Arts & Literature
Brothers Breaking into the Film Industry
Photos by George Hunter (except for set and show pics)
Peachtree Corners Kaplan brothers Michael (13) and David (11) have been acting for about six and four years respectively. It all began when their parents, Alan and Zhenia Kaplan thought some acting classes might help their shy kindergartener, Michael, feel more at ease socially.
Alan had enjoyed theater in high school and hoped his sons would also get bitten by the acting bug so he could share his passion for the performing arts with them.
Michael took to the stage and blossomed, growing noticeably more confident. “His teacher said, “Whatever you’re doing to help him speak up more in class seems to be working. I would ask that maybe you do a little bit less of it,” Alan recounted.
Having watched his big brother dive into the craft and come out of his shell, David followed suit, locking in acting as a Kaplan family affair.
Hard work
“This beard was brown before we started getting into acting,” Alan laughed, pointing to his graying facial hair. Juggling a full-time job as a realtor with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International, coaching his sons and filming/submitting their auditions, Alan understandably describes life as “pretty hectic.”
Auditions can be an arduous weekly grind. Memorizing lines, rehearsing and recording auditions is not an easy undertaking. Balancing and get quality products delivered on time is always the challenge,” Alan said.
Scripts are printed, the kids do a script analysis and auditions are recorded around everyone’s schedule. After having been at work and school all day, “it’s an exercise in fortitude,” he continued.
Working together
The Kaplans tackle script analysis and running lines as a team. “At first it was difficult but it’s sort of like muscle memory every time you do it,” Michael explained. His younger brother chimed in, “By now it’s pretty easy memorizing lines.”
The brothers study their lines together. “Sometimes I do it with my mom or say it in my head and see if I can remember all my lines,” David said.
Amazed by their ability to be off-book for auditions, regardless of the script size, Alan beamed. “Michael had a table read for a lead role with ten adults. He had the entire script memorized, including the other actors’ lines of a 90-page script.”
The boys’ IMDb pages
Resumés, headshots and websites from which casting directors will draw, like Actors Access, must be kept up to date. So, too, does Internet Movie Database (IMDb), an online site where actors list their work. Both Michael and David have been adding to their IMDb profiles.
A striking list of co-stars marked Michael’s initial experience. “When I was in Gifted, my first acting gig, I worked with Chris Evans, Octavia Spenser, Jenny Slate and Mckenna Grace,” Michael said. His resumé also includes eight episodes of the TV series Paradise Lost, (filmed in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana) acting alongside Nick Nolte, Barbara Hershey, Josh Hartnett and Bridget Regan.
“I just filmed The Waltons. They’re making a 50-year anniversary of it,” Michael said. Shot in Conyers, The Waltons Homecoming will likely be released around the holidays on the CW.
David has been in an episode of the TV show The Resident, two episodes of Creepshow, (a horror series similar to The Twilight Zone) an episode of MacGyver, the movie Embattled, the Lifetime movie A Sister’s Secret and the short film A Visitor.
Most recently, David completed filming several episodes of a popular TV show on a major streaming network. “I’m not allowed to say what it is until it comes out,” David said. We should be able to catch David in this undisclosed program by early next year or sooner.
The Kaplans are helping the boys build fledgling yet noteworthy resumés which include commercials and voiceover work for MARTA, Toys “R” Us, Logitech, Cartoon Network and The Home Depot, in addition to the aforementioned bodies of work.
Paradise Lost TV Series: Michael Kendall Kaplan & Nick Nolte Creepshow Season 1: Tom Savini & David Alexander Kaplan Paradise Lost behind the scenes with Michael Kendall Kaplan & Josh Hartnett
On location
Child actors and their families must be flexible. Traveling for work brings everything else to a grinding halt. Michael filming Paradise Lost in Louisiana meant a three-month absence from work for Alan, who accompanied him, although he was able to work remotely.
Meanwhile, an overseas family trip to visit Zhenia’s parents became a trip for two only. Michael views this aspect of the business as “a small hiccup.”
David looks on the bright side too. “We were all going to go on vacation, but just me and my mom went,” he said. “We were both having fun. Michael and my dad were filming and me and my mom were on vacation.”
Michael likes working on location in different areas so he can experience “wildlife instead of fake life.” David said he prefers working in a studio: “If it’s an outside scene it’s usually either really hot or really cold. You may be filming a winter scene in the heat of the day.”
According to Alan, Georgia leads the film industry in terms of number of productions. “Georgia opened up much quicker than Los Angeles and other markets. The fact that actors move here to be near more work speaks to the market,” Alan said.
Previously, leading roles were generally cast out of LA. Secondary roles were drawn from regional markets; those were the auditions you’d see coming through Georgia. Recently, more lead roles are getting cast here.
Living in the Atlanta area is a wonderful advantage for actors. “We love Peachtree Corners for a litany of reasons — aside from the acting part of it — including its central location. If projects are filmed in metro Atlanta, we can easily get to them,” Alan said.
“On a national level, Atlanta TV and film actors have a leg up,” he added. “With COVID, the other markets went to taped auditions as well, but actors in Atlanta have years of experience with taped auditions and Zoom callbacks.”
Auditions and callbacks
Michael divulged the family’s position on auditions. “Our job is to keep auditioning. We give something and shouldn’t expect anything back.
“The director, casting director, some of the producers and executive producers ask us different questions, press “record meeting” and run the scene with us,” he said. “Then they give us some critiques and we do it again.”
David added, “Each take gets better as we get more direction. Every audition, we get better and better.”
Commercial auditions were once typically held at the casting director’s office. Fortunately for actors, those also are recorded from home now. “I can’t imagine having them audition that way. I remember driving them to auditions. I don’t have time now, I don’t know how I would fit that in,” Alan said.
The down side
Most auditions result in rejection. “Thousands of kids audition. A couple hundred come back for the callback, then there’s another callback,” David explained. “It’s a long process.”
