ADMINISTRATION

Meet our Artistic Staff and Faculty

ADMINISTRATION

Priscilla Crommelin Ball, Founder/Executive Artistic Director

Kyana Goodyear, Executive School Director

Priscilla Crommelin-McMullan, Artistic Advisor/Youth Company Director/Marketing Director

Faith Ladnier, Bookkeeper

Yvonne Paterson, Office Secretary

Kristin Allen, Costume Mistress

Priscilla Crommelin Ball

Founder & Executive Artistic Director

From a young age, Priscilla Crommelin Ball was given the opportunity to study dance in many of the finest ballet schools in the United States and Europe, most notably, the North Carolina School of the Arts, The Arts Educational School in Tring Park, England, Mary Day's in Washington D.C., Rosella Hightower's in Cannes, France. She began her professional career as a member of the Harkness Ballet of New York under the directorship of Brian MacDonald, Larry Rhodes, and Ben Harkarvy, respectively. Ms. Ball continued her career with Ballets Felix Blaska based in Grenoble, France. She was subsequently Principal Dancer of Maryland Ballet in Baltimore, Maryland, and Birmingham Ballet in Birmingham, Alabama and Ballets Classiques de Paris in Paris, France. During her prolific international performing career Priscilla danced the leading roles in many classical ballets most notably- "Giselle", "Les Sylphides", "Sleeping "Beauty", "The Nutcracker", "Spring Waters". She worked with many renowned choreographers, often under their personal tutelage,including: Alvin Ailey ("Feast of Ashes"), William Dollar ("Le Combat", Norman Walker ("Night Song"), Brian MacDonald (Time Out of Mind"),(Firebird"), Ben Harkarvy ("Madrigalesco") Todd Bollender ("Souvenirs"), Rudi Van Danzig ("Monument for a Dead Boy"), Elena Tchernichova ("Romeo and Juliet'), William Dollar's "Eaters of Darkness", Felix Blaska, Vicente Nebrada, Ben Stevenson, Ana Ricarda, John Taras, Vladimir Dokoudovsky, Gilbert Canova. Her favorite role was "Clorinda" in William Dollar's ("Le Combat"). During the "Paris Years" she was the principal teacher at L'Academie International de la Danse, later founding her own school in Paris, L'Academie de Danse du Stade Francais-Paris. After returning to Alabama in 1992, she taught in the Montgomery Ballet School at Huntingdon College. The Montgomery Ballet unanimously voted her School Director, Company Ballet Mistress, Associate Artistic Director (1995) Artistic Director (1996-2007) and Executive Director (2008-2012). Ms. Ball is thrilled to begin a new chapter in her career surrounded by so many fine friends, talented artists, and young rising stars and their families of the New, Alabama River Region Ballet School and Youth Company!

