Ballet Arts, Inc. of Jackson, TN

08/31/2026

We had a blast this past weekend learning from our first guest Master Class instructor of the season. Thank you, Iori Araya of Ballet Memphis, for your time, talent, and pouring into our dancers!

08/29/2026

Ballet Arts company members had a blast at our Late Night In event last night. 🎉✨ The dancers enjoyed their Big Sis/Little Sis reveals, Line Dancing, Pizza Party, and more.

It’s always a favorite of our dancers as they kick off their Nutcracker rehearsal season. We can’t wait for this season to start!

08/29/2026

Please help support The Academy of Ballet Arts and Ballet Arts Company by purchasing a Domino's Slice the Price Card. 🍕🎉🩰

Save money on pizza while helping us raise money towards supporting our pre-professional ballet productions showcased for our community.

Get your card today at https://store.dominos.cards/55627/The_Academy_of_Ballet_Arts_of_Ballet_Arts

08/28/2026

Thanks for the shoutout For The Caregivers! We are proud to partner with such a great organization in our community.

We are so grateful to Ballet Arts of Jackson for graciously donating their space for For the Caregivers to use one Thursday each month! 🤍

This gives us an opportunity to offer caregivers another space to step away, breathe, move, and do something restorative for themselves.

Now we’re looking for a volunteer Pilates or yoga instructor who would be willing to teach one class a month for our caregivers. 🧘‍♀️

If you teach yoga and would be willing to donate your time once a month, we would greatly appreciate you! Your time would be such a meaningful way to pour into people who spend so much of their lives caring for someone else.

And a HUGE thank you to Ballet Arts of Jackson for opening your doors to our caregivers. We are incredibly grateful for this partnership. 💙

Message me 7312250480

08/25/2026

Master Class Guest Instructor: Meet Iori Araya! ✨ We’re excited to kick off a new Master Class Series for our Ballet Arts Company dancers, bringing in guest instructors and professional dancers to give our company members new opportunities to learn and grow.

Our first Master Class is this Saturday with Iori Araya of Ballet Memphis!

Originally from Japan, Iori received the Idemitsu Scholarship at the Asian Pacific International Ballet Competition, which allowed her to train at The Australian Ballet School. She has performed with The Australian Ballet’s The Dancers Company, Singapore Ballet, and New Jersey Ballet before joining Ballet Memphis.

Throughout her career, Iori has performed principal and soloist roles including Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, Principal Woman in George Balanchine’s Donizetti Variations, and Fate in Choo San Goh’s Romeo & Juliet. She has also performed works by some of the leading choreographers in the ballet world, including George Balanchine, Steven McMahon, Trey McIntyre, Matthew Neenan, and Val Caniparoli.

We’re thrilled to have Iori share her experience and expertise with our dancers this Saturday and can’t wait to see what they take away from this special opportunity!

08/21/2026

🩰 Meet Caroline Meinert! We’re wrapping up our Academy Instructor series with the person who leads it all, our Artistic Director and Lead Instructor, Caroline Meinert.

Caroline is a Jackson native and Ballet Arts alumna who started dancing at just four years old. Over the years, she trained in ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, tap, hip hop, and musical theatre, as well as with Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Orlando Ballet, Kirov Academy of Ballet, and the Radio City Rockettes.

She went on to attend the conservatory at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance and Choreography in 2017. While at UMKC, Caroline had the opportunity to perform alongside the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City.

Since then, Caroline has continued to perform professionally, choreograph, and teach. She has performed lead roles in productions including The Nutcracker, Peter Pan, Paquita, Pas de Quatre, and many others. She has also trained dancers and choreographed pieces for Youth America Grand Prix, with her contemporary choreography advancing to the finals in New York City.

Caroline is also an ABT® Certified Teacher, having completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.

We’re incredibly proud to have Caroline leading our Academy and Ballet Arts company and sharing her experience, passion, and love of dance with the next generation of dancers. 💗

08/21/2026

🩰 Meet Reese Davis! Our next Academy instructor is another familiar face to the Ballet Arts family. Reese grew up in Jackson and has been dancing for 15 years. She performed with Ballet Arts from 2014–2022, taking on many memorable roles along the way, including Clara, Dew Drop Fairy, and Arabian on silks in The Nutcracker. She also enjoyed performing as the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan in Peter Pan.