Alan and Zhenia stated that the audition is where their kids’ job stops. “Every now and then, you’ll get a random phone call that you booked something. That’s the great surprise,” Alan said. “But we turn off the camera from the audition and we don’t look back. That works 90% of the time. I’m sure that’ll get more difficult as they get older and become more aware of those things.”
The parents shield the boys from the unease and letdown they themselves feel. “When they get into the final consideration for a role, my nerves get the best of me. There’s a lot of hope, worry and disappointment when it doesn’t work out,” Alan said.
As a family, they believe ‘you book the roles that are meant for you.’
Regarding his experience in Paradise Lost, Michael said, “It was very scary because they booked me off tape. My dad and I worried that I might not fit the role they were looking for, but it all worked out.”
Alan recalled, “We showed up on set in Louisiana, excited that he got this job, but they had never seen him in person with the kid who played his brother. That kid’s mother and I were a nervous wreck. What if they didn’t like them? After they shot the first scene, the writer turned around, smiled and introduced himself. Then we knew we were going to be OK.”
After all the unknowns, even once a role is landed, “you still have to wait and see what makes it off the cutting room floor,” Alan said.
Behind the scenes
The brothers shared some of the movie magic they’ve seen. “They use a lot of green screens, paper backgrounds for landscapes. Sometimes they use mini models,” David said. “They use harnesses and fishing wire if someone with special powers throws someone or if there’s an explosion and someone gets knocked back.”
“They can do different lighting if it’s supposed to be day or night,” Michael added. “They mainly do everything on set, so they build a house with most of the rooms not finished. They can make a whole backdrop of woods or beachside. It’s very cool.”
“Getting a scene filmed can require a few takes or 20. They have to take different shots from different angles. That takes a lot of time,” Michael said. David noted that it could take from an hour to a couple of days to get one scene done.
“Usually kids don’t get much makeup,” David added, “unless they have a pimple to cover. It depends on whether it’s a bloody scene or anything like that.” Michael had about 20 minutes of make-up for one scene in Paradise Lost to create bug bites on his neck.
School work
Young actors must keep up with their studies while they work. On-set teachers are provided to that end. During his most recent job, which demanded over two months of filming, David had an on-set teacher.
“It was pretty simple because all my schoolwork was online. They basically supervised us and helped us with any problems,” he said. “It was a bit challenging before COVID, but with COVID, since I was doing online school, it’s very easy, like doing it at home.”
Feet on the ground
Fame could easily cause a minor’s sense of self to swell. To stave that off, the key quality stressed by the Kaplans is respect. It carries through their faith, who they are as a family and manifests in how they treat others.
Michael Kendall Kaplan & Barbara Hershey (co-starred with Bette Midler in Beaches) 
Lifetime TV Movie “A Sister’s Secret” Paula Abdul & David Alexander Kaplan
When Michael’s schoolmates started asking him for his autograph because he had become “famous,” his parents told both kids they should reply, “I’d be happy to give you my autograph if you give me yours.”
Alan and Zhenia decided that if the ego ever comes into play and overcomes who they are, then it’s time to move on. “The greatest benefit of any attention they may get from acting is the opportunity to use it for good and to reach out to others, not to feed our own egos,” Alan said.
They emphasize the skill of acting, not the celebrity. “The boys started out in theater before they ever had an agent or booked a commercial,” Alan said. “We gravitate towards drama and horror, something that really taps into the art of acting.”
David said his favorite part is meeting new people and having the experience,“but mostly the Craft Services, which is the food on set. They have someone cooking the food right there. And they have a snack bar with chips and candy — anything you can think of.”
Michael added, “I remember they were making lobster on set once. It was really good.”
A bright spot for the Kaplans has been watching how their sons genuinely care for one another. “The beauty of these two souls…when one brother finds out the other booked something, he’s almost more excited than if he had booked it himself,” Alan said. “There is no competitiveness between them. They are truly supportive of each other, which is nice to see.”
How to Break into Show Biz
The Kaplan family is pleased to share advice with others who are contemplating the same path. “It’s learn-as-you-go,” Alan said. “You reach out to people who have already been there for guidance and reach back to those starting out to try to pass it along.”
Acting lessons
“Get your child into some acting classes. See if it’s their thing,” Alan continued. “If that’s the case, stay with it. Submit them to agencies if you want them to pursue it further. It may take long to get picked up by a good agent.”
He also mentioned that parents should beware. “There are a lot of pitfalls out there. Go with a reputable agency if you’re seeking representation. Representation should never cost you anything upfront.”
Regardless of which acting school you choose – there are a variety to fit every preference – Alan suggested searching for a local school associated with credible casting directors. Specifically, one with lessons culminating in a showcase where actors perform before those casting directors.
After taking various acting classes, the Kaplan boys are thriving with help from their parents and a private coach who sometimes films auditions with them.
“We just try to become the character,” Michael said.
“Roll with it,” added David, who occasionally practices in the mirror. They work on the scripts, emotions, realism and on becoming more natural in their portrayals.
Headshots and audition set up
Aspiring actors need promotional pictures. Seasoned agencies can recommend skilled photographers. Depending on the number of looks captured, photos can start at a few hundred dollars. It’s not exactly a snap to keep headshots current as children grow up, but it is worth the investment as these are the first impressions made on casting directors.
A decent video camera with a memory card from Best Buy, a tripod, lighting and a backdrop ordered from Amazon are all that’s needed to film auditions from home. Alan said he has found that easier than trying to clear enough iPhone memory.
Advice on agents
After a few twists and turns in the road, Michael and David are currently both represented by
Joy Pervis at J Pervis Talent Agency near Peachtree Corners.
“I could not have hoped for better. They’ve been phenomenal,” Alan said. “They keep the boys extremely busy with auditions. They’re good people and great with kids. They’re nationally well-known and highly respected.”
While some agents will take advantage of aspiring actors by demanding they pay to play, they should only get compensated when an actor is booked for a job they found. Alan wants parents to avoid such pitfalls.
