It's Showtime!

Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance, which opened more than 40 years ago in a small house on Canton Street, raised the curtain on its brand new, 24,000-square-foot,state-of- the-art facility on August 29th. Dance school families,alumni, and members of the Roswell community celebrated the grand opening with an all-day open house, studio tours, dance workshops andperformances, carnival-style activities, food trucks and more!

Photo courtesy of Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance

The studio’s much-anticipated new home — located at the corner of Houze Road and Houze Way in Roswell — is a dancer’s dream. The school has seven custom-built studios with sprung floors, fantastic natural light, cutting-edge technology, and an onsite performance space. The facility’s physical therapy suite, expansive study area, in-house costume shop and rooftop lounge provide dancers ample space and support as they develop their passion for dance!

“We are thrilled to embark on this new chapter” said Artistic Director and Founder Nancy Tolbert Yilmaz. “For our dancers, TYSOD is not just a dance school, it’s a second home. We really worked hard to make it the best space we could. It is so much more than I could have hoped for! It’s been a long road getting here, but definitely worth every mile.”

Photo by Richard Calmes

Welcoming dancers back safely

Dancers across the country are returning to studios in a different world, with masks, waivers, and no touching. “We knew that as our students and faculty returned to in-person classes, things would look a lot different” said Yilmaz. “Keeping our staff, dancers and their families safe is our top priority. “We are taking as many precautions as possible to ensure their health and well-being.” Unprecedented times call for strict policies, including limiting class sizes to allow for social distancing, mandatory masks, and temperature checks. In addition to in-person classes, TYSOD is offering all its classes LIVE via Zoom. “We want dancers to be able to attend class whatever way works best for them,” adds Yilmaz.

About Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance

Founded by Nancy Tolbert Yilmaz and Mary Lynn Taylor in 1979, the studio has trained thousands of young dancers over the years. More than 130 classes are offered each week in Ballet, Contemporary, Modern, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Acro and more for dancers ages 2 and up. www.tysod.com