About Us

The Dance Academy
….was established in 1973. Sandra Butcher, Owner and Director, has been teaching in the Clayton County area for over 40 years. A native of Henry County, Ms. Sandra toured the Southeast as a child and teen performing as one of the Dixie Darlings and various performing troups. She was a charter member of the Clayton Civic Ballet Company as well as a featured dancer. She has studied in New York with such well known teachers as Luigi, Joe Tremaine, Gus Giordano, Madame Sulamith Messerer, Melissa Hayden and others.

Ms. Sandra is the Artistic director for the Atlanta South Dance Company and a Master Ballet Instructor at Woodward Academy Busey School. She is a member of Dance Educators of America, Professional Dance Teachers Association and American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. She is also on the board of directors of the Henry Arts Alliance.

The Dance Academy presents several productions a year at the Clayton Performing Arts Center. In 1996, The Dance Academy received special recognition when twenty-one of the students were selected to participate in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the Centennial Olympic Games. The Dance Academy was the only dance school selected from Clayton and Henry Counties. Atlanta South Dance Company has performed at such places as Six Flags, Underground Atlanta, Stone Mountain, Egleston Hospital, Christian City, Festival of Trees and many other places. Many of Ms. Sandra’s students have gone on to become Professional Dancers, Models and Dance Instructors.