“Agents work hard to find auditions that are a good fit. Our job is to prepare the kids, have them do the best they can and send the recorded audition in quickly,” Alan explained.
“The agent sends it to the casting director,” David added.
When the boys book a job, the agents get a percentage of what they earn. This is agreed upon up front and is consistent across projects. “Their job is to negotiate the terms on your behalf when you book something and try to get the best deal for you,” Alan said.
Find a manager
More recently, the Kaplans brought on Child Actor Manager, Wendi Green of Atlas Artists in Los Angeles. “She gives us a lot of auditions in LA,” David said.
“We brought her on to advocate for them and get them some additional exposure in that market,” Alan said. “Our agent helped identify a few managers that were good prospects. We interviewed them, vice versa, and selected Wendi.”
The same type of contract is drawn up with a manager as with an agent. Actors will net less to pay both, but if a manager can open doors previously unavailable, it’s worth it.
“Their job is to use their contacts to get you additional work, to promote you behind the scenes both pre-consideration and post-consideration, particularly when it’s between you and a few other kids. Managers make calls to get you the best consideration possible for a project,” Alan elaborated.
Setting up lifelong lessons
Alan advises setting the tone and expectation with children upfront, and encouraging them to hang in. He also recommends consulting a trusted acquaintance with experience in the business when something seems too good to be true. “It’s probably not a real Disney audition after a $500 weekend class,” he said. Steer clear!
Sometimes it helps to be reminded why the family is going to such lengths. “When I’m ready to give up because I see how hard they’re working and something may not have hit for a while, that’s when they book something great,” Alan said. The boys have never expressed a desire to quit although Alan checks in with them on occasion to make sure.
Learning the value of persevering will serve them well throughout their lifetimes.
“Just be natural, be yourself. Never give up because if you give up, you’ll never book something,” David advised. “We film an audition and move on. If we get a callback, great. If we don’t get it, great.”
The Kaplans assure others that it’s a numbers game. If you keep doing it, eventually you’ll book something — that’s the reward.
Contemporary Classics Theatre will present Twelfth Night, a free “Shakespeare in the Park” experience at three beautiful outdoor venues in north metro Atlanta
Twelfth Night, William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy of mistaken identity, will play at three beautiful outdoor venues in north metro Atlanta from April 26 to May 11.
Directed by Cait Cortelyou, known for her award-winning feature film “Ask for Jane,” Twelfth Night is a rollicking ensemble comedy explores unrequited love, misperceptions and the instability of gender.
Set in the coastal town of Illyria, young Viola survives a shipwreck and finds herself alone, believing that her twin brother died at sea. Disguising herself as a man, she finds work with the Duke Orsino, quickly falling in love with him. Orsino, however, is in love with the Countess Olivia… and Olivia quickly falls for Viola.
Meanwhile, Olivia’s steward Malvolia has bullied the household for the last time — and the staff is out for vengeance.
This timeless production of Twelfth Night features Allen Cox, Carl Fisk, Ryan Hutchins, Shem Louis, Susanna Lyne, Steven Medina, Matt Metzger, Danielle Montgomery, Macros Nora, TJ Sanson and Elliott Posadni as one of the first transgender actors to play Viola.
It also features costumes by artist Jordan Hermitt and production design by Sage Kim Gray.
Locations, dates and showtimes
The Plaza at The Forum Peachtree Corners • April 26–27 at 3 p.m.
Audience seating and a special musical performance will start at 2:30 p.m. Please note that seating is limited; arrive early and/or bring lawn chairs or blankets. Food and drink are available for purchase at the venue.
Town Center on Main, Suwanee • May 3– 4 at 5 p.m.
Audience seating and a special musical performance will start at 4:30 p.m. Please note that no seating is provided; bring lawn chairs and blankets. Coolers are welcome (no alcohol). Food trucks will be onsite at the venue.
Autrey Mill Nature Center, Johns Creek • May 10 at 2pm & 5 p.m.; May 11 at 2 p.m.
Audience seating and a special musical performance will start at 1:30 p.m. on both days and at 4:30 p.m. for the evening show on May 10. Limited bench seating only. In case of inclement weather, the show will move from the amphitheatre to the open-air Pole Barn nearby.
Admission to the shows is FREE. Register online for tickets.
About Contemporary Classics
Contemporary Classics exists to challenge and transform classic Western theater traditions by creating an inclusive community of diverse people, ideas and cultures. They believe that classic work is made even greater when performed by a larger variety of artists — especially those who have been marginalized by Wester theatre traditions — including women and people of color.
With no permanent home, the theatre company partners with places such as public parks for performance spaces. This “homeless” state is one of the reasons they call ourselves “a crew of patches”— they travel from “patch” to “patch” with their shows.
The name also comes from a line in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and reflects the “motley” coat of a Shakespearean clown (or fool), created by sewing patches of old or discarded clothing together in a mishmash of textures and colors, like a patchwork quilt.
Fools, or “Patches,” transcend societal norms by being simultaneously a part of society and outside of it, giving them the ability to examine and comment on it.
For more information, visit crewofpatches.org.
Arts & Literature
From Food Creations to Handmade Jewelry: Wesleyan Kids Prep for Artist Market 2025 [Podcast]
In this episode of Peachtree Corners Life, host Rico Figliolini spotlights three remarkable student artists featured in this year’s Wesleyan Artist Market. Eighth graders Kimberly Wang and Nika Jensen, along with sixth grader Carter Jensen, share their creative journeys—ranging from edible art like fruit jellies and peppermint bark to handmade jewelry and custom-designed bags.
Kimberly talks about her love for food art and balancing sweetness with fruity freshness, while Nika and Carter discuss building a jewelry business that also gives back—donating proceeds to families in the Philippines. This isn’t just an artist market; it’s a showcase of purpose-driven, globally inspired young talent. The event runs April 25–26 at Wesleyan School and is open to the public.
