Mary Frances Massey  is a dance instructor based in Memphis, TN. She began dancing at the young age of three under direction of her mother, Sarah Karrant at their family dance studio, North Mississippi Dance Centre in Tupelo, MS. She has been on staff at NMDC since 2001, and most recently was Director from 2019-2024, when she relocated to Memphis. Mary Frances trained in ballet, tap, jazz & more under many acclaimed artists in the dance world. Her favorites include Mira Popovich (Birmingham Southern), Frank Hatchett (Broadway Dance Centre), Luigi & Frances Roach (of Luigi’s Jazz in NYC), Chet Walker (Fosse), & Mike Weaver (Chicago). She attended Mississippi State University on a vocal scholarship as an Elementary Education Major and Music Minor in Voice. She graduated, however, from Columbia State Community College in Commercial Entertainment and Dance Pedagogy in 2006. Upon completion of her program, she was hired with Royal Caribbean Cruise lines as a Lead Singer/Dancer (Girl 2) in their Broadway style production shows. Mary Frances also was a singer/dancer for Matt Davenport Productions in Nashville, TN. She continues to sing professionally with her band, Massey Tate, in the North Mississippi & Memphis area. She is an Arts Integration Specialist in Dance and on the Teaching Artist Roster for the Mississippi Arts Commission and the Tennessee Arts Commission. Since being accepted onto the Teaching Artist Roster in 2017, she has worked in over thirty schools in Mississippi & Tennessee , creating unique and fun lesson plans. Mary Frances' ability to work closely with teachers to create lesson plans tailored to their classrooms needs has made her one of the most sought out artists in Mississippi & Tennessee. She teaches at New Ballet Ensemble, Collage and Germantown Performing Arts Center currently. Mary Frances offers an array of programs that you can implement into your schools and classrooms: