Faculty

FACULTY OVERVIEW

When it comes to arts instruction, we take pride in offering you a challenging, effective arts experience. We strive to create an inspiring environment for your dancer to grow and improve by immersing themselves in true all day intensive from one to two weeks. Your child will be able to go beyond the time constraints and distractions that are common in a standard arts school setting. With over thirty years experience combined, we are assured that we can provide our students with the best arts experience possible.

Ballet/Pointe/Variations

Cristin Jernigan

Mrs. Jernigan began her training in Savannah, Georgia, at Ballet South, under the direction of Karena Brock Carlyle. She was also a student and company member at Hilton Head Dance Theater. After graduating from high school, Cristin attended the University of Georgia where she received a degree in Child and Family Development and a minor Dance Education. At UGA, she was accepted into the UGA Ballet Ensemble. With the UGA Ballet Ensemble, Cristin had the opportunity to dance lead roles in the full length La Sylphide, La Bayadere, Act II Nutcracker with the Athens Symphony, and Giselle. Cristin also was a guest artist in the Savannah Dance Theater’s Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Stars and Stripes and Giselle. In 2002, Cristin re-staged and performed the full length Giselle with Savannah Dance Theater and the UGA Ballet Ensemble. In 2002 she joined Atlanta Festival Ballet Company. She performed lead roles in their productions of The Nutcracker, Beauty and the Beast, Carmina Burana, and the US premier of Mr. Pacaña and Mr. Aaron’s The Little Mermaid. After leaving Festival in 2005, she began working with Axam Dance Theater Experience and Metro Movement Ensemble, of Atlanta. For six years she enjoyed the position of Artistic Director/Co-Artistic Director of The Cathedral Academy of Performing Arts, The Madison Dance Company, and Metro Movement Ensemble. During that time she has staged Giselle and Sleeping Beauty, as well as choreographing full length originals such as The Who, Who Gained Hope(an adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s “Grinch”) and Snow White. From 2009 to 2011 she was a faculty member and choreographer in residence for the Ruth Mitchell Dance Theatre/Georgia Dance Conservatory, a dance institution since 1956 in northern Atlanta. Upon moving back to Savannah in 2011, she has enjoyed being an instructor of dance at Savannah State University and instructor at Savannah Ballet Theatre. Cristin most recently became a part of the faculty at The Studio.

Modern/Contemporary/Choroegraphy

Jay Jernigan

Jay Jernigan began dancing while performing in high school color guard, later receiving his formal training and undergraduate degree, during his tenure at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. Since then, Jay has performed nationally including Universal Studios, Atlanta Festival Ballet, Gainesville Ballet, The Academy Dance Company, Augusta Ballet, Fayette Ballet, Dance South, Ruth Mitchell Dance Theater, The Madison Dance Company, The Ashland Youth Ballet, Dance Arts Inc., as well as numerous contemporary/modern companies, such as Big House Dance Theater, Axam Dance Theater Experience, and Randy James Dance Works. Jay’s choreography has been commissioned all over the United States and he has taught numerous workshops for a variety of organizations ranging from public elementary schools, to high school bands, to independent arts organizations, to professional dance companies.

In 2004, Jay founded The Metro Movement Ensemble, a company that knows no bounds in terms of demonstrating technical fluency, often working in Classical, Neo-Classical, Contemporary, and Hip-Hop styles. In the summer of 2009, he was invited to join the instructional and artistic staff at Ruth Mitchell Dance Theatre/Georgia Dance Conservatory. He has truly enjoyed the last decade performing leads in many classical ballets and originating the roles of Peter Pan and the Grinch for some of the most renowned dance companies in Georgia. Jay is currently finishing his sixth year at Savannah Arts Academy, and has enjoyed delving into both the artistic side and technical side of arts productions. He most recently directed, choreographed and technically directed the fall musical Cinderella to rave reviews. He is always looking for his next project, and has arts interests of literature, film, music, and photography. He is looking forward to the best summer yet!

2020 Guest Faculty

Gabby Gambino

Gabrielle Gambino is currently a professional freelance dancer and choreographer based out of Atlanta, Georgia. She grew up and trained in New Orleans, Louisiana under Marjorie Hardwick and Gregory Schramel at the Schramel Conservatory of Dance/New Orleans Ballet Theatre. From there, Gabrielle began training and performing with the Atlanta Ballet under the direction of John McFall. She performed in several noteworthy works such as The Big Boi Collaboration choreographed by Lauri Stallings, Serenade set by Robert Barnett, and John McFall’s The Nutcracker. While dancing at Atlanta Ballet she choreographed multiple pieces on the second company and the Atlanta Ballet’s Centre for Dance Education. She went on to work as a company member with Dance Theatre of Tennessee where she performed several soloist and principal roles such as the title role in Tom Pazik's Cinderella, Snow Queen and Dew Drop in The Nutcracker, and Micaela in Carmen as well as in original works from Darrell Grand Moultrie, Ma Cong, and Ron de Jesus. She then went on to dance with Georgia Dance Theatre also performing soloist roles. Additionally, Gabrielle choreographed several works for both GDT and DTT's professional companies and students. Her most recent freelance work includes dancing Swanhilda in Coppélia, original contemporary works choreographed by Rachel Truitt and Peter Swan, and Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker. She has also choreographed an original work, Optimist, for Chattanooga Ballet's professional company. Gabrielle is the founder and director of Roots Dance Project while continuing to dance and choreograph. She created C'est la Vie and Intrinsic for Root's first production Facets of Love and Running Through My Veins and Wise Man for Root's most recent show 7 Deadly Sins.

Melissa Mitchell Hsu

Melissa Mitchell began her dance training with the Atlanta Ballet at the age of twelve and trained with the school for six years until being accepted into the company. Throughout her years of training she was awarded the Audrey B. Morgan full tuition scholarship to the school and represented the Southeast for Regional Dance America in the 2004 International Ballet Competition. She also moved to Sweden to train with the Swedish Royal Ballet School in 2005 and toured Don Quixote and Raymonda in Santiago, Chile with their fellowship program. In her professional career with the Atlanta Ballet she performed roles such as Coulant Fairy in Sleeping Beauty, Roses and Spanish in Atlanta Ballet’s The Nutcracker, Four Little Swans in Swan Lake, Summer and Autumn in James Kudelka’s Four Seasons, and Evil Queen in Snow White. She began her Freelance career in 2015 where she performed with Roots Dance Project, Gotta Dance Contemporary and Covington Regional Ballet. Some of her featured roles included female lead in Gabrielle Gambino’s Running Through My Veins and Ce La’ Vie and Dew Drop and Sugar Plum Fairy for Peter and Ashley Swan’s The Nutcracker. For the past four years while focusing on her business career, she became head of Marketing for Astral Financial, worked in China as Director of Students for Global Scholastic Services and now works for herself as a Realtor. Melissa loves sharing all of her knowledge and advice from her professional dance career with her students and is so excited to share with the students of Savannah Arts Academy.