Podcast Takeaways:
- Kimberly Wang creates handmade edible treats, balancing flavor and freshness for the show.
- Nika and Carter Jensen co-run a jewelry and fashion accessory business, inspired by global travel and cultural experiences.
- Nika donates part of her proceeds to support families in the Philippines.
- All three students are deeply involved in extracurriculars—from musicals, marching band, math club, and academic bowl.
- The Wesleyan Artist Market features 24 student artists and over 70 professionals—open to the public April 25–26.
Timestamp:
00:02:19 – Student intros and extracurriculars
00:03:06 – First-time participants and motivations for joining
00:04:13 – Kimberly’s edible art and recipe testing process
00:05:16 – Nika and Carter’s jewelry and bag design business
00:07:06 – The reward of watching people enjoy your creations
00:08:20 – Donating art profits to support families in the Philippines
00:10:39 – Future aspirations in medicine and law, with art as a passion
00:12:06 – Behind-the-scenes logistics of preparing for the market
00:13:25 – Global travel inspiration: 73 countries and counting
00:17:19 – Where the students draw artistic inspiration
00:20:04 – Custom requests: From peppermint bark to Lego earrings
00:21:16 – Anticipation and excitement for this year’s market
00:22:29 – Reflections on Wesleyan and the artist experience
Transcript:
00:00:01 – Rico Figliolini
Hey, everyone. This is Rico Figliolini, host of Peachtree Corners Life. We have a great set of guests today. Because of the upcoming Wesleyan Artist Market, we thought we’d do some interviews with student artists. Three of the 24 that are going to be at Wesleyan Artist Market. So they’re with me here today. So we’re going to get right into that shortly. I just want to say thank you to our corporate sponsors. So I want to say thank you to EV Remodeling, Inc., based here in Peachtree Corners. The owner is Eli. Him and his family live here. They’re great. They do a lot of design work, design your space. Essentially, any home remodeling you need from whether it’s your kitchen, your bathroom, or a whole house remodel, or even an addition to your home, think about it, whatever you need, Eli can handle. So check them out. Go to evremodelinginc.com and find out how they can design your space and your life. Our next sponsor just came on, and they’re Vox Pop Uli. I want to thank them for joining us as well. They deal with all sorts of things you can imagine putting your logo on, similar to a little bit about what these kids do, right? They’re creating artwork. They’re creating a brand for themselves. And so this is what Vox Pop Uli does, right? They’ll take your brand and bring it to life. Essentially, anything that you can think of that would go on apparel, whether it’s sweaters or T-shirts or wherever you want to put your brand engraving, your logo, what object you want to put it on, even vehicle wraps. So if you’ve got a truck, you want to put a whole wrap around it, check them out because they can do that. They’re here in Peachtree Corners and they’re called Vox Pop Uli. So visit their website. I’ll have the links in the show notes as well. So thank you guys. I appreciate your support. So now let’s get right into it. Let me introduce our three artists, great Wesleyan students. Can’t wait to start talking to them. We have Kimberly Wang first on your left, on my left, and Nika and her brother Carter Jensen, who work together creating the artwork they do. So I’m going to ask you guys just to, you know, give me a little background. Tell me who you are, your grade, what you do, extracurricular, stuff like that. This way our audience can get to know a little bit more about you. So let’s start with Kimberly Wang. Hey, Kimberly.
00:02:19 – Kimberly Wang
My name is Kimberly Wang. I’m in eighth grade this year, and outside of Artist Market, I do marching band, and I also do the musical production this year, which is Matilda.
00:02:31 – Rico Figliolini
Excellent. What about Nika? How about you?
00:02:34 – Nika Jensen
I’m also in eighth grade. My name is Nika Jensen, and apart from doing the Artist Market, I do cross country. I’m also in Matilda this year, and I also do math counts, which is a math club.
00:02:47 – Rico Figliolini
Okay, cool. And Carter?
00:02:49 – Carter Jensen
Hello, my name is Carter Jensen. I’m in the sixth grade. And outside of the artist market, I do academic pool and I also do basketball.
00:03:00 – Rico Figliolini
Excellent. Alright, cool. So have you guys ever done the artist market before? Is this the first time?
00:03:06 – Kimberly Wang
This is my second year doing it this year.
00:03:08 – Rico Figliolini
Second?
00:03:10 – Nika Jensen
Yeah, this is our first year because we’re new students this year.
00:03:13 – Rico Figliolini
Alright, cool. What inspired you to get into it, Nika?
00:03:17 – Kimberly Wang
Well, I had my own business before we came to Wesleyan and so I thought that the artist market is a good way to like show my business to other people in our community. So yeah.
00:03:30 – Rico Figliolini
And you brought in your brother Carter to help you with?
00:03:35 – Nika Jensen
Yes, sir. He’s also part of the business.
00:03:39 – Rico Figliolini
Alright cool. Okay so, Kimberly. Food. Food is art, right? I’m sure your mom would probably say, it’s food, just eat it. But you’re playing with your food, essentially. What they used to tell you not to do, right? So when you create your food art, what do you think about? How do you go through this? How do you choose what you do and what do you exactly do?
00:04:13 – Kimberly Wang
So this year, I am making fruit jellies and peppermint bark. And when I think about what creations I want to make for the artist market, I go online and I look through like, what are some popular desserts that a lot of people like? And once I like choose my items, then I go through
the recipe and then I do a lot of trial and errors to make sure that like the products are like healthy and they taste well.
00:04:42 – Rico Figliolini
So they have to be edible, right? Because this is edible art?
00:04:45 – Kimberly Wang
Definitely, yes.
00:04:46 – Rico Figliolini
So are you eating a lot of the edible art before you get to what you need?
00:04:50 – Kimberly Wang
Not really. I don’t usually taste a lot of the food. I let my family taste it.
