Judith McCarty School of Dancing

Kathy Fomby--Director

Miss Kathy began her studies in the school at the age of six. Throughout her student years, she was active in the Texarkana Community Ballet and the Texas Association Teachers of Dancing. She began her teaching role in 1976 and was awarded her Teachers Certificate in 1978. Miss Kathy is a graduate of Texas A&M University—Texarkana, a life member and former member of the board for the Texas Association Teachers of Dancing and a member of Oklahoma Dance Masters Association. Annually she takes students to TATD conventions for advanced studies. She is a Past-President and current Treasurer of the Texarkana Community Ballet. Miss Kathy is an accomplished dancer in all forms of dance and is responsible for all the activities of the school as well as choreography, placement and lesson planning and development.

Ann Nicholas -

Ann performed her first plie' at the Judith McCarty School of Dancing on her fourth birthday. In her 50+ year dance career, she has danced most roles in many performances of The Nutcracker, danced "Prayer" and "Swanhilda" in Coppelia, danced in several companies' setting of Rhapsody in Blue and performed in and toured Les Sylphides, Serenade, Cinderella, Mozartina, Gaite Parisienne and Pas de Quatre.She is an honors graduate of Tulsa University and a graduate of the Ernest Belcher Teacher's Course with dance studies. During college, she performed with the Tulsa Ballet Theatre under Moscelyne Larkin and Roman Jasinski of Ballet Russe Fame. She has performed with Shreveport Symphony Ballet company. She serves as the Ballet Critic for the Shreveport Times. She is Past President of the Texarkana Community Ballet. Ann has performed in and choreographed more than 20 musicals for community theatres, including Annie, Camelot, Carousel, No No Nanette, Applause, Carnival, Showboat, The Pajama Game, Cinderella, Man of La Mancha, A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum and Li'l Abner.

Debbie Duck Bricker -

Miss Debbie has been teaching for over thirty years in the School. She grew up in the school and danced with the Texarkana Community Ballet as a student. She received her Teacher’s Certificate in 1988. Miss Debbie is a member of the Texarkana Community Ballet and the Texas Association Teachers of Dancing. She is a graduate of Centenary College in Shreveport, La. Miss Debbie performed with the Escaped Images Dance Company while at Centenary College.

Carla Wren -

Miss Carla grew up dancing in Texarkana and is a gifted dancer in ballet, tap, jazz, Spanish, acrobatics, belly dancing and modern dance, as well as drill team and cheer squad instruction. Miss Carla currently directs our Drill Team program as well as our Pre-School program. She danced in many productions of the Texarkana Community Ballet while a student and is a graduate of the Judith McCarty School of Dancing Teachers Course. Miss Carla is a member of the Texarkana Community Ballet and the Texas Association Teachers of Dancing and is a graduate of Centenary College in Shreveport, La.

Tori Wilson -

Tori is beginning her twenty-eighth year with the Judith McCarty School of Dancing and is a graduate of the school’s Teacher’s Course. Tori attends the Texas Association Teachers of Dancing convention each summer, where she is a member teacher and former tap scholarship winner. This summer at TATD she studied with Master Teachers Nick Pupillo, Ray Hesselink, Rhonda Miller, Dane Burch, and Sam Allen to bring the latest trends in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop and Lyrical home to our studio. Tori has choreographed routines for Texas High School Highsteppers, Arkansas High School Redline and Pleasant Grove Middle School StarSteppers. Tori also serves as the Office Manager of the school and is responsible for the day to day operations of the studio. Tori is a member of Texarkana Community Ballet. She is a graduate of Southern Arkansas University where she holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications and Digital Cinema.

Kelsey Kuhn -

Kelsey began dancing at the Judith McCarty School of Dancing at age six. She has completed all ten levels of the Teacher’s Course training under Kathy Fomby. She was a performing member of the Texarkana Community Ballet for eight years and is currently a member of TCB. Kelsey has attended the Texas Association Teachers of Dancing (TATD) dance convention for over eleven years, and studied under many choreographers including Jay Fagan, Leslie Scott, Mandy Moore, Keith Clifton, and Rhonda Miller. She was a both a Ballet and Merit Scholarship recipient as a student at TATD, and she is currently a member teacher of the organization. Kelsey has attended the Walnut Hill School of Performing Arts ballet summer intensive, the Ballet Magnificat! summer intensive, the American Ballet Theatre’s summer intensive, and Ballet Austin’s summer intensive. Kelsey was a member of the University of Arkansas Razorback Pom Squad & RBI Girls for three years. Kelsey is a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a degree in Communication Disorders and Early Childhood Education. Continuing her education at the University of Arkansas, Kelsey obtained her Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology.

Student Teachers -- Each year the Artistic Director selects assistant teachers from the students who are participants in the Teacher’s Course. These students are chosen based on their ability to provide assistance in dance instruction as well as leadership and role modeling for younger students. The Judith McCarty School of Dancing is privileged to have so many extraordinary young women from which to choose.

The following students are participants in the Teachers Course and are eligible to become Assistant Teachers : Sydney Sheek, Savannah Leeks, Anne-Marie Sheek, Norah Jordan, Jace Ramos, Laila Rose Toubia, Kennedy Collins, Lucy Ransom, Spencer Frances Hays, Miriam Bougie, Elise Meador, Avery Layne and Alyce Buchanan.

“Dedicated to the Arts”