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Administration

Kathryn is a Johnson City native who trained with Susan Pace White at the City Youth Ballet for 15 years before transitioning to college and teaching, which she has been doing for the past eight years. She received her Master in Education at Milligan University in 2019 and teaches at Science Hill High School.

In addition to her training with City Youth Ballet, Kathryn studied with the Radford University Ballet, South Carolina Dance Conservatory, and The Rock School in Philadelphia; and performed with the Milligan Dance Team for four years.

Kathryn specializes in pointe and classical variations for our upper level ballet students.

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Kathryn Price

Owner / Executive Director, Ballet Instructor

Emmaline Grubbs is an emerging classical singer from Johnson City, TN. She is currently a
junior at East Tennessee State University, pursuing a Bachelor of Music with a concentration in Vocal Performance. Emmaline began studying voice at the age of four and continues to nurture her passion at ETSU,
where she is an active member of the Opera Workshop and the Belles women’s choir. Since her freshman year, she has been involved in multiple opera productions, most recently performing the role of Olympia in Pinocchio by John Davies in the spring of 2025. She also treasures her experience performing opera scenes with the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra in the fall of 2024.

 

Beyond campus, Emmaline serves as a section leader in the choir at State Street United
Methodist Church in Bristol, VA. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career in opera and is excited for the journey ahead. She is delighted to be joining the Johnson City Arts Center as a front desk associate and looks
forward to welcoming visitors with a friendly face.

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Emmaline Grubbs

Front Desk

Chloe grew up in Elizabethton, TN, and studied ballet at City Youth Ballet under Susan Pace White for 15 years. After high school, she went to Belmont University in Nashville, TN, where she graduated in 2019 with a BS in Neuroscience and minor in dance. While at school, she performed with the Belmont University Dance Company, assisted at Rejoice School of Ballet, and was recognized for Outstanding Achievement in Dance by Belmont's dance faculty.

In addition to teaching at JCAC, Chloe is a research assistant at ETSU's Department of Biomedical Sciences. She is also active in her church community at Grandview Christian Church.

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Chloe Garbe

Owner / Manager, Ballet Instructor

Sarah Lane is a classically trained violinist that has developed her career through violin performance, music education, arts administration, and arts advocacy. In addition to her work as Music Education Program Manager at the JCAC, Sarah is the General Manager of the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra and a violinist with Symphony of the Mountains.

 

Sarah graduated with a Master’s degree in Violin Performance with additional studies in Music Education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in the studio of esteemed professor of violin Miroslav Hristov. Previously, she received a B.M. in Violin Performance and minor in Arts Entrepreneurship from the Pennsylvania State University while studying under James Lyon.

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Notably, she had the honor or working as the Education Programs Intern for Silkroad, a non-profit organization founded by Yo-Yo Ma and currently led by Artistic Director and recent Pulitzer Prize winner Rhiannon Giddens. Sarah is passionate about music’s accessibility and believes students of all ages and backgrounds deserve a high-quality music education from a devoted and caring teacher.

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Sarah Lane

Music Education Program Manager, Strings Instructor

Joseph Dykes is an emerging pianist and composer, living with his family in Johnson City, TN. He completed his Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance from Milligan University in 2024 under the tutelage of concert pianist David Brickle.

 

Joseph began learning the piano from his mother at the age of 7, and has studied extensively in the classical tradition, with frequent dabbling in a variety of other genres. He is also an accomplished violinist, having performed as the principal second violinist in the Milligan University Orchestra throughout his bachelor’s program, as well as continuing to collaborate with Milligan and other local venues. Additionally, he serves as a choir member and frequent accompanist at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Johnson City.

 

He believes that music is a gift from God to be shared with others, and that everyone has their own song to sing. He desires that his students strive for both musical excellence and a close relationship with Jesus Christ.

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Joseph Dykes

Piano

Isaac Ratliff is a musician and songwriter living in Jonesborough, TN, with his wife, Amy.

Isaac began classical training on piano at age 8, but started to learn by ear at age 13, aided by his aunt, a southern gospel church pianist. Throughout high school, and as a student of Appalachian Studies at ETSU, Isaac supported several ministries and music departments on piano and guitar while continuing his own music education in piano and music history.