00:04:56 – Rico Figliolini
Ah, good. I like that. Yes. Get them to participate. Cool. So edible art, that’s one way of doing it. Jewelry, that’s something else, right? Wearable. How do you guys, Nika, Carter, how do you get to the place of what you do?
00:05:16 – Nika Jensen
So I started my business when I was 11 years old and it started like I got my first jewelry making kit and I kind of just expanded from there. So like I usually use Amazon to search and find like the prettiest designs like of earrings and pendants and get opinions from other people like my mom and my family to see like if they think it’s like wearable and if they like it. So I browse on Amazon for a while and I find like the best and high quality products and then I hand make them at home usually like every day after I come home from school so and my brother he does something else and he can tell you about that.
00:06:01 – Carter Jensen
I, my sister, she got a Cricut machine for, like, her 12th birthday, I think. And started making these, like, iron-on bags with the Cricut machine and, like, making them based on, like, Georgia and, like, Wesleyan and designing it based on fashion.
00:06:19 – Rico Figliolini
Alright. Cool. So let’s get back to Kimberly. The food that you do. Do you have particular flavors you like? Do you have particular areas that you stay in?
00:06:33 – Kimberly Wang
So this year I’m trying out like something more sweet with chocolate. But last year I definitely went for more of like the fruity side. And I think I like to keep it like a balance. So that way one is not overpowering the other. My personal favorite will probably be fruit because it’s healthy. And I mean, it just tastes good in general.
00:06:56 – Rico Figliolini
Okay. Alright cool. What’s the most rewarding part that you can think of, of making edible art?
00:07:06 – Kimberly Wang
Well, I mean definitely like you said before you get to eat a lot of food. I mean, I did say before that I don’t eat a lot of the creations I make, but sometimes I still do eat it. And so I think it’s also really rewarding to see like people try out your creations and see like their reactions to what they think of it.
00:07:27 – Rico Figliolini
So when, I know I’ve spoken to other artists when they sell their artwork like paintings or stuff like that they get a chance to see it sometimes when the fan that bought it if you will, would send them a picture of where they hung it right? Yours disappears right?
00:07:45 – Kimberly Wang
Yeah, exactly.
00:07:47 – Rico Figliolini
Yeah I guess, there’s no way to, short of doing a selfie with it or taking pictures of it, there’s no there’s no permanency to it so how does that feel?
00:07:57 – Kimberly Wang
I mean well as long as the people enjoy it that’s good. And I mean I think mainly it’s about like the memory that you have of having the food and if you like it then it stays as a good memory for you and if you don’t then I mean you can always try out different things.
00:08:20 – Rico Figliolini
Okay. Nika, Carter, as far as the jewelry goes the, you’ve used it to raise money to support children in the philippines? yes
00:08:29 – Nika Jensen
Yes sir.
00:08:31 – Rico Figliolini
Is that, is that how you started this when you were 11? Is that the reason?
00:08:35 – Kimberly Wang
No, so I was like 11 during the pandemic. So I was always looking for a way to express my creativity. And so that’s how I started my own business. And so I was selling at my uncle’s pharmacy and I was saving up the money to use for like college or for like other events later on in my life. But this last year and a half before this school year, we were living in the Philippines. And so I was really touched by all of the families there. And we even did something similar where we gave out food and canned goods over Christmas to poor families there. So that just
really touched me. And so ever since we got back to America, I’ve been donating part of my profits to other families in the Philippines.
00:09:24 – Rico Figliolini
Carter, did you end up going on that trip as well?
00:09:28 – Carter Jensen
Yeah, I was with her. We stayed there for about a year and a half. We also did schooling there.
00:09:36 – Rico Figliolini
It’s interesting brothers and sisters, I have three kids and you know growing up brothers and sisters always there could be dynamics there. So how do you get along? Do you ever say to your sister, I don’t know about that. You know that might not look as good, that might not sell. Do you give good feedback? I mean how do you praise her or how do you work together?
00:09:58 – Carter Jensen
She’s more of the leader of the business so like I usually just like try to like agree with her and like yeah.
00:10:12 – Rico Figliolini
Alright that’s cool well you need a leader of the pack sometimes right? So Nika the artwork that you do, you know this is part of what you do you’ve mentioned other things you do right? I know you’re young, you all are, you know you’re not old enough to really think well maybe you are to really think what you want to do with your life right? Is art something that you want to keep as part of what you’re doing in your life?
00:10:39 – Nika Jensen
It’s definitely something that’s of great value to me, but I kind of want to pursue the medical field, but art is also really important to me.
00:10:49 – Rico Figliolini
Okay. Sounds good. Same question to Kimberly. What about you? How do you feel about the work you do?
00:10:57 – Kimberly Wang
I definitely enjoy making food, but like Nika said, I was also really interested in the medical field. And so like I’m not really sure if I’m going to continue pursuing this. But I mean it’s definitely brought me a lot of joy while doing food art.
00:11:15 – Rico Figliolini
Okay. Medical field both of you, that’s cool. What about Carter? How about you? 00:11:19 – Carter Jensen
I kind of like, I like doing art it’s one way to like express your creativity as my sister said. But I also kind of, I’m not really sure what I want to do when I grow up, maybe be a lawyer.
00:11:33 – Rico Figliolini
Okay. Well, artwork gives you a chance, right, to play a little bit, to be able to also see how people, like Kimberly, like you said about how when people see your food or taste your food and your food art, if you will, and it gives you a chance to see how people appreciate what you’re doing, I think, right? The challenges of making food art and keeping it fresh and making sure you’re going to deliver it on the right way I guess at the Wesleyan artist market, how do you how do you handle that part of it?
00:12:06 – Kimberly Wang
So for me the night before each day of the selling I would stay up really late and I make all my products so they’re all fresh and they’re all new. Because I want the best for the people that are eating the food because I don’t want anything to go bad overnight and so I make sure that it’s always new products and I make it, yeah.
