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Shuler’s
Mother died in August 2003 after a long fight against cancer.
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Iris
Antley Hensley was born in Marietta, Georgia. She studied journalism
at the University of Georgia, then went on to study dance in New York,
Canada and Europe and founded the Cobb/Marietta ballet in 1962. This
is now the award-winning professional dance and ballet company The
Georgia Ballet, and as well as Founder, Ms Hensley was a dancer,
choreographer and Artistic Director Emeritus of the Company. She was
the first person to receive the Lillian Bennett Sullivan Award, Cobb
County’s highest honour in the arts. She founded a program in Cobb
County schools which has introduced thousands of students to ballet. |
Shuler’s
Mom was a huge influence in his life and career, and to the hundreds of
dancers and performers she has inspired. These are a few of the tributes
which were made to her on her passing :
"She was a great lady
and she had a vision and passion for the ballet. She was a beautiful lady
inside and out." Warren "Red" Chilton, a lifelong friend
of the Hensleys’
"She was very involved
and determined to make everything a success. I’ve known her since she
was 4 years old, and I can truly say that she has always been a
wonderfully focused human being with a great artistic sense." Joanne
Woodward, Oscar award-winning actress and a lifelong friend of Ms
Hensley’s
"Ms Hensley had a
quality that made you feel as though you were among family. She seemed to
be the epitome of Southern hospitality." Hugh Jackman
| "The
Georgia Ballet was a wonderful and glorious institution. It was a
very professional organisation with a warm family environment.
Iris is responsible for making it that way. She always considers
the human being behind the dancer, considers the whole
person." Michele Ziemann-DeVos, co-Artistic Director of
the Georgia Ballet
"Iris just had an
incredible passion and strength and belief in the art of ballet.
When others didn’t think something was possible, Iris knew it
could be done. She just had the ability to pull people along with
her." Gina Hyatt-Mazon, co-Artistic Director of the
Georgia Ballet |
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"Iris was much loved and appreciated in our lives.
Dewayne and I have enjoyed much success as performers, directors, and choreographers because of
her love and encouragement." Amy Uhl and Dewayne Barrett,
Director/Choreographers
"My mother had an incredible
gift of knowing how to talk with people and making them feel completely at
ease. I have said she could talk the birdies out of the trees." Nevanne
Hensley-Thomas
"We were married 46
years, and never in my whole marriage was there a time I didn’t want to
be with Iris." Sam P. Hensley |
