The Gainesville Ballet Company announced Tuesday morning it has named Jocelyn Buchanan as its artistic director effective immediately.
Buchanan has served GBC as interim co-artistic director since July 2021. GBC board chairman Nathan Goss said Buchanan's work during that period was key in the decision.
“Jocelyn has meant so much to GBC through the years, and her experience, teaching ability, and understanding of not only dance, but all aspects of what it takes to run a dance company and put on shows made her an obvious choice for us going forward,” Goss said. “When you combine those aspects with her positive and understanding approach, it really made her stand out from all other candidates.”
Buchanan has worked with GBC in various leadership roles since 2009, as well as with Brenau University's dance program from 2017 to 2018.
“I love Gainesville Ballet Company, and I am so grateful that they saw fit to select me as full-time artistic director,” Buchanan said. “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here working with so many talented dancers of all ages, and it just fills your heart when you see our students grow in their love and ability for dance and then display that on stage.”
Buchanan's role as artistic director with GBC includes designing and managing all educational and production activities. These include teaching, choreographing, restaging, rehearsing classical and contemporary works, staff development, coordinating community events, class and rehearsal scheduling and budgeting control. Buchanan also hopes to expand GBC's presence in north Georgia, as well as in the dance community, by implementing community outreach programs and collaborating with other community arts groups in local events.
“It is my stated goal to integrate artistic excellence with classical ballet teaching methods to students of all ages, as well as to inspire and educate members of the local communities in the art of dance,” Buchanan said. “I also want to provide outreach programs with the focus on giving back to the community.”
Buchanan's teaching qualifications include classical ballet technique (levels three years to professionals), with pointe, variations, pas de deux and dance history. She has held various related positions, including teaching positions with the Atlanta Festival Ballet School, En Pointe at Pinecrest and Berkeley Ballet Theatre.
“The experience she’s accrued in dance is inarguably impressive, and the relationships and alliances she built in those roles already paid off for GBC this spring when she brought in internationally renowned dancer and choreographer Nicolas Pacana to design our spring performance of Peter Pan,” Goss said. “Whatever we’ve asked of her, Jocelyn has always excelled, so we felt she was the perfect choice to lead us into the future.”
“I cannot wait to begin the next season of teaching and performances with GBC,” Buchanan said. “The work has already begun for many of our dancers and teachers, and we’re all excited about what the future holds. I’m going to do everything I can to ensure that GBC and its dancers get their utmost from all that dance has to offer.”