His independent study of music, fueled by a love for the craft, has led him to learn the foundations of many American musical styles, from blues and jazz to old-time country and gospel. In addition to his independent learning, he has studied with jazz pianist Jonathan Huber.

Isaac is a founding member of Sorrel, a band he formed with his brother Seth. He also writes and performs as a member of the bands Charlie Maples and Florencia & The Feeling.

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Isaac Ratliff

Guitar, Piano, Banjo, Ukulele

Dustin is a guitarist, producer and freelance media composer living in Johnson City with his wife Megan.

Dustin’s musical training began at the age of 10 when he first picked up guitar and has covered a wide variety of genres and techniques in the years to follow. As a teenager, Dustin began to develop the craft of songwriting and arrangement. He went on to become a recording artist and live performer, releasing two original albums and honing his skills on stage. In recent years, Dustin has ventured into the world of electronic music/synthesis and has been laying the groundwork for his future as a producer. A growing network of friends in the filmmaking industry has also given Dustin the opportunity to create music for visual media. He has been working as a freelance composer since 2017, scoring for independent films, YouTube series and commercial advertisements.

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Dustin Miller

Guitar

Sterling is a passionate vocalist and educator dedicated to helping students grow in both musical skill and self-confidence. With a warm, collaborative approach, she finds true joy in watching students connect with their voice and their artistry.

 

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from East Tennessee State University and has studied classical voice as a soprano for nearly a decade. Her performance experience includes roles such as Papagena in The Magic Flute, Mimi in City Workers in Love, Sadie in Slow Dusk, and Musetta in La Bohème with the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra.

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Sterling has been teaching voice for the past three years, working with students of all ages and backgrounds. In addition to her studio work, she remains active in the local music community and sings regularly at her home church, First Baptist of Kingsport.

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Whether on stage or in the studio, Sterling brings energy, encouragement, and a deep love for music to everything she does.

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Sterling Richardson

Voice

Calvin is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist born and raised here in the Tri-Cities. He performs locally under as Appalachian Soul artist “Counter Clay”, and is also an active member of the front-porch folk group “Alathea”. With a background in entertainment-technology, and years of experience as a private educator and musician, he plays a key role in many areas of JCAC as an artist-in-residence.

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Calvin Price

Drums, Piano, Ukulele

Mareena Rodríguez serves as an adjunct professor of applied voice and musical theatre history at Milligan University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Musical Theatre and a minor in Worship Leadership from Milligan, and a master’s degree in Vocal Performance from Lee University. While at Lee University, Professor Rodríguez served as a graduate assistant with a primary responsibility of teaching applied voice.

 

An accomplished soprano, she has performed a variety of roles in musicals and operas including Gypsy in The Hunchback of Notre Dame; Eve/Mama in Children of Eden; Sally Brown in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown; Mabel in Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance; Dame 1/Spirit 2 in Mozart’s The Magic Flute; and Blue Fairy/Olympia in The Adventures of Pinocchio composed by Jonathan Dove.

 

In addition to her performing and university teaching, Professor Rodríguez maintains a private voice studio and serves as an interim worship leader at Church of God. As she works towards her ordination through Church of God, she is passionate about blending her love for music and faith. She is dedicated to guiding students in becoming both accomplished musicians and faithful followers of Christ.

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Mareena Rodríguez

Voice

Music Faculty

Music Faculty
Dance Faculty
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Greta Anglin

Early Childhood Dance, Tap

Greta Anglin was born in Memphis and spent the first years of her life in Olive Branch, Mississippi. Greta loves all genres of dance and has taken dance lessons for over 10 years (with most of those years spent at Trinity Arts, now JCAC.) Greta has experience in ballet, pointe, tap, modern, hip hop, and jazz. She enjoys children and has worked with them in ballet classes, at Princess Ballerina Camps, and at her church.

In addition to dancing, Greta enjoys reading, playing the cello, teaching, and  participating in 4-H and other leadership programs. She feels it’s her privilege to teach younger students. Greta hopes to instill in them a passion for dance as well as a desire to use their God-given talents to bless others.

