Lori Ann Sparks opened the doors of Central Ballet School of Greeneville, TN in September 2002 and founded Central Ballet Theatre, Greeneville's only ballet performance company, in January of 2004. Mrs. Sparks' major accomplishments include six totally original full-length ballets that she has placed in her young company's repertoire including "The Story of Esther" as well as a neoclassical version of the classical ballet "Sleeping Beauty" and 'Prince Caspian: Return to Narnia". Job titles she maintains are artistic director, ballet mistress, choreographer, scriptwriter, and resident professional dancer.

Her past stage experience includes performances with Central Ballet Theatre, South Carolina Dance Theater, and Appalachian Ballet Company. Recent professional roles have included Zeresh in “The Story of Esther”, Dr. Cornelius in 'Prince Caspian: Return to Narnia" and Storyteller in “Deliver Us! The Story of Moses.” Lori Ann has danced Cherito in “Pas de Quatre,” Firebird in “Firebird,” and Clara, Snow Queen, and Sugar Plum Fairy in “The Nutcracker.” She has trained under the instruction of dance notables such as world-renowned Anna-Marie Holmes, who now stages ballets for major companies like the American Ballet Theatre and The Royal Ballet, as well as Patricia Miller of Joffrey Ballet / Oregon Ballet Theatre, James Wert of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Ken Ludden of the Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet and Richard d'Alton of International Ballet of Houston, who guest teaches at elite ballet schools and companies worldwide as well as coaches students to compete in major dance competitions.

Lori Ann received a BS at the University of Tennessee and is a certified Tennessee teacher. She is married to Brian Sparks and has three children, Benjamin, David, and Sophia. She has continued her training at International Ballet of Houston under Richard d'Alton; at Atlanta Ballet; at New Haven Ballet in New Haven, Connecticut; at Ballet Magnificat! in Jackson, Mississippi; at Henny Jurriens Strichting in Amsterdam, Netherlands; at Steps on Broadway in New York City, New York; and at the Tennessee Association of Dance professional's summit in Nashville, TN as well as at other TAD conferences. Lori Ann has 14 years teaching experience including a season as guest teacher at South Carolina Dance Theatre. Promising students under the direction of Sparks have attended The Nutmeg Conservatory, Ballet Magnificat!'s summer intensives, and Louisville Ballet's summer intensives. Mrs. Sparks has brought to Greeneville master teacher Richard d'Alton for the last two consecutive years for CBT's summer intensives to further her students technical instruction and artistic direction. CBT performed Lori Ann's premier "Rhapsody and Rhythm", another original work, at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina in May 2007.