Rejoice selects Sharyn Mahoney as next Executive Director
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jo Ellen Werking Weedman
jweedman@rejoiceballet.com
615-715-5672
Rejoice School of Ballet announces Sharyn Mahoney as Executive Director
NASHVILLE--The Rejoice School of Ballet Board of Directors recently selected Sharyn Mahoney, currently the company manager at Nashville Ballet, as the organization's next executive director.
Mahoney has more than 30 years of experience as an artist, administrator, and leader at Nashville Ballet.
“We are thrilled to welcome Sharyn to the Rejoice family,” said Robert Taylor, chair of the Rejoice board. “Not only will her experience and expertise help take Rejoice to the next level, but her deep understanding and support of our unique mission will ensure Rejoice continues to serve any child in Nashville who desires to study ballet.”
Mahoney’s work at Nashville Ballet has included both artistic and administrative leadership. She has served as a company dancer, School of Nashville Ballet faculty member, company rehearsal director, as well as director of artistic operations, and has helped to shape the larger dance community in Nashville through her endeavors.
“For over 30 years, Sharyn Mahoney has been an invaluable member of the Nashville Ballet family,” said Nashville Ballet Artistic Director Paul Vasterling. “Her steadfast dedication and vivacious passion for the art form has helped us grow exponentially as an organization, and the impact she has left as a dancer, teacher, mentor, and leader is unmatched. While she will most certainly be missed, her legacy at Nashville Ballet will continue to grow through the programs, artists, and initiatives she so actively helped foster and expand. We could not be more excited to see her prosper in this new role and look forward to continuing our partnership with Rejoice School of Ballet under her leadership.”
In 2015, Mahoney worked with retired Rejoice founding Executive Director Patricia Cross to establish a partnership between Rejoice and Nashville Ballet. As the official mentor school of Nashville Ballet, Rejoice has provided students with unique opportunities to study with School of Nashville Ballet’s esteemed faculty. To date, 15 Rejoice students have attended School of Nashville Ballet’s Summer Intensive on scholarship, three students have been placed in the School of Nashville Ballet’s Academy Division, and several students have participated in workshops with Nashville Ballet’s artistic staff.
“Sharyn has long been a patron and faithful supporter of Rejoice,” said Cross. “I have all confidence that Rejoice is in very capable hands and the best is yet to come.”
Mahoney will start at Rejoice on Jan. 18.
“What Rejoice School of Ballet has accomplished over the last 20 years is inspiring. The opportunities that are available to the students are life changing, but the community that they share is vital to our greater Nashville community,” she said. “I believe now more than ever that the changes we make in small pockets will guide the course of true change in our world. This makes the mission of Rejoice so important and necessary, and I couldn’t be more honored to be a part of it.”
Rejoice, a non-profit ballet school in East Nashville, serves nearly 100 students from diverse backgrounds. Each family pays on a sliding-scale, which ensures access to quality ballet training.
Contact: Jo Ellen Werking Weedman
jweedman@rejoiceballet.com
615-715-5672
Rejoice School of Ballet announces Sharyn Mahoney as Executive Director
NASHVILLE--The Rejoice School of Ballet Board of Directors recently selected Sharyn Mahoney, currently the company manager at Nashville Ballet, as the organization's next executive director.
Mahoney has more than 30 years of experience as an artist, administrator, and leader at Nashville Ballet.
“We are thrilled to welcome Sharyn to the Rejoice family,” said Robert Taylor, chair of the Rejoice board. “Not only will her experience and expertise help take Rejoice to the next level, but her deep understanding and support of our unique mission will ensure Rejoice continues to serve any child in Nashville who desires to study ballet.”
Mahoney’s work at Nashville Ballet has included both artistic and administrative leadership. She has served as a company dancer, School of Nashville Ballet faculty member, company rehearsal director, as well as director of artistic operations, and has helped to shape the larger dance community in Nashville through her endeavors.
“For over 30 years, Sharyn Mahoney has been an invaluable member of the Nashville Ballet family,” said Nashville Ballet Artistic Director Paul Vasterling. “Her steadfast dedication and vivacious passion for the art form has helped us grow exponentially as an organization, and the impact she has left as a dancer, teacher, mentor, and leader is unmatched. While she will most certainly be missed, her legacy at Nashville Ballet will continue to grow through the programs, artists, and initiatives she so actively helped foster and expand. We could not be more excited to see her prosper in this new role and look forward to continuing our partnership with Rejoice School of Ballet under her leadership.”
