Faculty

Andrea Faulkner

Andrea Faulkner’s ballet training includes Corpus Christi Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Pittsburg Youth Ballet, and the Tuzerdancenter in Dallas, TX. She was a recipient of a dance scholarship at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Andrea is a former professional dancer with Ballet Magnificat and also served as the lower school director at Ballet Magnificat. She is a former faculty member of The Northshores School of Dance in Covington, LA and The Springs City Ballet School in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Erik Kegler

Mr. Kegler began his dancing career after studying at New York University. While in school, Erik was an awards recipient in choreography from the Arts Recognition and Talent Search, as well as being a three-time Gala Award recipient at the American College Dance Festival. Erik danced professionally with The Cleveland-San Jose Ballet and The Cincinnati Ballet where he performed principal and soloist roles in many classical and contemporary pieces. Mr. Kegler is best known for his World Premiere of the role of Peter Pan in the ballet by the same name. After leaving Cincinnati, Mr. Kegler worked with companies such as Ballet West, Ruth Page Foundation and Boca Ballet, as well as starting his own company, Visage, which toured and performed with symphony orchestras across the country. With Visage , Erik and his dancers performed with the Houston Symphony, Lima Symphony, Florida Symphonic Pops, as well as touring with pianist Danny Wright. Mr. Kegler has also worked in Vienna, Austria, where he performed and choreographed a PBS special at the Hofsburg Imperial Palace, which aired nationally. Erik has an interior design degree and owns his own design firm in Jackson.

Bailey Bradshaw

Growing up in Dothan, Alabama, Bailey Bradshaw danced as a company dancer with Southeast Alabama Dance Company (SEADAC) for six years and with the competition team at Dothan School of Dance for eight years, where she performed and choreographed several award-winning solos.  As a dancer with SEADAC, she attended and performed at RDA Southeast festivals for several years. Throughout high school, she attended Ballet Magnificat Summer Dance Intensive for three years and Nashville Ballet Summer Intensive in the Pre-Professional Program, where she was considered for the company. Bailey recently graduated Magna Cum Laude from Mississippi College, with a Bachelor of Science in psychology and a minor in music. She also founded the Mississippi College Dance Team in 2019 and continued to lead the team as captain until she graduated.

Cindy Edmondson

Cindy Edmondson grew up in Brandon, MS training at local dance schools such as Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet as well as summer sessions at Joffrey Ballet NYC, Alabama Ballet, Washington Ballet, Orlando Ballet, and Complexions Contemporary Dance. Cindy completed her high school studies at Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham, AL as a part of the dance department and worked with renowned teachers like Thaddeus Davis and Fabrice Lemire of Cirque De Soleil. At ASFA, Cindy performed in many ballet productions, as well as performing professionally with Alabama Ballet and Thaddeus Davis at Jacob’s Pillow in 2003. Cindy then went on to attend Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA and received her BA in Dance. Cindy had the honor of performing as Russian Girl in Balanchine’s “Serenade”, as Cinderella in Doug Bentz’s “Cinderella,” as well as original works by Peter Merz and Kassandra Taylor. Cindy performed at the Kennedy Center in 2006 for Kassandra Taylor’s “Mourning Pointe” at ACDFA, a National College Dance Festival. After graduation, Cindy danced for two seasons with Apex Contemporary Dance Theatre in Parker, Colorado and enjoyed performing all original works from Artistic Director David Reuille. Cindy has been on faculty for Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Colorado Ballet, Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet, Xpress Dance Company, and RiverPointe Dance Academy. In addition, Cindy has worked with Mississippi dance teams such as Pearl High School and Northwest Rankin High School. Cindy is very passionate about teaching quality dance instruction within her community and hopes to continue sharing her passion with dancers for many years to come.

Bonnie Gentry

Bonnie is from Arlington, TX. She’s always had a passion for ballet and began teaching in high school. She danced with prestigious ballet schools in the DFW area including Texas Ballet Theater. In high school she danced roles such as The Sugar Plum Fairy in the Nutcracker, Bluebird in Sleeping Beauty, and Kitri’s Friend in Don Quixote. She also danced with the Texas Ballet Theater company in their seasonal production of the Nutcracker. In addition to dancing ballet, Bonnie also gained experience in musical theater productions and trained in other styles of dance such as jazz, contemporary, tap, and partnering. She received her B.M. degree from Ouachita Baptist University in 2020. She is currently working with Ballet Magnificat! in Jackson as a trainee. She’s taught at many schools and children’s theaters in Texas, Arkansas, and Tennessee, as well as choreographed for schools and projects in her time at school. She seeks to connect her passion with the purpose of teaching artistry to children, as well as watching their confidence increase through the process.

Roger Long
Tena Long

Professional hip-hop dancer/choreographer Roger L. Long and dancer/vocalist Tena Long, also known as the power-duo of hip-hop, have been collaborating for over seven years. They are known as the innovators behind the Choreorobics Dance-Off! Dance athletics training program that was started in 2001 as the first, and now is the longest-running, hip-hop training program in the state. Both have been certified as group fitness instructors through Interactive Fitness Trainers of America (IFTA).
Roger was inducted in Marquis’ Who’s Who in America in 2002 for accomplishments in the arts and has choreographed productions for stage at festivals and events throughout the region. With his choreography and the couple’s coaching, select students have won Star Search and Apollo national competitions and numerous state talent contests.Tena, a native of the Bahamas, received her B.A. from Belhaven College in 2002. Roger and Tena are also the owners of Go Long Productions (est. 1999), an arts production company based in Ridgeland that provides choreography services for video, stage, and competitions, along with visual art services.

Cherri Barnett

Cherri began her early dance training with the incomparable Linda Lavender and Madame Cecelia Kelly with the Twin City Ballet of Monroe, LA. Ms. Barnett earned a B.F.A. in dance from Texas Christian University while also dancing with Fort Worth Ballet, under the direction of Fernando Schaffenburg. In 1982 Ms. Barnett joined Ballet Mississippi’s professional company under the direction of Charles Dickson and Alan Woodard. She had a remarkable nine seasons with Ballet Mississippi and was already teaching in the school. In 1992 Cherri Barnett and Madison Mayor, Mary Hawkins Butler, worked tirelessly to establish a comprehensive art center that served the community until 2022. This facility is now being converted to serve as the Madison City Hall. Cherri returned to Ballet Mississippi from 2006-2022 where she became Associate Artistic Director. Barnett is also a past president of the Friend of I.B.C. (International Ballet Competition) and served as Chairman of the Board for Arts for all Mississippi. Ms. Barnett continues to bring ballet technique and joy of dance to artists of all ages in the greater Jackson area as well as guest teaching in her home community with her beloved teacher/mentor, Ms. Linda and the Twin City Ballet Company.