Leadership & Administration

Ashleyanne Hensley is an ABT® Certified Teacher and former professional dancer who trained with prestigious institutions and performed with The Georgia Ballet, now dedicated to leading the organization she has grown with for over two decades. A native of Cleveland, Tennessee, Ashleyanne trained with numerous schools including Ballet West, Nashville Ballet, North Carolina Dance Theater and American Ballet Theatre. A significant teacher in her life was the late Peggie Wallis of Bentonville, Arkansas, who instilled in her a passion for technical emphasis at the young age of fourteen. After pursuing a BFA in ballet for three years at Belhaven University, Ashleyanne joined North Carolina Dance Theater (now the Charlotte Ballet) for a year as a trainee. Then in 2005 she traveled to Marietta, Georgia, where she joined The Georgia Ballet. While at The Georgia Ballet, Ashleyanne has enjoyed performing roles such as "Cricket" in Pinocchio, "Dark Angel" in George Balanchine's Serenade, and Sugarplum in The Nutcracker, along with doubling for Heather Locklear and Molly Shannon in Scary Movie 5. Now in her 21st year with The Georgia Ballet in some capacity, Ashleyanne has moved through nearly every role the organization has to offer — dancer, costume designer and seamstress, teacher, front office administrator, and competition director among them. In 2015, she took on the role of School Director of The Georgia Ballet, a position she has held ever since, and in which she instituted the successful daytime conservatory serving the organization's most elite dancers. She has since also taken on the role of Executive Director, overseeing the entire organization — a transition made possible by the vital, hands-on experience she gained in every department along the way. Ashleyanne is an ABT® Certified Teacher, having successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 5 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. Over the years, she has enjoyed watching many students grow up through the school to pursue professional careers in dance — many going on to dance with the professional company of The Georgia Ballet and with companies around the country — with many more to come. She especially treasures reconnecting with those who have been part of The Georgia Ballet's story throughout its history. Ashleyanne is deeply thankful for her husband, Sam, for his years of unwavering support — he remains integral to sustaining The Georgia Ballet, the organization his mother founded in 1960. She is equally grateful to her children, Harper and Finn, for their support of "mommy's work," and delights that they share her love of dance as well.

Daet was born and raised in Cuba and graduated from the National School of Ballet in Habana in 1990. His training consisted of his parents Jorge Rodriguez Vede and Clara Diaz along with Fernando Alonso, Alberto Alonso, Laura Alonso, Pablo More, and Lazaro Carreno. Daet's professional career began with Ballet de Camguey where he performed many classical and contemporary principal roles. In 1995, Mr. Rodriguez joined Teatro Centro Arte-Leon Febres Cordero in Ecuador where his Balanchine performance experience added to his professional repertoire. His career extended to many other countries including Cuba, Jamaica, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Canada, Martinique, Guadalupe and the United States. In 2001, Daet and his wife Margit opened their own ballet school, Cuballet-Ecuador, where they served over 200 students in a classical and contemporary training program. Daet and Margit have trained numerous students for competitions such as Youth America Grande Prix, CAID in Ecuador, Latin-America Danza in Chile, Danzamerica in Argentina, All Dance International in Ecuador, and American Ballet Competition in the US. In February of 2015, Daet, Margit, and their two children moved to the United States to set ballets and choreography around the region before joining us here at The Georgia Ballet.

Margit, born in Cuba and trained at the "Escuela Nacional de Ballet" in Havana, learned from esteemed teachers like Ramona de Saa, Laura Alonso, Loipa Araujo, Fernando Alonso, Jorge Vede, Alberto Alonso, and Clara Díaz. She began her career with the "Ballet de Camagüey" in Cuba, performing leading roles in classics like La Fille Mal Gardee, Swan Lake, Coppelia, Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Grand Pas de Paquita, Don Quijote, and Giselle, as well as contemporary works such as "Carmen," "Tango Episodios," and "Vivaldiana." In 1998, Margit joined the "Teatro Centro de Arte - Leon Febres Cordero" ballet company in Ecuador, where she danced in various classic repertories and contemporary pieces. She also performed with the "Danzas Jazz" company in Ecuador in productions like "Cats," "Anita la Huerfanita," and more, working with renowned choreographers. Margit's talent took her to numerous countries in the Americas and the Caribbean, including Cuba, Jamaica, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Canada, the USA, Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Ecuador. In 2010, she received the gold medal and the Medal of Excellence at the "Danzamerica 2010" event in Argentina. Margit ran her own academy, "Cuballet-Ecuador," from 2001 to 2015. Her students achieved success at various competitions in Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, and the USA, including the American Ballet Competition in Boston.