first family of dance

Ron Jones began his romance with dancing on a small farm in Hawaii where he had the responsibilities of feeding the chickens, cows, and pigs. When Ron was 13 the family relocated to Michigan. Ron was enrolled in a magnet school where dance was offered in place of gym. Ron showed a particular talent and was soon invited to New York to audition at the School of the American Ballet, where he was awarded a full scholarship.

Ron was invited to join the Atlanta Ballet as their first paid dancer. There he met Kathleen Monahan---a beautiful young woman with a dance background who was moving into the administrative side of dance as the Atlanta Ballet's new Public Relations Director. A friendship developed and a year later Ron proposed and the couple was married.

Weary from the Atlanta Ballet's extensive touring schedule Ron accepted a position with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre as one of three company male soloists. The following season Ron was offered the position of one of two Principal Male Dancers with the company. But the newlyweds missed the southern climate and lifestyle of Georgia and set their sights on Augusta to settle down and begin their family.

Ron and Kathleen opened the Ron Jones School of Ballet when their children were 3, 4 and 5 years old. The school is today the Columbia County Ballet, now in its 24th year.