Priscilla Crommelin-Monnier McMullan

Artistic Advisor, Youth Company Director , Marketing Director & Ballet Teacher

Priscilla Crommelin-Monnier McMullan started ballet when she was 3 years old under the tutelage of her mother, Priscilla Crommelin Ball. With the perfect ballerina to look up to, she began her training at the Ecole de danse du Stade Francais in Paris, France where her mother was the founder. Priscilla continued to live in Paris with her French father, mother, and brother until she moved to America at 6 years old. She trained with many of the finest ballet schools in the world. She began her formal classical ballet training with the Montgomery Ballet under the instruction of Oscar Antunez, Stevan Grebel, and her mother. When she was 13 years old she received a full tuition scholarship to The Houston Ballet summer intensive, training under Ben Stevenson, Clara Cravey, and Fernando Bujones. The following 2 summers were spent in New York where she received a full tuition scholarship to American Ballet Theater, training under Kevin Mckenzie, Rebecca Wright, Leslie Brown, Hilary Cartwright, Cynthia Harvey, Susan Jones, Bonnie Mathis, Brian Reeder, and Lupe Serrano. She performed the lead role of Kitri in ABT’s final performance at Lincoln Center. The summer following that Priscilla went to the prestigious School of American Ballet in New York where she once again received a full tuition scholarship. She trained under Peter Martins, Peter Boal, Suki Schorer, Kay Mazzo, Susan Pilarre, Andrei Kramerevtsky, Jock Soto, Katrina Killian, Darci Kistler, and Sean Lavery. She left Alabama at the age of 16 after being offered a full tuition scholarship to attend the year round program at The North Carolina School of the Arts where she had the honor of training exclusively under Melissa Hayden. She also trained with Nina Danilova, Warren Conover, Fanchon Cordell, Kee Juan Han, Frank Smith, and Christine Spizzo while there. At NCSA, she majored in dance and ended up graduating high school there. That summer, Priscilla was once again offered a full tuition scholarship to attend the School of American Ballet in New York. She was placed in the Professional Division under Peter Martins and was one of two girls asked to stay for the year round program under a full tuition scholarship. She attended the year round program where she had the opportunity to perform alongside New York City Ballet at the NY State Theater as well the NY Choreographic Institute and performed in the Final Workshop Performance at Lincoln Center. That summer, Peter Boal offered Priscilla a full tuition scholarship to the Pacific Northwest Ballet. She was then asked to be a part of the Professional Division which she accepted where she trained and performed with the main company. Her teachers included Peter Boal, Kelly Boal, Nicholas Ade, Elaine Bauer, Marisa Albee, Bruce Wells, and Sonia Dawkins. Priscilla was offered a professional contract with the Los Angeles Ballet under Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary, where she stayed for two seasons. The following year, Priscilla was offered a contract with the Ballet de l’Opera National de Bordeaux under Charles Jude in Bordeaux, France. She was there for one season and decided to freelance with various ballet companies after that, while at the same time continuing to travel the world as an international model and actress. During her prolific performing career, Priscilla danced the leading roles in many classical ballets, most notably the principle roles in “The Nutcracker”, “Swan Lake”, “Sleeping Beauty”, “Don Quixote”, “Firebird”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “Symphonie Concertante”, “Four Temperaments”, “Bouree Fantasque”, “Symphonie in Three Movements”, “Who Cares” and “Midsummer Night’s Dream.” She worked with many renowned choreographers including Christopher Wheeldon in which she performed his “Scenes de Ballet” at New York City Ballet’s New York State Theater, Twyla Tharp in which she performed her “Waterbury Bagatelles” with the Pacific Northwest Ballet, Christopher Stowell’s “Swan Lake” and “Nutcracker” and Melissa Barak’s “The Thing They Do Not Speak Of.” She performed as the original cast in Peter Quanz’s ballet for the New York Choreographic Institute. She also performed original roles in Elie Lazar’s “Surrender to Love” and “Fedora” that she performed at the Pietrasanta de Danza International Festival in Pietrasanta, Italy. Priscilla’s favorite role of all time is “Odette” in “Swan Lake”. Priscilla is so happy to be settled back in Alabama after traveling the world for most of her life. She is passionate about teaching and sharing her knowledge and love of ballet with aspiring young dancers.

Kyana Goodyear

School Director and Ballet Teacher

Kyana Goodyear was named the School Director of the Alabama River Region Ballet in June 2013. Kyana, an Atlanta native, began her formal training with Bernadette Campbell of the Buford School of Ballet in Buford, GA. She was later accepted into the pre-professional division of the prestigious Atlanta Ballet, where she trained under various world class artists and teachers. Kyana began her professional career with the North Atlanta Dance Theater, under the direction of Michael Garrison, and later moved to Montgomery, AL to continue her career with the Montgomery Ballet. Kyana spent seven seasons as a member of the Montgomery Ballet Professional Company, where she achieved the level of Principal Dancer. She performed many principal roles including Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, Odile in Swan Lake, Medora in Le Corsaire, Myrtha in Giselle, and the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker. She has also performed the lead in La Vivandiere, and danced various roles in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, Don Quixote, and Carmen. The role of “Artemis”, in Alpheos et Arethusa, was created for Kyana by international choreographer, Adria Ferrali. Kyana has performed in the Pietrasanta di Danza International Festival in Pietrasanta, Italy, and as a guest performer and teacher in many dance institutions throughout the United States. Kyana, a regionally renowned and highly experienced teacher, has served as the School Director of the Montgomery Ballet, and has more than seventeen years’ experience teaching all levels of Classical Ballet, Tap, and Jazz. Kyana was recently featured in RSVP magazines “the LIST”, which distinguishes her as one of the River Region’s “young leaders”.

