GCDD Honors Charlotte Foster Williamson as the 2026 Spirit of Kim Award Winner

Charlotte Foster Williamson, owner of the Atlanta Dance Central, is the recipient of the 2026 Spirit of Kim Unsung Hero Award. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) gives this award to individuals who have made a difference for Georgia’s intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) community. Their work often happens behind the scenes.

The award honors the legacy of GCDD’s late office manager Kim Person, who served the Council for 19 years. It celebrates people who share Kim’s spirit of selfless service and dedication to creating more opportunities for people with I/DD and their families to live, learn, work, and play in their communities.

Foster Williamson is dedicated to building an inclusive dance community at Atlanta Dance Central in Roswell, Georgia. She uses specialized programs, research, and training in her dance education work. Together, these create an experience that meets the different needs of her students.

She spent years learning and researching effective teaching methods. She helps dance teachers make changes to include students who have often been left out of traditional dance environments. She gives trainings and research-based guidance to better understand and accommodate students with different disabilities or support needs. Foster Williamson also developed guides that help teachers plan and lead classes where every student feels safe, supported, and successful.

Charlotte believes that “Dance is for everyone.” She brings it to life through two programs designed for students with I/DD: the Foster-Schmidt Program for adults and the Physio-Jazz Program for children.

Students in these programs perform in Atlanta Dance Central’ Christmas show, Once Upon a Holiday, and its spring recital. Each experience is also planned with people with disabilities in mind. From lighting, costumes, and other production elements, each recital considers students’ sensory needs.

Classes are scheduled for students with I/DD alongside teen and elementary-level classes. This encourages dancers of all levels and abilities to interact and build friendships in the lobby between classes. This creates an environment where students with I/DD are seen as part of the larger dance community.

“I have personally benefited from Charlotte’s mentorship, and I have witnessed firsthand the impact she has on her students,” said Jaylah Darlington, professional dancer and teacher at Atlanta Dance Central. “She has taught me that being an inclusive teacher means more than opening the door to everyone; it means making sure everyone who walks through that door feels that they truly belong.”