The ballet studio on Walton Way has gone by different names in its history, but to Caitlin McCormack Phibbs, it has always been her dance home.
Phibbs started dancing there at the age of 5. In April, under a confetti shower at the Imperial Theatre, she was introduced as Colton Ballet Co.’s artistic director, succeeding Zanne Colton who announced her retirement.
“It was four years ago on my first Mother’s Day that I got a call from Zanne in Charleston. She asked, ‘would you ever be interested in being the artistic director?’ I was blown away to even be considered,” said Phibbs.
Phibbs’ mother had taken dance there, and it was only natural that Phibbs take there as well.
“I don’t ever remember it not being a part of my life,” she said.
A highlight of the year was the annual performance of “The Nutcracker.” Phibbs danced the role of Clara as well as the roles of Bo Peep and Spanish lead.
“I remember the day of casting going out. It was such a big day. It was all I could think about at school. It’s such a great tradition,” she said.
She was also part of works such as “Dracula” and the “Hatfields and McCoys.”
Some of her favorite performances came each spring when the company would perform its repertory show.
“I really lived for the spring performance with the more contemporary works. I just really loved that; any chance to perform was just the best,” she said.
After graduating from Aquinas High School, she attended the University of South Carolina, where she graduated with a degree in dance performance and choreography in 2012. She spent a year in New York, a time she calls being a “professional at auditioning for dance companies.”
While living in New York, she reached out to home.
“I knew I was going to move home. I wrote a letter to Zanne with a DVD of some of my choreography and said, ‘if you’re ever interested, let me know,’” she said.
Colton was.
Phibbs set her first contemporary piece at Colton in 2013, early in what she considers the start of her professional dance career.
“I feel like my professional career started when I moved back to the Southeast in Atlanta and Charleston,” said Phibbs, who relocated to Augusta from Charleston.
Over the years, she’s created works for a variety of dance companies including USC Dance Company, Dance Canvas, Unbound Ballet Project, Charleston Dance Project and Dance Lab.
Phibbs said she’s looking forward to working with her team that includes Carlee Snyder Chastagner as ballet mistress and Rosalind Avrett Jones as director of development and marketing as well as wardrobe mistress.
“We grew up together,” she said. “Carlee and Rosalind are from my generation of dance. I’ve worked with them as I’ve come home to choreograph.”
She said she believes they’ll be a great team because they’ve developed bonds of trust and friendship.
Although Colton has retired, she’ll still be teaching and guiding Phibbs through the next year. It’s been more than 15 years since Phibbs has been on stage with “The Nutcracker,” and she’ll be relying on Colton’s expertise this fall.
Within the next two to five years, Phibbs said she hopes to add a third performance to the Colton Ballet Co. season.
“I‘d like to create another children’s ballet that we could do in the spring,” she said.
She’d also like to bring in other Colton alumni as guest choreographers to augment the repertory performance.
Colton Ballet Co. will host company auditions on Aug. 10 and classes begin Aug. 26.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years and is a Georgia Press Association award winner. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
