Leadership

Mallory Baxley is a professional Dancer and Choreographer from Atlanta, GA, currently serving as the Artistic Director of Zoetic Dance Ensemble. Her work being described as, “hard hitting and fiercely complex,” by DIYDancer Magazine, Mallory’s dance and film work has been presented to audiences in various cities across the US since 2010. 

In 2015, after training and performing with Zoetic as a company member for many years, Mallory took over the Artistic Direction of Zoetic Dance. Since then, Mallory has earned Zoetic the title of Best Dance Company in Creative Loafing for two consecutive years in 2018 & 2019. She was selected as Best Choreographer in 2019 for Creative Loafing.

Mallory’s passion for dance education and advocacy for youth mentorship has provided her a lush career as a dance instructor throughout the metro-Atlanta area for 10+ years, mentoring students ages 8-18 years old in private studios, public schools and universities. She received her BFA in Dance from the University of Georgia, where she trained extensively in modern and aerial dance. 

She has worked and collaborated with various artists including Cherrise Wakeham, Atlanta Dance Collective, Corian Ellisor, as well as filmmaker Lily Baldwin, New York choreographer, Christina Noel Reaves, musicians, Norman Frank and Xavier “Xay Zoleil” Lewis, visual artist, Zipporah Camillie Thompson, recording artist Madame Gandhi, and designers Hannah James and Morgen Tanksley. Mallory’s vision for Zoetic continues to grow and evolve through programming that celebrates and uplifts the feminine perspectives throughout our communities.

Sarah Wildman is a dancer and choreographer originally from Dayton, OH currently based out of Atlanta, GA. In 2012, she graduated with a B.F.A. in Dance from Wright State University. After moving to Atlanta, she began dancing professionally with various local companies, and has broadened her performance work to include acting, film, and modeling. Sarah has studied dance in Atlanta, New York, London, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

Sarah is the Associate Artistic Director and sixth-year company member of Zoetic Dance Ensemble. Sarah works alongside Director, Mallory Baxley, making creative content for dance films, photo shoots, and live performances. Over the years, she has had the privilege of creating several of her own pieces on Zoetic presented in Atlanta, Chicago, and Detroit. 

In 2017 she collaborated with Mallory Baxley to present a duet at the lululemon "This is Yoga" event held at Ponce City Market in Atlanta. Sarah has earned the award for Best Choreographer for Creative Loafing's Best of ATL, alongside Zoetic Dance Ensemble earning Best Dance Company. Most recently, she has created a world-premiere work to be presented at Zoetic’s festival, MIXTAPE 2020. 

Sarah is proud to be a part of the Zoetic Dance Ensemble organization. She is committed to uplifting and celebrating the voices and spirits of all females in the Atlanta dance community and beyond.

2020/2021 Artists

Gabrielle Gambino is currently a professional freelance dancer, choreographer, and teacher based out of Atlanta, Georgia. She grew up and trained in New Orleans under Marjorie Hardwick and Gregory Schramel at the Schramel Conservatory of Dance/New Orleans Ballet Theatre. From there, Gabrielle began training with the Atlanta Ballet under the direction of John McFall. She performed in several works such as The Big Boi Collaboration choreographed by Lauri Stallings, Serenade set by Robert Barnett, and John McFall’s The Nutcracker. While dancing at Atlanta Ballet she choreographed on the second company and school. She went on to work as a company member with Dance Theatre of Tennessee where she performed several soloist and principal roles such as the title role in Tom Pazik's Cinderella, Snow Queen and Dew Drop in The Nutcracker, and Micaela in Carmen as well as in original works from Darrell Grand Moultrie, Ma Cong, and Ron de Jesus of Hubbard Street. Additionally, Gabrielle choreographed several works for both DTT's professional company and students. Some of her most recent work includes dancing Beauty in Beauty and the Beast, Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Swanhilda in Coppélia, Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker. Also original contemporary works by Mallory Baxley, Sarah Wildman, Cherrise Wakeham, Jillian Mitchell, Rachel Truitt and Peter and Ashley Swan. In 2015, Gabrielle founded Roots Dance Project where she directed, choreographed, and danced in both productions Facets of Love and 7 Deadly Sins. She created two original works for Chattanooga Ballet's professional company as well as an original work for Dance Canvas 2019, which was also presented in Zoetic's Mixtape 2019.

Ellie received her early dance training at the Gainesville Ballet Company and School under Diane Callahan where she performed both classical and contemporary repertoire.  Ellie went on to complete her Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance at Point Park University where she had the opportunity to study diverse styles of dance in addition to creating and presenting her own work.  She performed in student choreographed pieces and also in work by several faculty members including Dan Karasik, Ernest Tolentino, Sarah Everhart, and Doug Bentz, as well as guest artists Gregory Dolbashian and David Morse.  Throughout her training she received supplementary instruction from summer intensive programs with American Ballet Theatre, Orlando Ballet, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance where she studied gaga and performed work by Ohad Naharin.  During college she performed professionally with Expansions Contemporary Dance Ensemble for two seasons.  After graduating, she returned to Atlanta where she began dancing as a member of Gotta Dance Contemporary.  While with the company she performed work by directors Rachel Truitt and AJ Paug as well as guest choreographers Frankie Freeman and Jon Carr.  As a freelance artist, she performed at the RAW Artist showcase for choreographer Akeem Edwards, in a commissioned festival ballet by Gabrielle Gambino, and as one of six dancers featured in the Atlanta Opera’s production of Salome.  In 2018, she joined Zoetic Dance Ensemble as a company member.  Since then she has performed in a gallery installation by guest choreographer Christina Noel Reeves and in various works by artistic director Mallory Baxley and associate artistic director Sarah Wildman.  Ellie also worked with guest choreographer Cherrise Wakeham during Mixtape: A Wild Feminist Playlist, a festival hosted by Zoetic, and subsequently had the opportunity to perform Cherrise’s choreography as a backup dancer for recording artist Madame Gandhi at the Nashville Pride Festival.  Behind the scenes, Ellie enjoys volunteering with Zoetic to assist with fundraising and events.  She is incredibly honored to be part of the Zoetic team for a third season.

Hannah Carlin is Florida born but Georgia raised. Hannah grew up in Marietta, Georgia and began her dance training at Georgia Metropolitan Dance Theater, formally known as Ruth Mitchell Dance Theater. At GMDT she studied under Kathy McBeth, Shelley Grames, Kassandra Newberry, and Marina Levasheva. Hannah recently graduated from The University of Georgia and received her Bachelor of Arts in Advertising and Minor in Dance. During her time at UGA, Hannah has performed in UGA’s Dance Department “Young Choreographers Showcase” and “Spring Dance Concert” all four years. She also was a company member of Core Contemporary and Aerial Dance Company and CADE:NCE Contemporary African Dance Ensemble. Hannah has performed student and faculty works at American College Dance Association festival throughout the United States over the past three years. She has also performed in Small Box Series Athens, It Takes A Village Benefit Show, Ballethnic’s Wonderland and Urban Nutcracker, and MIXTAPE: A Wild Feminist Playlist. Hannah is currently a company member of Zoetic Dance Ensemble and is eager to grow in the Atlanta Dance Community