In 2015, Mahoney worked with retired Rejoice founding Executive Director Patricia Cross to establish a partnership between Rejoice and Nashville Ballet. As the official mentor school of Nashville Ballet, Rejoice has provided students with unique opportunities to study with School of Nashville Ballet’s esteemed faculty. To date, 15 Rejoice students have attended School of Nashville Ballet’s Summer Intensive on scholarship, three students have been placed in the School of Nashville Ballet’s Academy Division, and several students have participated in workshops with Nashville Ballet’s artistic staff.
“Sharyn has long been a patron and faithful supporter of Rejoice,” said Cross. “I have all confidence that Rejoice is in very capable hands and the best is yet to come.”
Mahoney will start at Rejoice on Jan. 18.
“What Rejoice School of Ballet has accomplished over the last 20 years is inspiring. The opportunities that are available to the students are life changing, but the community that they share is vital to our greater Nashville community,” she said. “I believe now more than ever that the changes we make in small pockets will guide the course of true change in our world. This makes the mission of Rejoice so important and necessary, and I couldn’t be more honored to be a part of it.”
Rejoice, a non-profit ballet school in East Nashville, serves nearly 100 students from diverse backgrounds. Each family pays on a sliding-scale, which ensures access to quality ballet training.
Black Lives Matter at Rejoice
Dear friends,
As an organization that promotes diversity and spreading love, Rejoice School of Ballet stands with the protests going on all over our country to bring attention to this country’s systemic racism that has remained unspoken for years and gone on way too long. Many Americans are trying to get the attention of politicians, police forces and citizens like you and me that black people are tired. They are telling us they are tired. Tired of being treated as less than, tired of being afraid, tired of being killed, tired of their loved ones being killed. No mother should be afraid that her son may not return home tonight. Every young man should feel safe jogging through his neighborhood. Young women should feel safe in their homes. Not one person should have a policeman hold his knee on his neck and not stop when the person says “I can’t breathe.”
Mothers of African American children shouldn’t have to tell their 5-year-olds that they may be treated differently because of the color of their skin. African American parents should not have to give their teenagers special tools on how to behave if stopped in their car by a policeman. Young African American boys should be able to play with toys and not worry about being killed.
Racism is a blight on America and we all must commit ourselves to the work of anti-racism.
At Rejoice School of Ballet we teach ballet to African American, Hispanic, Asian, and White children. We are committed to equity and equality within every aspect of Rejoice, in hopes that our students will go forth into our community and be the change they wish to see. Instead of just dealing with each other, we allow them to truly understand each other.
Rejoice School of Ballet is a very small organization, however, we want our voice to be heard in support of African Americans in America. We promise to listen and we promise to do what we can to change our country, however small that may be, because we love our African American brothers and sisters and their Black lives matter to us.
Warmly,
Patricia Cross
Founding Executive Director
As an organization that promotes diversity and spreading love, Rejoice School of Ballet stands with the protests going on all over our country to bring attention to this country’s systemic racism that has remained unspoken for years and gone on way too long. Many Americans are trying to get the attention of politicians, police forces and citizens like you and me that black people are tired. They are telling us they are tired. Tired of being treated as less than, tired of being afraid, tired of being killed, tired of their loved ones being killed. No mother should be afraid that her son may not return home tonight. Every young man should feel safe jogging through his neighborhood. Young women should feel safe in their homes. Not one person should have a policeman hold his knee on his neck and not stop when the person says “I can’t breathe.”
Mothers of African American children shouldn’t have to tell their 5-year-olds that they may be treated differently because of the color of their skin. African American parents should not have to give their teenagers special tools on how to behave if stopped in their car by a policeman. Young African American boys should be able to play with toys and not worry about being killed.
Racism is a blight on America and we all must commit ourselves to the work of anti-racism.
At Rejoice School of Ballet we teach ballet to African American, Hispanic, Asian, and White children. We are committed to equity and equality within every aspect of Rejoice, in hopes that our students will go forth into our community and be the change they wish to see. Instead of just dealing with each other, we allow them to truly understand each other.
Rejoice School of Ballet is a very small organization, however, we want our voice to be heard in support of African Americans in America. We promise to listen and we promise to do what we can to change our country, however small that may be, because we love our African American brothers and sisters and their Black lives matter to us.
Warmly,
Patricia Cross
Founding Executive Director