KASEY SHEPHERD

Artistic Director

Kasey began her dance training at the age of two at Kohl Academy of Performing Arts (KAPA) in Guntersville, Alabama, under the direction of Jane Kohl and Melissa Kohl Blackburn. At KAPA, she trained extensively in classical ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, musical theater, and more. As a member of the award-winning KAPA Elite competition team and a Junior Member of Dance Masters of America, she developed a strong technical foundation and passion for performance. Her involvement in KAPA’s teacher training program also sparked a lasting interest in dance education and leadership.

Kasey holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Auburn University, where she also minored in Dance. While at Auburn, she was an active member of the Auburn University Dance Ensemble. During college, she began teaching at Nix Dance Studio, where she has now been a part of the studio for over 15 years. After spending seven years as a kindergarten teacher at Richland Elementary School, she transitioned to a full-time role at Nix Dance Studio and was named Co-Director alongside Paula Nix in 2023. She teaches a variety of dance styles, leads competition team rehearsals, and choreographs for competitive and recital performances. Kasey also serves as a choreographer for the Lee County Distinguished Young Women program. She is passionate about creating a positive and supportive learning environment that encourages dancers to develop confidence, artistry, and a lifelong love of dance.

Kasey has been a part of East Alabama Community Ballet (EACB) since 2018, contributing to numerous productions of The Nutcracker and choreographing several original works. In 2024, she joined the Artistic Staff as Rehearsal Manager before being named Artistic Director in 2025. She is dedicated to guiding EACB’s artistic vision, nurturing each dancer’s talents, and creating meaningful performance opportunities for dancers throughout East Alabama. Kasey looks forward to continuing EACB’s longstanding tradition of The Nutcracker while strengthening the organization’s connection to the community.

JENN TRAVIS

Production Coordinator

Jenn began her dance training in Montgomery, Alabama, with the Montgomery Youth Ballet and the Montgomery Public Schools’ Performing Arts Magnet Program. She continued her studies at Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, the Boston Conservatory, and the Limón Institute. Since then, her career has woven together dance, education, and environmental conservation, with teaching and performance taking her throughout the United States and to the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Since returning to Alabama, Jenn enjoys sharing her love of dance at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. This is her seventh season creating choreography for East Alabama Community Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker and her first as Production Coordinator. She believes movement is a powerful tool for learning, creativity, and connection.

She and her husband enjoy an active life in Auburn with their two children, Eleanor Fern and Boone.

MADI DWYER

Costume & Prop Coordinator

Madi was born and raised in Auburn, Alabama, where her love of ballet and classical music began at an early age after watching Disney’s Fantasia. She received her ballet training under Kathy Richards, Angela White, Carol Smith, and Trish Clark.

Madi has been a part of East Alabama Community Ballet since 2013 and a choreographer since 2021. EACB and its annual production of The Nutcracker hold a special place in her heart, allowing her to grow as both a dancer and a choreographer while sharing her love of ballet with the next generation. Some of her favorite roles include Marzipan, Spanish Chocolate, and Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, as well as Carabosse in The Sleeping Beauty and the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland.

Madi also participated in the Disney College Program, working in Entertainment Costuming for Festival of the Lion King, Finding Nemo – The Musical, and Rivers of Light. She currently teaches ballet and choreographs at Rising Starz of Auburn and serves as the Visual Ensemble Director for the flag line, majorettes, and dance line at Beulah High School, where she also teaches science. Madi continues to dance whenever she can and is grateful for every opportunity to help young performers grow in confidence, artistry, and love for the stage.