ballet, jazz and modern for 12 years. She danced in classical ballets and has had solo roles in various Christmas productions. Emily attended Joffrey Ballet Summer Intensives and is currently in Praise Him With Dance (Kennesaw, Georgia) Post Graduate Program.
Leah Cook
Major: Psychology
Minor: Dance
Hometown: Loganville, GA
Leah has danced for 16 years with her hometown company and two years with the KSU Dance Company. She plans to be a traveling choreographer and travel to different schools and universities. Leah’s passion will always be dancing.
Tai Courtney
Major: Theatre and Performance Studies
Minor: Dance
Hometown: Augusta, GA
Tai started dancing in 2005 with a Latin and Ballroom dance instructor. Since then he has danced with the KSU Dance Company from 2006 to 2008.
Errin Cusack
Major: Dance
Minor: Marketing
Hometown: Orlando, FL
This is Errin’s second year with the KSU Dance Company. She began dancing at the age of four with Merium and Valeria’s School of Dance. Upon moving to Atlanta, she trained at Christine’s School of Dance. She now works with Hickory Flats Dance Academy and plans to pursue dance performance after graduation. Errin is very excited to be working with the company again.
Erin Dedrickson
Major: Theatre and Performance Studies
Minor: Dance
Hometown: Canton, GA
Erin has danced with the Tolbert-Yilmaz School of Dance, Roswell Dance Theater and apprenticed with the Illinois Ballet. She has performed in many productions including The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Carmina Burana. Erin is thrilled to be performing with the KSU Dance Company this year.
Kimberly Dibble
Major: Theatre and Performance Studies
Minor: Dance
Hometown: Roswell, GA
Kimberly began her training in ballet and modern with Orlando Ballet and Burklyn Ballet Theatre. She danced in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, performing Cinderella. Kimberly transfered from CalArts to KSU and this is her second year with the KSU Dance Company.
Audrey Hall
Major: Early Childhood Education
Minor: Dance
Hometown: St. Charles, IL
Audrey Hall has been dancing since the age of three. She began dancing at the St. Charles School of Dance in Illinois. After moving to Georgia, she joined Centre Stage School of Dance in Marietta. She was a member of both their jazz and tap performing and competing companies and productions. Her dance experience includes ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, hip-hop and choreography. In 2006, Audrey was awarded the “All-Around” Dance Scholarship from Centre Stage School of Dance. Audrey is looking forward to her first year with the KSU Dance Company
Kelly Hamm
Major: Exercise and Health Science
Minor: Dance
Hometown: Cumming, GA
Kelly started dancing at the age of six and danced at the Suwanee Ballet Theater for 10 years where she studied ballet, point, jazz and tap. She danced two and a half years at Georgia Ballet where she studied ballet, point and modern, and is now a certified Mat Pilates instructor. Kelly is a junior at KSU and this is her first year with the KSU Dance Company.
Brittany Hawes
Major: Biochemistry
Minor: Dance
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Brittany is now in her 14th year of dancing. She has danced summer intensives with Ballet Austin, Joffrey Ballet, International Ballet Competition and has performed in Disney.
Myles Johnson
Major: Theatre and Performance Studies
Minor: Dance
Hometown: Cartersville, GA
Myles has been dancing almost a year at KSU and has been a company member for the past two years. His concentration within his major is Musical Theatre. He recently made his television debut on Fox’s "So You Think You Can Dance." His dream is to perform for as long as possible and eventually start his own dance company.
Jason Marett
Major: Theatre and Performance Studies
Minor: Dance
Hometown: Marietta, GA
This is Jason’s second year dancing at Kennesaw State University. Until his freshman year, his primary emphasis was in musical theatre. He hopes to one day make a name for himself on Broadway.
Caitlin McPhail
Major: Theatre and Performance Studies
Minor: Dance
Hometown: Snellville, GA
Caitlin is very excited to return for her second year with the KSU Dance Company. She has studied with Atlanta Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and Atlanta Dance Works. Caitlin has had a wonderful experience working with Candess and Jason, and thanks Ivan for the opportunity.
Olivia Noland
Major: Communication-Media Studies
Minor: Dance
Hometown: Savannah, GA
Olivia has studied at the Island Dance Theater in Savannah and the Hawaii Dance Academy and Pacific School of Ballet in Orange County. She was a member of the KSU Rhythm Dance Team for three years and captain her last year. Olivia has danced with the KSU Company for two years. She loves lyrical, modern and jazz, and enjoys working with Candess Gayan this year.
AJ Paug
Erin Patterson
Major: Communications
Minor: Dance
Hometown: Lawrenceville, GA
Erin began her training at Susan Chambers School of Theater Dance and later danced at Atlanta Ballet Center for Dance Education. She danced on her high school competitive dance team as well as the competitive dance team at KSU. This is Erin’s second year with the KSU Dance Company.
Jey Sadeckas
Major: Theatre and Performance Studies
Minor: Dance
Hometown: Marietta, GA
Jey grew up dancing at Center Stage in Marietta, GA where she was a member of their tap and jazz companies. This is her fourth year teaching dance and she is currently teaching at the British Academy of Performing Arts.
Richard Smith
Major: Theatre and Performance Studies
Minor: Dance
Hometown: Dallas, GA
Richard joins the Dance Company this year as a senior and president of the KSU Dance Company. He has been dancing for 18 years and is excited to close out this year with the company. Richard has performed all over the world and worked with such companies as Royal Caribbean International and Cirque D' Soleil. After graduating, Richard hopes to continue performing and entertaining people and eventually attend Oklahoma City University for his M.F.A.
Carly Steele
Major: Early Childhood Education
Minor: Dance
Hometown: Smyrna, GA
Carly began her dance training at the age of three. She attended Pebblebrook High School, Cobb County’s Center for Excellence in Performing Arts, as a dance major. In 2003, she attended the Governor's Honors Program in Dance, and from 2004 to 2006 she majored in dance at Brenau University. Carly is proud to be a member of the KSU Dance Company.
Lauren Tatum
Major: Theatre and Performance Studies
Minor: Dance
Hometown: Cocoa, Florida
Lauren has trained for 19 years and danced with the KSU Dance Company for three years. She has received scholarships to the Broadway Dance Center in New York and The Edge Dance Studio in L.A. Lauren is excited to be part of the KSU Dance Company again this season.
Sarah Tintle
Major: Modern Language and Culture-Spanish
Minor: Pre-med; Dance
Hometown: Oxnard, CA
Sarah began her dance training at the age of four at the Hollywood School of Ballet. After moving to Georgia, she continued training with the Bravo Dance Center in Acworth, and the Georgia Ballet in Marietta. She has danced professionally with Entertainment Design Group of Atlanta as well as with Six Flags over Georgia. Sarah has danced with KSU for two years and plans to graduate in May.
Cory Turner
Major: English
Minor: Mass communications
Hometown: Acworth, GA
Cory has been dancing for 14 years and has performed in The Nutcracker of Cherokee County for seven consecutive years. She performed with Dancentre South Company at Picolo Spoceto (Charleston, SC) and traveled with the Company to Hagin, Germany. Cory is extremely excited to be part of the KSU Dance Company this year.
Cory Washington
Greer Yarborough
Minor: Dance
Hometown: Canton, GA
Greer has been dancing for over 15 years . She received her early training in dance at the Woodstock School of Ballet and she’s also danced at Georgia Ballet and Metropolitan Ballet. In 2005, Greer went to the Governor’s Honors Program, majoring in dance. She also teaches and choreographs dance locally. This is Greer’s first year at KSU and with the Dance Company. She looks forward to this upcoming season.