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Cass Kent

Jazz, Adult Contemporary

Cassidy is a passionate individual that has been dancing for over 15 years, starting when she was just 5 years old, and was a long-time first generation student at Trinity Arts Center, now Johnson City arts Center. Trained in ballet, jazz, contemporary, and hip hop, she has used those styles to find her own individual and rare voice in dance.

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She has choreographed for various shows, showcasing her creative vision and dedication. She aspires to help her students grow not only in their technique but also in their love for dance. She aims to help students find their own way to express themselves and tell stories through movement, as well as discover their own different and unique styles. 


She is beyond blessed to be able to bring her passion for dance into the community and share it with her students and audiences.

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Kate Palmer

Ballet

Kate Palmer has been dancing since she learned to walk! She studied ballet and modern dance at St. Louis Ballet and attended summer dance intensives including TN Governor's School for the Arts, Princeton Dance & Theatre, and Virginia School of the Arts. She attended a pre-professional ballet program in high school at the Virginia School of the Arts.

Kate earned her doctorate in physical therapy in 2018 and loves incorporating dance technique with her treatment style. She currently performs with the Jonesborough Repertory Theatre and has enjoyed expanding her dance expertise to include tap and musical theatre.

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Christina Ward

Jazz, Costume Club, Ballet

Christina has been dancing since she was four years old, eight of those years as a student at Trinity Arts Center. In that time, she has also trained with Bristol Ballet, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and Millennium Dance Complex. Since 2020, she has enjoyed assisting, teaching, choreographing, and even designing costumes for her ballet and jazz students at Trinity and JCAC.


When she's not teaching, Christina studies at ETSU for her BA in Theatre Production and Design and minor in Dance. In what time she has left, she trains in circus aerial arts. Her enthusiasm and creativity are a valuable addition to our teaching roster!

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Liz Borromeo

Ballet

Liz Borromeo began training in ballet with Irina “Era” Wohner in Virginia and the Bella Ruska Ballet School in Rota, Spain. She continued at Old Dominion University, North Carolina Dance Force and The College of William & Mary. While at W&M, she helped design outreach programs for public schools in Williamsburg, Virginia with the Multicultural Performing Arts Society and was a choreographer and performer in the dance company Orchesis. Liz introduced Modern Dance to studios in Yakima, WA and she served as the Children's, Modern and Adult Divisions Director at Columbia Dance in Vancouver from 2003-2015. She continued her studies exploring Concept-Based dance curricula taught at the Creative Dance Center in Seattle, WA under Anne Green Gilbert and has attended adult dance intensives regularly as well to keep her own technique and teaching fresh and inspired. Liz presented at the SW Washington Early Childhood Education Tapestry Conference from 2008-2015 and choreographed and taught for Vancouver’s Journey Theater Arts Group’s summer and main stage musical theatre productions. Liz danced and taught at the 2011 Summer Intensive at The College of William & Mary. She was a teaching artist and choreographer with the Vancouver, Camas, and Evergreen School Districts in SW Washington from 2011-2022. Liz opened her own studio in 2015, and, in 2016, started the children’s dance company, MOTUS (members of Dance and the Child International). She relocated to NE Tennessee in 2022 after passing on her studio to new leadership, and continues teaching in studio settings, church groups and for residents of addiction recovery programs. She continues to be active in the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) as well as Dance and the Child International via attendance and presentations at conferences and gatherings.

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Rebekah Knisley

Tap

Rebekah Knisley is a dance professor teaching tap and jazz with a special interest in musical theater. Rebekah has extensive teaching and choreography experience at numerous studios and theaters in East Tennessee. Her most notable choreography credits include: Fiddler on the Roof at Lincoln Memorial University; Singin in the Rain, Sister Act, and Crazy for You at Jonesborough Repertory Theater; and The Marvelous Wonderettes at Milligan University. She holds a Bachelors of Science from LMU in Exercise Science. In regards to her faith, Rebekah became a Christian at a summer camp when she was 12 years old and has since grown in her faith and theology at Heritage Baptist Church in Johnson City where she attends and serves regularly. When she's not dancing or in a show, you'll find her at a park or coffee shop with her husband, son, and little dog. 