00:12:32 – Rico Figliolini
We don’t have the same issue with the jewelry that you do, Nika. So that could last forever, right? But putting it together, sourcing the supplies, right, of what you do, the logistics of it, I guess. How do you handle that? Like getting all the materials together? Do you order it all on Amazon?
00:12:52 – Nika Jensen
Yeah, I order like 99% of all of my things from Amazon. And then since I already have the materials shipped to me, then all I have to do is just create them from my house. So it’s easier for me than having to go out and buy supplies at stores.
00:13:11 – Rico Figliolini
Sounds good. What inspires you as far as jewelry goes? I know that you said you look online to see other things and what the trend is. So where do you find most of your trends? Is it just on Amazon or is it social media, other places?
00:13:25 – Nika Jensen
I kind of observe other people and like what they wear and also social media. And I get a lot of inspiration also from like nature and from like my travels. We’ve been to a lot of countries in the past five years, 173 countries.
00:13:44 – Rico Figliolini
How many?
00:13:45 – Nika Jensen
I’m sorry, not 173, 73 countries.
00:13:49 – Rico Figliolini
73 countries?
00:13:50 – Nika Jensen
Yes, sir.
00:13:51 – Rico Figliolini
That you’ve been to in how many years? I can’t even wrap my head around that. How did you even do that? Teleport? I mean, how did you do that? Wow. What is your heritage, if you don’t mind me asking?
00:14:12 – Nika Jensen
I’m half Filipino. My brother and I are half Filipino. And then my father is part Danish and then also American.
00:14:21 – Rico Figliolini
Do you speak any languages?
00:14:23 – Nika Jensen
I speak the language of the Philippines called Tagalog and then English. And I’m learning Spanish.
00:14:30 – Rico Figliolini
Really? Okay. Kimberly, how about you?
00:14:33 – Kimberly Wang
So my mom is Taiwanese and my dad is Chinese. So I speak Chinese, English. I’m learning French and I’m learning Korean.
00:14:43 – Rico Figliolini
Really? Wow. Okay. Speak Mandarin, is it? Okay. My son was learning that for a year and he was, it’s a tough language to learn. But I’m sure being able to travel for example Nika, to be able to see other other countries and inspiration from those countries. What of the 73, 75 countries you visited what would you say the top five would be for that type of inspiration? Can you pick that up?
00:15:16 – Nika Jensen
I think so. I really like Argentina just because it’s so unique and the culture is just so strong there. Like you really feel so immersed just when you like step into the country. I like Italy, not only because of the food, but that’s also where I got a lot of inspiration for my jewelry. Just like the glass in Venice, like the Murano glass, like that’s also a really big inspiration. In Turkey, that’s when I first like found my interest in jewelry because there was, we went to this bead store and there was like thousands of different beads and I got to like choose different charms and like experiment with creating jewelry. So Turkey, Argentina, Italy, and then I have to give it to the
Philippines, obviously, because we lived there for so long. And then that’s hard. What do you think, Carter?
00:16:12 – Carter Jensen
I like India because I really like butter chicken. Also like Italy because I like pizza and pasta.
00:16:27 – Rico Figliolini
Yes, can’t get any better pizza than Italy, that’s for sure.
00:16:30 – Carter Jensen
Yeah, it’s really good there. And I also like Japan because it’s very futuristic and it’s like…
00:16:38 – Rico Figliolini
Is it?
00:16:39 – Carter Jensen
Yeah, it’s like a new environment and it’s like…
00:16:45 – Rico Figliolini
Yeah, cool. I can’t wait I think where, I think we may be heading there in July so that would be fun. I’ve never been so that would be interesting. Cool so with the artwork, with the inspiration, with the journey that you guys have been on, do you think that, are there any artists it’s hard and food maybe unless it’s Gordon Ramsay or something, but do you draw any inspiration? Who do you draw inspiration from for the work for what you do? Let’s start with Kimberly.
00:17:19 – Kimberly Wang
I don’t really have a specific artist that I look up to but I do watch some cooking shows and some like dessert making shows and they always really inspire me so I feel like that’s what really led me into like starting food art. And so I was like, whoa, this is really cool. And so I was like, okay, let me try this. And so now I’m here and then I’m like, this is pretty fun.
00:17:49 – Rico Figliolini
Oh, okay. Carter, I know you’re not the main person doing the artwork, but what do you see when you’re working with your sister? How does that feel working with her, doing the stuff with her, the artwork? Whatever you’re doing with her, how you know what’s that journey feel like for a brother and his sister?
00:18:13 – Carter Jensen
It’s kind of relaxing doing artwork and like peeling off like the stickers on the bags
00:18:26 – Rico Figliolini
Okay, alright, that’s cool. Sister, how do you feel?
00:18:30 – Nika Jensen
Yeah I just enjoy anytime I’m like I get to make jewelry because I feel like it’s such like an important thing to me. And it also like my brother said it’s really relaxing and just like sitting in our home and just like making jewelry it’s like, it’s really fun for me.
00:18:48 – Rico Figliolini
Do you wear? I’m assuming you wear some of the stuff you make?
00:18:51 – Nika Jensen
No actually I don’t have my ears pierced. And so I just like making it and seeing my creations on other people.
00:19:00 – Rico Figliolini
Okay, cool. Kimberly, do you ever decide, I’ve got to make something, I want to eat something, do you ever decide to do that, or is it always just for the art?
00:19:10 – Kimberly Wang
I think mainly just for the art. Because, I mean, I do piano outside of school, and so most of my time is sucked into that. But, I mean, sometimes if I do want to make something, yeah, I’ll go for it. And I’ll try my best, but it might not be successful.
00:19:31 – Rico Figliolini
Have you ever been, have you ever designed anything custom design? Because someone requested it from you? Like has anyone ever asked Kimberly, has any anyone ever asked yeah can you make that for me? Like aside from the artwork you sell.
00:19:50 – Kimberly Wang
I don’t think so. I did get one request by a high schooler to make peppermint bark for him for his art and science class. But like other than that, no.
