KENNESAW, Ga. | Feb 6, 2026

For Cymone Jeter, dance has always been more than movement; it is connection and community impact…in motion.

A current student in the Department of Dance at Kennesaw State University, Cymone is putting her training into practice well beyond the studio this spring as a choreographer for Dancing with the Stars of Marietta, a community fundraiser benefiting Georgia Metropolitan Dance Theater. The annual event pairs local leaders with choreographers to raise funds supporting the organization’s professional productions and conservatory programming.

Cymone is leading choreography for a team affectionately named “Team Smoke Show,” made up of public service professionals from across Cobb County — including Kim Franz (Cobb Travel & Tourism), Molly Gillis (Gillis Law Firm), Earnest Johnson (Georgia Power), and Brian Marcos (Fire Chief for the City of Smyrna). For many of her dancers, this marks their first experience stepping into a rehearsal room.

“Only one person on my team had any prior dance experience,” Cymone said. “Everyone else came in with two feet and an adventurous spirit — and that’s been part of the fun. They’re willing, open and fully committed to the process.”

The piece Cymone created blends high-energy salsa with hip-hop influences, a stylistic mashup inspired by the team’s identity and the playful heat implied in their name. Over the course of roughly ten rehearsals, Cymone has guided the group from basics to performance-ready confidence.

“We wanted something that felt exciting and bold,” she said. “The goal was to make them feel powerful on stage — like they’re really bringing the heat.”

Beyond the performance itself, the experience has become a meaningful professional milestone for Cymone. The project has given her hands-on insight into choreographing for non-dancers, managing rehearsal dynamics, and leading a creative process rooted in encouragement and adaptability.

“It’s been incredibly educational,” she explained. “It’s made me think deeply about the kind of choreographer I want to be and how I want to engage with communities in the future.”

That reflection aligns closely with Cymone’s long-term aspirations. After graduation, she hopes to dance professionally — potentially with a company or abroad — while continuing to choreograph and teach across a range of ages and settings.

“One of my mentors at KSU told me that you don’t have to choose just one path,” Cymone said. “You can dance, choreograph and teach all at the same time. That idea really stuck with me.”

While Dancing with the Stars of Marietta is not a KSU-affiliated event, Cymone credits her education and experiences at the university with preparing her for opportunities like this one.

“KSU has really encouraged us to look beyond campus,” she said. “The opportunities here, combined with community experiences like this, are already shaping my career and helping me understand how dance lives in the world.”

As Dancing with the Stars of Marietta approaches its finale on Saturday, February 7, Cymone’s work stands as a powerful example of how student artists at KSU are extending their impact — bringing creativity, leadership and joy to the communities they serve.