Adria Ferrali

Director of Modern Dance

Adria Ferrali, International Coordinator and Director Modern Dance Department, is a native of Florence, Italy. She has spent eight years in New York City dancing and specializing in the Martha Graham Technique and gained an Advance Degree in Modern Dance. During her professional career, she was a member of the Martha Graham Dance Company, the Martha Graham Ensemble, and the Pearl Lang Dance Theatre. She toured the USA performing leading roles of the Graham repertoire notably, “Red Girl” in “Diversion of Angels”, “Mary” in “El Penitente” and the Lead dancer in “Acts of Light”. Recently she received permission from the Martha Graham Dance Company to dance the leading role in a revival of “Sketches from Chronicle” and “Primitive Mysteries”. Adria has worked in Amsterdam at the Dutch National Ballet as an assistant to Yuriko and a demonstrator of the Martha Graham Technique. In 2003 she was awarded the Nijinsky Prize as Best Dancer and Choreographer at the Kiev National Opera House in Ukraine. She was Guest Teacher and Choreographer at the Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen, Denmark for seven years and also at the School of La Scala Theater in Milan, Italy. She was invited as a member of the examining Board of La Scala in the year 2004. She has also worked as guest teacher at the “University College of Dance” in Stockholm, Sweden, at the Copenhagen Contemporary Dance School, and at Boston Conservatory in the USA as Regisseur. In 2012 she was a jury member at the “VII International Contest for Choreographers and Ballet Masters” in Novosibirsk, Russia and guest choreographer and jury member at the Kemerovo State University of Siberia. She was Chair in Contemporary Dance and Choreography at the Ballet Academy of Gӧteborg in Sweden from ’99 to 2005. She has extensively taught Master Classes and international workshops in Berlin, Cologne, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Ravenna, Cremona, Milan, Florence, and Rome. She was invited as Guest Choreographer and Teacher at Montgomery Ballet by Executive Director, Priscilla Crommelin Ball, in 2011 and again in 2012. She was Artistic Director and founder of the “Pietrasanta In Danza International Dance Festival 2010” in Italy. Adria’s choreographies were staged at the Royal Danish Theater in Copenhagen, at the Opera House of the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, at the National Opera House in Kiev, and at the Atlanta Theater, the Thalia Theatre and the Stora Teater in Gӧteborg, Sweden, at the Drama Theater of Kemerovo in Russia, at the Davis Theater, the Performing Arts Center of Montgomery, AL, USA, and also in Italy at the Festival La Versiliana, at Villa Strozzi in Florence, at the Teatro Dante Alighieri in Ravenna, at the Arena in Cremona, at the Teatro Greco in Rome, at the Teatro Comunale Pietrasanta, at the Pietrasanta in Concerto and at the Festival Estate Regina in Montecatini Terme.

Emily Efferson

Ballet Teacher, Youth Company Assistant

Originally from Harriman, Tennessee, Emily began her training at Arts in Motion under the direction of Jennifer Austin. She has lived in Montgomery since she was 11 and spent her formative years training at Alabama Dance Theatre as a member of their company. She received a full scholarship to the Kirov Academy of Ballet’s summer intensive, as well as a partial scholarship offer to attend their year-round program. She also spent summers at American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, and Andalusia Ballet on scholarship. During her time at ADT, she enjoyed attending the Regional Dance America/SE festivals. At RDA, she was selected for an honors ballet class with Robert Barnett. Throughout her student career, she’s had the pleasure of taking class from many incredible teachers, including John Gardner, Amanda McKerrow, Julie Kent, Kathryn Morgan, Margaret Tracey, and Lauren Anderson. Some of her favorite performances include dancing “Cinderella” in the full-length ballet “Cinderella,” several soloist roles in “Dracula,” and originating the female lead in Virginia Perry’s “Rook.” She most recently danced with Nashville Ballet as a part of their Professional Division, where she danced many shows of “Swan Lake,” “Don Quixote,” and “The Nutcracker” with their company. Now a college student, Emily focuses on finding the joy in movement and the genuine love of dance she has had since she was young. She also takes time to explore her many other artistic hobbies, such as music and fiber arts. She feels incredibly fulfilled by teaching and loves the opportunity ARRB creates for a positive, nurturing educational environment.