00:20:00 – Rico Figliolini
Okay. How about Nika? Have you ever had a request for jewelry?
00:20:04 – Nika Jensen
Yes, I have. So my mom was posting some of my creations on social media and someone reached out to me and she wanted lego earrings like so little like lego figurines as earrings. So I used some of my own legos and then we also bought some but I drilled a hole on top of their head and I had to stick a screw inside. I had to mail it to them. And then they sent me a picture of them wearing it.
00:20:42 – Rico Figliolini
It’s just the way you were describing it, drilling the hole in the head. It’s like, all right, well, that’s good. So there’s the art. You do anything for art, I guess. That’s good. Great. We’ve been showcasing and talking a lot about art here and food and stuff. What are you looking forward to this year’s Wesleyan Artist Market? What is it that’s looking forward? I mean, you have there’s
three of you out of 24 other students. Have you seen or talked to other students and what they’re doing for the show, for the market? What are you looking forward to?
00:21:16 – Nika Jensen
To me?
00:21:17 – Rico Figliolini
Yeah, sure. Let’s go with it.
00:21:18 – Nika Jensen
Okay. Yes. Kimberly and I are actually really good friends so we’ve been like talking with our other friends that are doing the artist market and we’re like you know what they’re selling and yeah. I’m just really excited because we’ve never my brother and I have never done something like this before so I think it’ll be a really good opportunity and it’ll be fun so.
00:21:39 – Rico Figliolini
Something wholly new. That’s good, a good experience. How about you Kimberly?
00:21:45 – Kimberly Wang
Ever since last year, I was really astonished by everything I saw, even if it was like the adult artists, but like the student artists, they were all so talented. I know like a few other people are making food art and people like Nika are making jewelry. And so I’m honestly really inspired and just really blown away by all the effort that everyone puts in.
00:22:13 – Rico Figliolini
Cool. Anything that I’ve not touched on, guys, that you want to share about, individually about what it takes to do what you’re doing or your experience at Wesleyan? Why don’t we start with Kimberly?
00:22:29 – Kimberly Wang
I don’t really have much. I feel like this was a really nice opportunity to be able to share what Wesleyan Artist Market is about and how students have been able to participate in it.
00:22:42 – Rico Figliolini
Cool. Nika?
00:22:43 – Nika Jensen
Yeah so my mom printed out pictures of our time in the philippines so this first one it’s all the bags of food that my old school donated to families in the philippines.
00:23:01 – Rico Figliolini
Excellent. Glad you printed those out.
00:23:03 – Nika Jensen
This is my old class. This was this year when I sent my profits back to the Philippines. And those are all the boxes of food and clothes that they get with that money.
00:23:16 – Rico Figliolini
Wow, you really did make a lot of money.
00:23:18 – Nika Jensen
Yes, sir.
00:23:19 – Rico Figliolini
That’s good. That’s great. And maybe at some point I’ll ask Camille on this, getting some pictures from you all of some of the artwork that you’ve done. I’d love to include that when we post the podcast as well. And if you have any social media where you post your artwork on, if it’s public, feel free. We’re going to be sharing this and we’ll be taking you all as well. I think we got everything covered. I mean, you’re all just unbelievable kids. You’re just doing great work. And I’m just like, it’s always great to talk to you, to Wesleyan students, just like, or to students that are motivated, put it that way, to do things. So glad to see that you’re doing all sorts of things and I still can’t wrap my head around 75 countries, I’m just still trying to think that just like in five years, I can’t even see doing that. But I want to thank you all for for joining me so this is Wesleyan Artist Market you all will be at and that’s April Friday the 25th from 10:00 – 7:00 pm and Saturday April 26 from 10:00 to 3:00 pm. We’ve been talking with Kimberly Wang, who does food art, edible food art, and Nika and her brother Carter Jensen, who do jewelry. Appreciate you guys being with me and being so talkative and just being good guests. So thank you all. Hang in there with me for a second. Everyone else, I want to say thank you again for joining us. You can find out more about Wesleyan Artist Market from just going to wesleyanschool.org or just Googling Wesleyan Artist Market it’ll pop up for you. And it’s open to the public, Friday and Saturday in April. So check them out. Visit the 24 students that are displaying their artwork as well, along with the over, I think it’s over 70 professional artists there. And thank you all from, I guess you’re in Wesleyan Wolf TV station too. So appreciate you doing that with me. So thank you everyone. Stay well.
Perimeter Ballet celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Founded in September 1995, the faith-based ballet school in Johns Creek has long been an integral part of the local arts scene and the community.
What began as a bare-bones program held in the sanctuary of Perimeter Church — on carpeted concrete floors, using the backs of chairs for barres — has grown into a respected school of more than 200 students. Ranging in age from five to 18, the young dancers at Perimeter Ballet are not only committed to the study of dance but also to using their gifts to share their faith.
According to the program’s website, their purpose is to “emphasize character along with technique … to counter the natural tendency towards self-absorption in the ballet studio.”
They are “very committed to teaching children to dance — to develop discipline, technique and musicality. [But] the Christian instructors [also] train the students in a context that understands that there’s a reason to dance.”
30 years of dance and faith
Current director, Becky Brown, has led the school for several years, growing the program while faithfully following Perimeter Ballet’s original mission. She oversees weekly classes, summer dance camps and annual productions, including an acclaimed Spring Recital and a presentation of The Nutcracker each December.
For the 30th anniversary, Brown is excited to continue the creative work of the ballet school and share their artistry and message with a larger audience.
“This year will certainly be a special time for us as we celebrate and look back on 30 wonderful years of Perimeter Ballet and 20 years for our performing company, For His Glory,” she said. “We will be performing the Nutcracker December 11–13 and will have some beautiful new costumes to commemorate the occasion. We look forward to seeing many of our alumni and their families at the performance.”
