CHA BALLET - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Board Member Emeritus Members
Job Titles:
- Director of Development & Administration
With over 15 years of experience in Arts Administration, Aly has enjoyed a rewarding career with major arts organizations, including Atlanta Ballet and the Hunter Museum of American Art, managing corporate, foundation and public funding initiatives, and two successful capital campaigns. New to this role with CHA Ballet, she seeks to coordinate funding efforts that will accelerate the company's trajectory of artistic growth, fiscal responsibility, and community engagement. Aly has served on many industry boards and was a co-founder of DanceATL. Aly is deeply engaged in the local arts community, mom of two young aspiring ballerinas, and a yoga and barre teacher.
Job Titles:
- Treasurer of the Board of Directors
Brian McSween is the CEO/Artistic Director for Chattanooga Ballet (CHA Ballet). With his leadership the organization has shown growth in its professional company, school and community enrichment programs and he has helped to define the mission, "CHA Ballet serves through the power of dance." Prior to CHA Ballet, Brian was the Ballet Master for Ballet Memphis under the direction of Dorothy Gunther Pugh where he was also commissioned for three works for the company. He has also served as a teacher for Grand Rapids Ballet School, an adjunct professor for GVSU and was the Associate Artistic Director for Joffrey Concert Group. His professional dance career was with Joffrey Ballet, Complexions and Aspen Ballet. He has also taught, coached and judged internationally. His wife Meg, also an artist with Joffrey Ballet, and he have three kids; Connor, Micah and Madelyn.
Job Titles:
- President of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Ballet School and Office Coordinator
Chyna Clark is an accomplished dancer and arts administrator. Chyna is a native of Chattanooga, beginning her training at Ballet Tennessee and Center for the Creative Arts. She graduated from Butler University with a Bachelor of Science in dance and arts administration with a minor in strategic communication. With Butler Ballet, Chyna danced in lead roles in the Nutcracker, was featured in Mid-Winter Dances, and performed solos in student-choreographed work. While at Butler, Chyna gained valuable experience interning at the Vail Dance Festival, learning from world-renowned choreographers, and learning about the non-profit world through relevant coursework. She also teaches community enrichment classes throughout the Chattanooga community. Chyna is passionate about creating spaces where dance is inclusive and accessible to all.
Job Titles:
- Wardrobe & Production Manager
Originally from Detroit, Haley studied ballet for 14 years before graduating from the Interlochen Arts Academy. She then went on to receive a dual BFA degree in Costume Design and Fine Arts from the California Institute of the Arts. After a season with City Ballet of Los Angeles, Haley moved to Tennessee where she worked with Ballet Memphis for 8 years. During that time, she was a costumer for many other live productions and IATSE film projects, including Tennessee Shakespeare company, Netflix, ABC, Tennessee Ballet Theatre, Collage Dance Collective, and Theatre Memphis. She is thrilled to be joining the Chattanooga Ballet team this season.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Nena began her pre-professional training at Contra Costa Ballet School in Walnut Creek, CA under the direction of former American Ballet Theatre dancers Zola Dishong and Richard Cammack. During her time there she performed various roles in the student company such as Rose in The Nutcracker, Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty, and soloist in James Sofranco's contemporary ballet Catching the Light. She also had the opportunity to be coached by School of American Ballet's Suki Schorer in the CCB student productions of George Balanchine's Serenade and Stars and Stripes. In 2012 Nena received her Bachelors in Family Studies from Brigham Young University in Provo, UT. There she danced with BYU's Theatre Ballet company and served as company president for one year. She was able to tour the west coast with the company performing lead roles in Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and The Snow Queen as well as original contemporary works. From 2013-2016 Nena relocated to Detroit, MI where she continued her teaching career. In April 2016 Nena had the opportunity to perform in Detroit as a dance supernumerary under Alexei Ratmansky's reconstruction of Sleeping Beauty for American Ballet Theatre. In 2017 she relocated to Chattanooga, TN and had the opportunity to premiere the lead role in Alia Kache's Clickbait. In 2019 Nena began her role as Director of Education at CHA Ballet alongside dancing with the company and in 2021 welcomed her son. Nena oversees the CHA Ballet School, rehearses students for productions such as the Nutcracker, and works with faculty at all satellite locations. She is also the director of the organization's student performance group CHA Ballet School Ensemble.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of the Board of Directors