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Sarah Sims

Dance Conditioning, Ballet

Sarah Sims is a Johnson City native and danced under Susan Pace-White at Johnson City Ballet Company (predecessor to City Youth Ballet). Sarah spent her summers studying ballet under various instructors and at various summer intensive programs, including The Rock School and Nashville Ballet. Sarah went on to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in classical dance at Radford University where she danced under Inessa Plekhanova. Upon returning to Johnson City in 2008, She began teaching ballet at City Youth Ballet, where she served as the Associate Artistic Director alongside Susan Pace-White through 2013. She served as the Executive Director of the Tennessee Association of Dance from 2014-2015. Sarah earned her Juris Doctor from Belmont University College of Law in 2018, and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from East Tennessee State University.
 

Sarah is an American Ballet Theatre Certified Teacher in Primary through Level 5 of the ABT ® National Training Curriculum and a 500 hour RYT yoga instructor. She is currently General Counsel

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Macey Whitaker

Early Childhood Dance

Macey danced for 15 years & this will be her fourth year teaching. Macey is a sophomore at ETSU, where she is currently on the dental hygiene track. Aside from academic studies, Macey has studied Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Contemporary, Musical Theater, & Tap. Macey has had the opportunity to choreograph several numbers, as well as been involved with many dance recitals. In addition to dance recitals, she has also preformed in numerous musicals & helped with choreography. Before moving to Tennessee, her family owned their own Christian-based dance studio.

 

In her free time, Macey enjoys spending time with family + friends, traveling, photography, reading, spending time outdoors, art, writing, surfing, going to the beach, & anything that involves Jesus. Macey is looking forward to this dance year as she gets to share one of her greatest passions!!

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Mary Hoover

Ballet, Early Childhood Dance

Mary Hoover began dancing as a student at Trinity Arts Center in 2005. She spent nine years with the company as a student and seven years teaching. Mary directed God With Us in 2018, is Cecchetti student certified (levels 1-4), and trained at Störling Dance Theater in Kansas City for two summers.

 

Mary’s favorite part of teaching is having the opportunity to be a tiny ray of sunshine in a student’s day. The pressures of school, peers, family, and just life in general can be overwhelming. Dance is an outlet to express those hardships and joys. She desires to cultivate an environment which serves as a refuge of friendship, encouragement, and self-expression for God’s children.

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Gracie Overbay

Jazz, Ballet

Gracie has been dancing for 15 years, 7 of those spent at Trinity Arts Center. She also taught in their hip hop program for 4 years. Most recently, she has been a member of the dance team at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where she focused on jazz, pom, and hip hop. 

 

When she is not dancing, Gracie loves to spend time with family and friends as well as exercise. She recently graduated with a bachelors degree in exercise science, and starting January of 2026, she will pursue her doctorate degree in physical therapy at ETSU. She has missed teaching and can’t wait to spend the year with you!

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Shannon Stinnett

Ballet

Shannon Stinnett began her ballet training at the age of 14 under Susan Pace White of Holloway Dancing School, Intercity Ballet Co., (predecessor to Johnson City Ballet Co.,then City Youth Ballet Co.) She started at a late age, most started younger, so she took as many classes available and within 2 years made the Company, where she danced in toe shoes and became a soloist at age 16. She also became an apprentice to Susan, training to teach ballet. Shannon has also had ballet training under Edward Villia (former dancer of Balachine, New York City Ballet, and founding Artistic Director of Miami City Ballet Co.), Susan Anderson of the South Carolina Conservatory, Jeremy Blanton of Joffery, and Claudia Folts of Royal Ballet Academy.

In later years, Shannon returned to Susan and began teaching the elementary department, Pre-ballet thru Ballet 4, and beginning Pointe.

Some of her leading roles were the Sugar Plum Fairy, Anna Pavlova's Dying Swan, Esmerelda, Sylvia, The Red Shoes, and Guest Artist for the North Carolina Ballet as The Little Mermaid.  Shannon has choreographed and staged ballets of Beatrix Potter, Snow White and Rose Red, Babes in Toyland, Beauty and the Beast, and The Pas De Quatra.


Outside of the ballet teaching she loves doing Bible studies, history research, cross stitch, embroidery, and taking care of husband, home, cats (Garfield, Misty and Gus Gus) and family.

Dance Faculty

909 Chase Drive
Johnson City, TN 37604

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