Artistic Director

Barbara Johnson,a native of Atlanta, Georgia, grew up in a culturally rich environment of classical music, ballet and opera. Since the age of 4, she has studied dance. Tap and jazz quickly fell away as her love of ballet grew.

Johnson was accepted into the Atlanta Ballet pre-professional program at 13 and spent her summers enhancing her skills at North Carolina School of the Arts. She studied with the Atlanta Ballet under the direction of Robert Barnett who was a principal dancer with the NYC Ballet. Barnett was trained by George Balanchine, the renowned choreographer, and passed his knowledge to Johnson.

Dancing professionally as a soloist with the Macon Ballet and as a member of the Corps de Ballet with the Atlanta Ballet, Johnson has danced in most all of the famous ballets.

Due to an injury, Johnson left her career in ballet and pursued medicine. She worked as a general surgeon for 15 years. After moving to Galax, Johnson found she wanted to share her ballet experience with boys and girls in the area.  She founded The Conservatory of Dance & Theatre in 2004.  The Conservatory has staged The Faerie Glen (2005), Sleeping Beauty (2006), Coppélia (2007), CATS with the Galax Theatre Guild (2008), Pirates of Tortuga (2009), Midsummer Night's Dream and Carmina Burana (2010), Circle of Life (2011) and The Nutcracker (2005-2010)

Johnson heads up The Conservatory Students and teaches classes from Ballet I to Ballet V. She also teaches the Broadway Jazz class.



Teachers


   Sarah Hall trained under Patricia Dodd of the Chesterfield School of Ballet from the age of 4. She also received training from many Richmond Ballet Company members, including Pedro Slazey, Brandon Becker and Heidi Pankoff. Her ballet training was from the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus. She passed the Pre-professional/Advanced level exam given by RAD with Merit.

After High School, Sarah attended Sweet Briar College where she continued her dance studies in modern and Jazz. She graduated with majors in French and Economics and teaches French at Galax High School. Sarah still loves to perform and dances in the Conservatory's productions with the Galax Youth Ballet.

"Ballet is the form of dance I most love. I am so excited to be working with young dancers in a field that I am especially passionate about."

Sarah teaches the Creative Movement, Pre-Ballet and Ballet I classes.