Burnt Hickory Music & Dance Faculty
We are now seeking qualified Christian instructors to join our staff. We manage registration, tuition, and other administrative tasks – you teach and create. Sound interesting? For prospective instructors, for Dance please Aubrey Ellenberger, and for Music please Melissa Roberts.
The faculty and staff of Burnt Hickory Music & Dance are trained musicians and/or dancers and experienced classroom instructors.
|
|
Aubrey Ellenberger serves as the Burnt Hickory Dance Creative Manager and has over 20 years of dance experience. Aubrey received her Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Dance from Belhaven University in 2016. After graduating she danced professionally with companies such as, Ballet South East, Florida Dance Theatre, and performed in many other dance projects. Aubrey has trained is many styles such as: Ballet, Pointe, Lyrical/Contemporary, Modern, Jazz, and Musical Theater. She has had the opportunity to train under and work with a variety different artists including: Susan Beebe (Atlanta Ballet), Caleb Mitchel (Houston Ballet), Revena Tucker (The Royal Ballet), Laura Morton, Daniel Ulbricht (NYC Ballet), Elizabeth McMillin, Henry Denton, Vincent Hardy, and many others. Aubrey's passion is to help dancers develop to their fullest potential and teach kids how to worship the Lord to the best of their abilities through dance. |
|
|
Melissa Roberts serves as the Music Ministry Manager and brings years of experience in education and communications. She holds a master’s degree in Geosciences with an emphasis in Broadcast Meteorology from Mississippi State University and a bachelor’s degree in Geography with a minor in Mass Communications from the University of Florida. Though she has appeared on broadcast television as a meteorologist, her most recent experience has been education-related, serving as an adjunct professor for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a science teacher for local homeschool students. Additionally, Melissa has extensive experience with educational and logistical software as well as web-based and online systems. Her dedication to Burnt Hickory Baptist Church, where she has been a member since 2011, is evident through her involvement in the Children’s Ministry as a volunteer.
|
|
|
Paige Garwood is a graduate of the Armed Forces School of Music and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Services and a Master’s Degree in Education. His final degree was finished in August of 2016 (just after his 60th birthday), graduating with his MFA in music composition from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. After serving in the United States Navy for 16 years and working as a communication engineer for 10 years, Paige left the corporate world to pursue music, teaching private and group lessons in various locations in metro Atlanta. He has also composed for local theater, vocal ensembles, string quartets, chamber music groups, and our own dance program. |
|
|
Glenda Garwood was introduced to music as a young child, listening to the sounds of her father giving voice lessons and her mother playing piano. She taught preschool for many years before redirecting her focus back to music in 2004, when she began teaching music to homeschool children. She currently teaches piano, ukulele, and recorder. Glenda is passionate about helping children discover a love for music and develop their own unique gifts. |
|
|
Jill Lewis received her Bachelor of Music Education degree with a major in voice and minor in piano from Shorter University. She also studied vocal performance at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. She has taught music in the public school system for six years: three years in Vidalia, Georgia and three years in Cherokee County. Jill has taught private voice and piano lessons for more than 20 years. Currently, Jill teaches part time at Timothy Ministry in Woodstock and plays the piano for her church. |
|
|
Madison Christian was born and raised in Kennesaw, Georgia, graduating from East Paulding High School in 2014 and Kennesaw State University with a major in Early Childhood Education in 2018. Her dance training began at Daystar Dance Academy then continued at Powerhouse Dance Center, training and competing in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary, and hip-hop. In addition, she has taken multiple master classes from top artists in the dance industry. Madison was also a member of the East Paulding High School Varsity Dance Team, winning many state and national titles in Jazz, Pom, and Hip-Hop. Madison is a graduate of the Sole to Soul Dance Ministry, performing on Sunday mornings as well as community outreach events. She has been a member of Burnt Hickory Baptist church since she was a baby and came to know Christ at the age of 8. |
|
|
Alex Coop has been dancing for over ten years, beginning her dance education at Stegmann’s School of Performing Arts. She studied ballet, pointe, hip hop, jazz, modern, tap, character, and musical theatre. As a member of the competition team, she earned high awards, including special judge’s awards for her senior solo performance. After a brief hiatus after high school, Alex rejoined the dance world with a new passion for sharing her love of dance with a new generation. Alex accepted Christ at an early age and now serves to bring others to salvation through Vacation Bible School, local mission trips, and other church opportunities. |
|
|
Abby Hamilton has been dancing since the age of two at Center Stage, Studio Dance Inc., and with Burnt Hickory Dance. She has a dance background in ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, and contemporary, as well as competing with other dancers of Studio Dance Inc. She served as an assistant dance instructor with Burnt Hickory Dance before becoming one of the lead instructors. She studied Early Childhood Education at Chattahoochee Technical College and is now studying Primary Education at Kennesaw State University. Abby has been following her passion for teaching children through her college studies as well as being an Interrelated Local Paraprofessional for three years now. Abby has been a life-long member of Fortified Hills Baptist Church, where she serves on the Worship Team, Tech Team, and Children’s Ministry, and is a Middle School Girls Youth Leader. Abby accepted Christ and was baptized at the age of 7. |
|
|
Lydia Rudd has been expressing herself through the arts since she was a young child. Given her first guitar when she was eight, she now excels in acoustic, electric, and bass guitar, mandolin, and keys, and often plays lead electric guitar with the Sunday morning Worship teams here at Burnt Hickory. As a dance student with Burnt Hickory for eleven years, she trained in ballet, contemporary, jazz, and hip hop and served as an assistant teacher in many classes. Lydia is now the Burnt Hickory Worship intern, gaining experience in all aspects of worship ministry while continuing to share her gifts of music and dance both on stage and in the classroom. Lydia is a member of Burnt Hickory Baptist Church and accepted Christ at the age of 7. |
|
|
Serena Arnold has been teaching dance for over twenty years now. She’s a former Music major and now certified trainer. She uses her love for music and dance, as well as, her passion in fitness to challenge, learn from, and grow with her students. She’s had the opportunity to lead various dance teams, assist choreographers, and teach recreational and competitive dance. She was an intern at Dance411 and she is still always learning and growing with her students. It’s a privilege for Serena to choreograph and teach, and she considers it a blessing to share her passion with others. |
|
|
Jessalyn Reinhart danced for 15 years before she graduated from high school. She graduated from Harrison High School in 2023 and now attends Toccoa Falls College online with a major in elementary education. Jessalyn has been teaching dance for two years now and is excited to join the staff at Burnt Hickory. She has danced in many places such as the American Ballet Theatre, Atlanta Ballet, Orlando Ballet, Ballet Magnificat, and the Next Generation Ballet. Jessalyn has experience in many different dance styles, but her favorites are contemporary and ballet, but she also loves jazz, tap, and hip hop. She has been a member of Burnt Hickory for almost five years and gave her life to Christ and was baptized in elementary school. |
