As artist director and founder of Dance South Performing Arts and Dance South Youth Company, Tiffany Payton has a passion for dance education in addition to the physical and mental health benefits of dance. Originally from the Atlanta area, Tiffany trained full time with Atlanta's master educators including Magdalena Maury and Marcus Alford. Tiffany was a founding member of Georgia Dance Theatre under the direction of Sherri Davis. While a dance major at Florida State University, Tiffany trained with Richard Sias and Anthony Morgan among others. She holds a BA in English Literature. She is a certified teacher with the American Ballet Theatre® National Training Curriculum, Pre-primary through Level 5. Tiffany is honored to be a 4-time recipient of the Tennessee Governor's School of the Arts Teacher of the Year Award. Her students have been accepted to the most elite summer intensives in the US including the Susan Farrell Cedar Island intensive, American Ballet Theater, American Ballet Theater Collegiate intensive, Joffrey Ballet, Orlando Ballet, University of North Carolina School of the Arts and more. Many of her students have gone on to dance in college (Belmont University, University of Alabama, University of Tampa, Western Kentucky University.) Others have gone on to perform professionally with the Walt Disney World Company, cruise lines, the Grammy's, music videos, print and television commercials, and Busch Gardens Tampa. Her students have also taken part in study abroad programs that bring dance arts to third world countries. Not all of her dancers pursued a dance career, but all contribute part of their success to their dance training. Many participated in dance companies and classes through college as they worked toward degrees in medicine, law, education, and aviation. Tiffany continues to partner with Nutcracker Magical Christmas Ballet at the Ryman, Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Middle Tennessee Youth Ballet, and Celebration Dance Festival to offer her dancers the practical experience needed to prepare for a future in the dance industry. She believes dance education reinforces lifelong lessons in teamwork, discipline, and confidence and looks forward to many more years educating dancers through an innovative approach that welcomes diversity and ensures unanimous participation and achievement by all students.