For Nancy Tolbert Yilmaz, the rhythm of Roswell, is deeply personal. Long before the city evolved into the bustling, vibrant hub of culture it is today, Nancy’s roots were firmly planted in its soil. As a fourth-generation member of the Tolbert family, her connection to the area stretches back to her great-grandmother, who immigrated from Ireland and eventually settled in Crabapple.
"Growing up in Roswell was the best," Nancy reminisces. "But there was absolutely no arts scene when I grew up. There wasn't even a McDonald's! I grew up on Crossville Road back then, it was just a dirt road."
Her father was a skilled carpenter who built many Roswell homes still standing today, and her mother was a force of nature, driving the Grady Hospital Wagon and later opened Roswell Mart Furniture. Though Nancy did not inherit an artistic lineage, she possessed a fierce, innate calling. At just three years old, she began telling her mother, "I want to do ballet." Recognizing her daughter's relentless passion, her mother undertook the long weekly trek down to a makeshift basement studio near Lenox Square. It was the spark that would ignite a lifelong devotion to dance.
Nancy’s journey was nearly cut short just as it was taking flight. In the late summer of 1976, fresh out of Roswell High School and a week away from leaving for college, she took a job performing in an H.R. Pufnstuf television production at The World of Sid and Marty Krofft at the Omni. During a rehearsal lift, disaster struck. Nancy was dropped, sustaining a catastrophic head injury.
She was rushed to Crawford Long Hospital unconscious, where doctors discovered a serious blood clot. Her family was left facing an incredibly critical 24 hours, with deep uncertainty surrounding what her recovery might look like.
"But God had another plan," Nancy says. "When the doctors went back to do another CT scan, the blood clot had started to dissipate." After six weeks in the hospital and a miraculous recovery, Nancy walked away with only one lingering effect. "Since that accident, I cannot smell! It’s no big deal. That is God’s way of reminding me that I am not in charge."
The accident shifted her trajectory, keeping her close to the community she loved. While Nancy would go on to work on some of the world's grandest stages—including choreography and performances for Disney, cruise lines, three Super Bowls, and three Olympic Games across three countries—she always returned to her roots. "Like Dorothy says, 'There is no place like home.'"
Transitioning from a professional dancer to the owner of the Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance (TYSOD) brought a steep learning curve. The hardest lesson? Learning to say no and accepting that you cannot please everyone. "When I was a performer, I was told what to do," Nancy explains. "When you become the studio owner, you are the one making the decisions. You have to be ready to be on call 24/7/365."
Nancy successfully struck a balance between the creative and corporate worlds by leaning into her strengths and surrounding herself with brilliant minds. Chief among them is her husband of 46 years, whom she met at age 16 on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. " We are about as opposite as two people could ever be", Nancy laughs. "I see the world through sequins and feathers and he sees the world through interest rates, budgets, stock markets and contracts. He is the smartest person I have ever met and he has listened to all my crazy ideas."
By delegating technical and financial logistics to experts, Nancy kept her focus on what she does best: choreographing, teaching, and dreaming up spectacular productions.
Under Nancy’s leadership, TYSOD and the Roswell Dance Theatre have become an institution tailored to the family-oriented, highly educated community of North Fulton. At the core of her philosophy is a strict commitment to positive reinforcement.
"Only .03% of dancers who walk into any studio will become professionals," Nancy points out. "So, our mission is to build self-confidence and self-esteem. Dance reduces anxiety and depression. We teach respect, student-to-student and student-to-staff."
This nurturing environment is a critical "third place" for local youth—a safe haven outside of home and school where they are greeted by name at the door and lifted up by encouraging instructors. The proof of this familial culture is in its longevity; this year alone, eight faculty and staff members are former TYSOD students who returned after college.
While the primary goal is personal growth, the studio's technical excellence is undeniable. They have launched dancers onto global stages. Dylan Lackey, at age seven, went to watch his sister Michaela (who later became Miss Georgia 2011) and spotted a hip-hop class, fell in love with dance, trained intensely at Roswell Dance and eventually joined the Houston Ballet. Today, he performs as a principal dancer with the Queensland Ballet in Australia.
As an unstoppable community force, TYSOD extends far beyond the studio walls, anchoring Roswell’s cultural calendar year-round. Snapshots of their annual civic engagement highlights their impact:
Performances at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center, Magnolia Place Assisted Living, and the Roswell Pops Concert.
Hosting National RDA Dance Choreography Intensive and the Staib International Dance Festival.
The Roswell Arts Festival, the Youth Day Parade, Canton Street's "Boo Y’all," and the beloved annual production of The Nutcracker.
Currently, Nancy remains forward-thinking as ever. Channeling her inner Dolly Parton, she declares, "I’m not finished yet." Her ultimate dream for her hometown is a civic one. She envisions the City of Roswell building a state-of-the-art, 1,000-plus-seat theater complete with professional lighting, sound, dressing rooms, and a rehearsal hall. "We have performed in much smaller cities, and they always have a big, beautiful theater. It would do so much for the citizens of Roswell."
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To the young kids dancing in their living rooms today, or the aspiring entrepreneurs looking to plant stakes in the city, Nancy’s advice is simple: "Never give up. Connect with local resources. Roswell is the best place to open a business. Believe in yourself, and remember that nothing is impossible."