Mo Drescher

Ballet Teacher

Mo Drescher has been dancing at Alabama River Region Ballet since its founding year when she was 2 1/2 years old. She was in the very first Creative Movement class at the school. She is a member of the Youth Company and has served as an assistant teacher in Creative Movement for 3 years. Mo has had the privilege to train under the instruction of Curran Tellalian, Kyana Goodyear, Priscilla Crommelin-McMullan, Patricia Lucky, Andrew Przybylowicz, Adrienne Hicks, and Philip Otto. Mo has danced in multiple performances of ARRB’s “The Nutcracker”. She was the little Ballerina Doll in the very first performance. Most recently, she performed the magical role of “Clara” and had the amazing opportunity to train with renowned guest artist Charley Austin. Mo has attended summer intensives at Alabama Ballet as well as this past summer at The Sarasota Ballet. This Summer Intensive concluded with a performance on stage at the FSU Center for the Performing Arts. Mo’s passion for the art of ballet is indescribable and she is thrilled to be a part of developing the love of ballet at Alabama River Region Ballet.

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Jaala Hall

Ballet/Jazz Teacher

Jaala Hall is originally from Eclectic, Alabama and currently pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance from Troy University. She trained under Kyana Goodyear, Kylee Montgomery and Adria Ferrali at the Alabama River Region Ballet where her focus was classical ballet and contemporary jazz. She was even invited by Adria Ferrali to the DAP Festival in Italy to perform works at Danza in Arts. Her energy and unique performance style landed her in the dance programs at Southern Union and Troy University. Gaining the opportunity to train under the direction of Sonja Fincher, James Boyd, Adrienne Hicks, Dominique Angel and Andrea Costa to name a few. Classical credits include roles such as Arabian, Spanish, Candy Cane, Lilac Fairy and Dulcinea in the classical ballets of The Nutcracker, Don Quixote and Sleeping Beauty. Other credits within contemporary and modern genres include performances in Greek Tragedy, Art in Motion, Awake, Creek Indian and the Grave Affair. Titles that Jaala has received during her career includes top talent winner at the National Beta Convention and 2nd runner up for Elmore County Distinguished Young Women winning the talent and self-expression categories. Jaala has also been a sought-out teacher as she has an enormous amount of experience teaching levels from creative movement to Ballet 2 and multiple levels in commercial and contemporary jazz along with music theater.

Savannah Norwood

Ballet/Jazz Teacher

Savannah Norwood, originally from Southeastern Wisconsin, began her training at Lake Shore Dance in Port Washington, WI when she was 3 years old. She grew up with diverse training in a number of styles and performed with Lake Shore Dance Company and their production of “The Nutcracker” for 11 years. After graduating as valedictorian, Savannah moved to Fort Wayne, IN to join Fort Wayne Ballet and University of St Francis’ conservatory program for classical ballet. She spent three years in this program while also studying Physical Therapist Assistant Studies, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2023. During this time, she had many opportunities to perform alongside the professional company. Savannah also spent summers training at Aria Ballet Intensive, Joffrey Ballet New York, Milwaukee Ballet, and Fort Wayne Ballet. To begin her professional career, Savannah moved to Montgomery to join Montgomery Ballet as a company member and she will be entering her third season with the company this fall. Some roles she has performed thus far include Spanish and Marzipan in “The Nutcracker”, Anna Pavlova’s “Dragonfly” variation, Diana (Goddess of the Moon) in “Awakening of Flora”, and Pas de Trois from “Paquita”. Savannah is also a licensed and actively practicing Physical Therapist Assistant serving the River Region with a special interest in treating the dance population and neurologic conditions. Savannah is thrilled to be sharing her love for dance with her students this season and fostering growth in a supportive environment.