Where DANCE Captures the HEART and Inspires the SOUL!
Artistic Director
Andrea M. Nalls
(Known as Mrs. Andrea or just Mrs. A), Co-Founder and Artistic Director of PHUSION Center for the Contemporary Arts and PHUSION Performing Arts Alliance (herein referred to as PHUSION) began her dance training at the age of nine. She is a graduate of Northside High School of Performing Arts (currently North Atlanta High School) located in Atlanta. She became a member of the Touring Company, called “The Coke Is It Kids. She performed all across America, Europe, and the Orient including Brussels, Paris, London and Japan.
She began her professional training with the Gary Harrison Dance Company of Atlanta, under the direction of the late Gary Harrison where she was a principal dancer for over 10 years.
Mrs. Andrea has received training in both Atlanta and New York, and has studied with some of the top teachers in the industry. She has studied at local Atlanta dance schools such as; The Atlanta Ballet and Ruth Mitchell Dance Academy, where she was selected to perform in the “Nutcracker. Andrea also played "Mary" in Langston Hughes Black Nativity performed at the Fox Theatre. She was a guest performer in Ballethnic Dance Company's 1995 performance of The Urban Nutcracker. She was also a guest performer for the Greensboro Ballet in North Carolina. Furthermore, she was a recipient of a full scholarship at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York. She has also studied at notable dance schools in the New York area such as Steps and Broadway Dance Center.
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She has studied several dance techniques such as ballet, pointe, modern (Graham, Horton), jazz, tap, African and hip hop. She was crowned Miss Black Atlanta Teen in 1988 and selected to represent various companies such as Reebok's Super Show and Champion Sportswear. She has also performed in numerous music videos, art festivals, and national conventions. She performed for local community events such as Hosea's Feed the Hungry, Martin Luther King Jr. holiday programs and the AUC Homecoming Events.
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In 2005, Mrs. Andrea with her husband John Nalls by her side; opened PHUSION with the goal of providing technical dance training to our local youth. She has a passion for youth, dance and other art forms and has always focused on providing students with the best. She has mentored many dancers that have moved on to have prominent professional dance careers. Her goal is to give each student the knowledge and appreciation for all areas of performing arts.
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Since opening, Mrs. Andrea has been committed to offering PHUSION students an alternative for the study of the ARTS. We focus on building the students technically and giving them the opportunity to perform in productions that have been known to rival Broadway productions. Mrs. Andrea is not only known for motivating the students to excellence, but her energetic personality also drives her instructors to be more ambitious. This is the reason, PHUSION has created and expanded some very intriguing and thought-provoking original works such as:
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Perceptions of a Swan (2009 & 2018)
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Asylum (2010 & 2011)
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Elements (2010)
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Resurgence (2011)
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42nd &1/2 Street, featuring Twig & 9 Lives (2012, 2015)
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OZ, Four Dreams - One Journey (2013)
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RATAVA, The Story of a Warrior Princess (2016)
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PHAZES, featuring Wakanda Forever (2019)
These original works were created and funded by PHUSION Performing Arts Alliance and FDA Bridging the Gap.
In 2010, Mrs. Andrea choreographed and directed a MLK Jr. tribute piece, which includes parts of MLK Jr.'s Nobel Peace Prize and Mountain Top speeches. The PHUSION Dance Company still performs this tribute throughout the community on MLK Jr. Holiday as well as during Black History Month. She has also directed two very entertaining Company shows that showcased the hard work and dedication of our Company members. Synergy (2008) and Exhale (2013). As well as a Benefit Banquet titled "Passages" (2012); where guests first enjoyed a fulfilling meal then were escorted to the theatre where Phusion students took them on a journey through our African American Heritage. Furthermore, Mrs. Andrea directed "A Chocolate Nutcracker", a LaVerne Reed Production in 2008 which included Phusion students, dancers from the community, Phusion parents as well as other adult volunteers and comprised a cast of approximately 125 artists.
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Mrs. Andrea truly loves the arts, however education is a very important part of who she is. She received her Bachelor's in Business Administration, majoring in Accounting from Georgia State University and earned her Master's in Business Administration from Keller Graduate School of Management.
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She has been able to pursue her dreams with the help and support of her loving husband and business partner of 25 years. Mr. John is a quiet force behind our sets & props, photos and videos that can be seen around the studio and on our website. Her two children (Taylor ad Matthew) were also very supportive of their Mom's studio and both remained students until graduating high school.
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To my parents, Eugene & Frieda Smith, thank you for being so supportive of me as a young aspiring "dancer". I greatly appreciate the sacrifices that were made to keep me involved in the arts. You guys are still two of my biggest supporters and fans! I LOVE YOU!