Meet our Artistic Staff

Mitch Flanders - Founding Artistic Director

Mitch Flanders embarked on his dance journey with initial training at the Atlanta Ballet and secured a scholar-ship at the prestigious School of American Ballet in New York City. Following his graduation, he received an invitation to grace the stage with the Eglevsky Ballet, led by the esteemed Edward Villella. During his tenure there, Mr. Flanders took on lead roles in numerous Balanchine ballets, including iconic performances in "Serenade," "Four Temperaments," "Allegro Brillante," and "Swan Lake," where he had the privilege of partnering with NYC Ballet principal dancer, Allegra Kent.

Subsequently, Mr. Flanders became an integral part of the Chicago City Ballet under the artistic direction of Maria Tallchief. During his time with CCB, he frequently danced alongside the legendary Suzanne Farrell, the prima ballerina of the NYC Ballet. He notably portrayed the prince in Paul Mejia's celebrated full-length rendition of "Cinderella" alongside Ms. Farrell and was prominently featured with her in a PBS "Dance in America" series special titled "Eight By Adler." His time in Chicago also saw him as a featured guest dancer with the Lyric Opera.

Mr. Flanders has further distinguished himself as a principal dancer with the Los Angeles Ballet, gracing stages as a guest artist across the United States alongside luminaries such as Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gelsey Kirkland. His international performances took him to illustrious venues in Rome, Paris, Berlin, Geneva, Vienna, and Tunis, Tunisia. He made his mark with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, sharing the spotlight with some of the world's most renowned vocalists, including Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras,Mirella Freni, and under the direction of leading maestros James Levine and Franco Zeffirelli. His television credits encompass "Live at the Met" featuring the opera "Aida" and the Lyric Opera of Chicago's production of "Eugene Onegin."

Mr. Flanders' extensive teaching experience includes roles at The New Jersey Ballet School, New Dance Studio NYC, Providence Ballet, and as a ballet master for The Ballet Rotaru of Atlanta, the Georgia Ballet, and The Rock School. Additionally, he has served as a grant panelist for the Georgia Council for the Arts for three years.

For the past remarkable 26 years, he has held the position of Artistic Director at the Griffin Ballet Theatre, also assuming ownership of Studio D School of Dance and directing the Festival Dance Camp at the University of Georgia. In his role as Artistic Director of GBT, he has made a lasting impact by creating and staging numerous full-length ballet productions, including "Peter Pan," "Robin Hood," "Coppelia," "Cinderella," "The Little Mermaid," "The Armed Man," "The Love Project," and the perennial favorite, "Nutcracker." The Griffin Ballet Theatre takes pride in its reputation as one of the foremost professional and pre-professional ballet companies in Georgia.

Under Mr. Flanders' guidance, many of his dedicated dancers have achieved admission into esteemed dance institutions such as the American Ballet Theatre, Houston Ballet, The Rock School, Joffrey Ballet, and the Georgia Governor's Honors Scholarship Programs.

Ashley V. Barnes  - Artistic Director & Ballet Mistress

Ashley hails from her hometown of Griffin, Georgia, where her passion for dance ignited at the age of four under the guidance of the esteemed Mitch Flanders. Over the past eighteen years,she has generously shared her wealth of knowledge as a dedicated teacher at Studio D. With unwavering commitment, Ashley has been a cherished company member of The Griffin Ballet Theatre for an impressive twenty-four years. For the last decade, she has held the esteemed position of Ballet Mistress, and prior to that, she served as Assistant Ballet Mistress for two years. More recently, she moved into the role as Artistic Director. Additionally, for the past thirteen years, Ashley has been an integral staff member and ballet instructor at the esteemed Festival Dance Camp hosted by the University of Georgia. Her discerning eye has led her to serve as an adjudicator for the Governors Honors Dance program over several years. Ashley's thirst for dance knowledge remains unquenchable, and she has continued her dance education by seeking guidance from a diverse array of teachers, including Kat Wildish, Patricia Miller, Paulo Manso De Sousa, Finis Jhung, David Howard, Carol Szkutek, and Anne-Sophie Rodriguez. Her commitment extends beyond the stage as she actively contributes to the estab-lishment of new dance companies such as Phyzix Urban Dance Theater and Lamorris Namari.

In the spotlight, Ashley has had the esteemed honor of portraying title roles in an array of iconic productions, including Cinderella, Firebird, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, The Little Mermaid, and Giselle. Her repertoire also includes standout performances as Swanhilda in "Coppelia," the enchanting Fairy Godmother in "Cinderella," Wendy in "Peter Pan," the delightful Sugarplum in "Nutcracker," the graceful Lilac Fairy, and a captivating Soloist role in "Don Quixote." Ashley's artistic endeavors have extended beyond her home stage, as she has enchanted audiences in Savannah, Georgia, as Peter Pan and in "Giselle" with the Savannah Dance company. Notably, she assumed the principal role in Griffin Ballet's memorable renditions of Columbia City's "Dracula" and "The Lion King."

Beyond her dance career, Ashley has also ventured into the realm of commercial modeling and music videos. Her multifaceted talents have led her to serve as the past choreographer and Assistant Director at Oak Hill Baptist Church for a notable seven years. Ashley's journey in the world of dance and performing arts continues to inspire, and her dedication to the arts is a testament to her enduring passion and artistic prowess.