Reese continued her training through summer programs with Ballet Memphis, Atlanta Ballet, and Ballet West’s ArtEmotion. She is certified in personal training, Nan Giordano Jazz Technique, and as a Youth Exercise Specialist.

Reese graduated from Union University with a degree in Exercise Science and is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at the University of Memphis at Lambuth. She also brings a strong passion for leadership and service, having been crowned Miss Hub City Volunteer 2024, Miss West Tennessee Volunteer 2025, and Miss Heart of the South Volunteer 2026.

We’re excited to have Reese back at Ballet Arts, this time sharing her experience and love of movement with the next generation of dancers! In addition to her dance instruction, she is currently serving as our Assistant Artistic Director with the company. 💗

08/20/2026

🩰 Meet Kim Borden! Our next Academy instructor has been part of the Ballet Arts story for more than 50 years. Kim began her dance training at Pat Brown School of Dancing and became one of Ballet Arts’ first company members when the organization was founded in 1972.

Years later, after enrolling her own daughter in dance, Kim returned to Pat Brown’s studio as an instructor. In 2002, she rejoined Ballet Arts as a parent and rehearsal assistant and has been an important part of the organization ever since.

Over the years, Kim has served on the Ballet Arts Board, worked on production committees, directed and choreographed Ballet Rejoice, created and directed the Ballet Arts Primary Program, and served as an Assistant Director.

She has also enjoyed plenty of time on stage, performing character roles as “Mother” in Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, Cinderella, and The Nutcracker. In 2016, Kim received the Ballet Arts Encore Recognition Award for her years of volunteer support.

Kim values the mentorship she received from Pat Brown and works to carry that experience forward to the next generation of dancers. She has also studied Brain-Compatible Dance Education with Anne Green Gilbert and is a member of the Tennessee Association of Dance.

We’re incredibly grateful for Kim’s decades of dedication to Ballet Arts and the generations of dancers she has helped shape. 💗

08/19/2026

🩰 Meet Megan Jones! Our next Academy instructor brings together a love for dance, movement, and helping every student feel included and confident.

Megan was born and raised in Southern California, where she began dancing at The Dance Factory in Long Beach and trained in tap for nine years. She also performed with MYART (Musical Youth Artist Repertory Theater), eventually serving as an Assistant Director for its main stage productions.

Megan moved to Tennessee to attend Freed-Hardeman University, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Special Education. She began her teaching career working with students with severe and profound disabilities, developing a passion for individualized and inclusive education. She later became a Certified Autism Specialist.

Megan joined the Academy in 2025 as a tap instructor and also teaches Movement Counts, a program that combines her love of dance with her passion for supporting individuals with special needs through inclusive movement instruction.

Megan believes every student, no matter their ability, deserves the opportunity to experience the joy and confidence that movement brings.

Megan also serves on our Board of Directors and her daughter Riley is a Ballet Arts company member. We’re so glad she’s part of our Ballet Arts family and Academy teaching team! 💗

08/19/2026

🩰 Meet Rachel LaFont! Our next Academy instructor is someone who knows Ballet Arts from the inside out. Rachel is a Jackson native and Ballet Arts alumna who received ten years of dance training at Pat Brown School of Dancing in ballet, pointe, jazz, modern, lyrical, and acrobatics. She also received additional training through the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts.

During her years with Ballet Arts, Rachel performed in productions including The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Peter Pan, Beauty & the Beast, Alice in Wonderland, and many more.

Rachel graduated with honors from Belmont University in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. After college, she returned home and found new ways to stay involved with the organization she grew up with. She serves on the Ballet Arts Board of Directors and has recently enjoyed returning to the stage as Clara’s mother in The Nutcracker.

Now, Rachel is bringing her love of dance to a new generation of Ballet Arts dancers! She teaches Pre-Primary Ballet, Primary A Ballet, and Primary B Ballet and also serves as a rehearsal assistant for the Ballet Arts Company.

We’re so excited to have Rachel joining our teaching staff and sharing her love of dance with our youngest dancers! 💗