Classes and instructors
Open to the community at large, weekly classes at Perimeter Ballet range from Creative Movement, PreBallet and grade-level classes for preschoolers through third grade to more advanced classes (two or more times per week) for older students.
Summer camp sessions as well as intermediate level and advanced level intensives are also offered. For the upper-level intensives, students work on their ballet technique but also branch out into jazz and other forms of dance.
The school’s nine teachers are skilled not just as instructors but as performers themselves, having years of experience dancing with companies such as Ballet Southeast, Atlanta Ballet, North Atlanta Dance Academy and the Metropolitan Opera Ballet. They bring that experience and their Christian faith to all of their classes and interactions with the young students.
For His Glory
In addition to the work they do as a ballet school, Perimeter Ballet also has an audition-selected performance company — For His Glory.
With three levels, made up of dedicated students striving to advance their skills and reach their “God-given potential while giving glory to [their] Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” the program presents several high-quality productions throughout the year.
As Perimeter Ballet shares on their website: “Dancers are trained in the ballet classics as well as contemporary forms of dance, which are used in performances, worship settings and outreach. Classical ballets … in the group’s repertoire include Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Coppélia, excerpts from Four Seasons and La Fille Mal Gardee. In addition to Christmas and other outreach programs, For His Glory has danced internationally in London, India and Belarus.”
The group most recently performed Beauty & the Beast for two successful shows on stage at the Perimeter Church Sanctuary in early February of this year.
Impact and inspiration
All of this — the focus on faith and commitment to dance, the classes, intensives and stunning productions — have been a decades-long inspiration to the community and especially the student dancers who take part.
Many of the students stay with Perimeter Ballet for much of their childhood, learning and growing in dance as well as in their faith from elementary age through high school. That kind of involvement can clearly impact every aspect of their lives, from discipline learned to how they choose to interact with and be in the world.
One student, Anne Bradley Maxwell has been taking ballet with the Perimeter program since she was three years old. Now a high school junior in Peachtree Corners, she’s reflected on her time at the school and in the performance company as well as Perimeter Ballet’s milestone anniversary.
“For fifteen years … I matured within this unique, local community arts program,” she shared. “This year marks the 30th anniversary of its founding … and I’m honored to say I’ve been a student for half of that era. The talented instructors in [the] program not only helped advance me into an accomplished ballerina but also into a more faithful servant of Jesus Christ using dance as a form of worship.”
A lifelong journey
“This lifelong journey included annual seasonal training, auditions, numerous external summer intensives and wonderful performances on stages across the nation and abroad, for audiences ranging from a few dozen to several thousand,” Maxwell continued.
“… Taking ballet has instilled in me a deep understanding of perseverance and resilience. Pursuing excellence in ballet required me to overcome physical and emotional challenges … I learned to seek out solutions — whether physical therapy for healing my body or prayer and reflection to rejuvenate my spirit. These experiences have strengthened my ability to face setbacks, adapt and emerge stronger.
Ballet has cultivated in me a unique combination of athleticism, discipline and creative imagination. The most elegant performances emerge from the interplay of technical mastery and creative expression. The collaborative nature of ballet, where individuals work in harmony to create something greater than themselves, informs my approach to teamwork and innovation, both in the classroom and community.”
“… Ballet has [also] given me the gift of joy — both in experiencing it personally as a testament to Christ’s goodness and in sharing it with audiences. This joy, while intangible, is a powerful force that I hope to bring into my next chapters following high school. Whether through teaching movement, choreographing performances or exploring ways to expand ballet offerings, I aspire to enrich the community with the beauty and joy of dance.
… My time at Perimeter Ballet has equipped me with perseverance, discipline, creativity and a passion for sharing joy — qualities that I am excited to further cultivate as a young adult. These will not only enhance my personal journey but also contribute meaningfully to the rich tapestry of life. As I enter my senior year later this fall, I am full of gratitude for the solid foundation of technique and creative expression honoring God as the giver of my talent.”
Upcoming events
Perimeter Ballet’s Annual Spring Recital will be held in the Perimeter Church Sanctuary on Thursday, May 1 and Friday, May 2 from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
Summer camp sessions are scheduled for June and July. Registration will open on April 15.
2025-2026 classes will start in August with registration opening on April 15.
With help from Anne Bradley, the school is also planning a fundraiser event later in the year to mark the 30th anniversary.
For more information, visit perimeterballet.com.
From Food Creations to Handmade Jewelry: Wesleyan Kids Prep for Artist Market 2025 [Podcast]
Peachtree Corners Roundabout Plans, Tech Park Housing and Zoning Updates [Podcast]
Innovation, Security and Connectivity
Registration Now Open for Light Up the Corners 2025
Peachtree Corners Prepares for Another Roundabout
Experience Shakespeare in the Park with Contemporary Classics’ Twelfth Night
The Future of Law Enforcement in Peachtree Corners: Community Meeting
SCB Construction Group Partners with CGA Reps on New Peachtree Corners HQ
SCB Construction Group Partners with CGA Reps on New Peachtree Corners HQ
The Future of Law Enforcement in Peachtree Corners: Community Meeting
Peachtree Corners Prepares for Another Roundabout
Experience Shakespeare in the Park with Contemporary Classics’ Twelfth Night
Registration Now Open for Light Up the Corners 2025
From Food Creations to Handmade Jewelry: Wesleyan Kids Prep for Artist Market 2025 [Podcast]
Peachtree Corners Roundabout Plans, Tech Park Housing and Zoning Updates [Podcast]
Innovation, Security and Connectivity
Light up the Corners [Video]
Capitalist Sage: Business Leadership in Your Community [Podcast]
Cliff Bramble: A Culinary Adventure through Italy
Top 10 Brunch Places in Gwinnett County
A Hunger for Hospitality
THE CORNERS EPISODE 3 – BLAXICAN PART 1
Top 10 Indoor Things To Do This Winter
The ED Hour: What it takes to Remove Barriers from Education
