Iris Hensley

Iris Hensley (1934–2003) founded The Georgia Ballet (originally named the Cobb/Marietta Ballet) in 1960 and served as the Artistic Director until her death in August 2003.^[1] In addition to directing The Georgia Ballet and teaching at The Georgia Ballet School (The Georgia Ballet's associated ballet school), Mrs. Hensley was the former director and co-chairman for the Board for the Southern Regional Ballet Association, a member of the dance panel for the Georgia Council for the Arts, and a guest instructor for the Governor's Honors Program. She choreographed many ballets throughout her lifetime for both her company dancers and her ballet students. Iris Hensley's The Nutcracker is still performed every December by The Georgia Ballet, which is currently directed by Gina Hyatt Mazon,a former principal dancer with John Neumeir's Hamburg ballet.

Choreography

• The Nutcracker
• Gershwin Concerto
• Dancing with Denver
• The Nightingale
• Carnival of the Animals
• I Never Saw Another Butterfly
• The Adventures of Mary Poppins
• Five Guys Named Moe
• The Seven Last Words of Christ^[2]
• Fantasy Variations ^[3]

Awards

• Lillian Bennet Sullivan Award - for her work in inaugurating the Performing Arts package for thousands of Cobb County school children^[1][4]

References

1. "Our Founder". The Georgia Ballet. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
2. Lubbock Avalanche Journal. (1976, April 4) Religious Ballet Performs. Retrieved 09 June 2014
3. Panama City News Herald. (1974, March 31) Willis Sisters, Dancers, Combine Talents. Retrieved 09 June 2014
4. "Tribute to Iris Hensley". shulerhensley.com. Retrieved 7 May 2012.