Frank Richard Hay
Frank Richard Hay, 72, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, passed away on Saturday, January 14, 2023.
He was born in Canada on Oct. 13, 1950, to the late William and Renetta Hay.
Frank grew up in California where he studied dance and gymnastics with his father. In his early years he performed children’s roles with the San Francisco Ballet and the touring Bolshoi and Mariinsky Ballet Companies. He majored in ballet with an emphasis on performance technique at the University of Utah under an academic scholarship. Frank then joined Ballet West where he trained with Willam Christensen, Bruce Marks, Toni Lander and Leon Danilian. Frank was a principle dancer with the Atlanta Ballet, the Tampa Ballet and the Louisville Ballet. His first engagement with Louisville Ballet included a tour of Texas with Mikhail Baryshinikov. Frank served as ballet master with Chattanooga Ballet for 27 years. In addition to restaging many of the works from the classical repertory, Frank was an award winning choreographer and his credits include many original works for Chattanooga Ballet including “The Nutcracker” and “The Creation”, based on the Hayden Oratory. He also served as the adjudicator for the Pacific Northwest Music Fest and coached a dancer in the 2002 USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi. Frank was well-versed in the Russian, Cecchetti, and Bournonville schools of ballet and in his retirement taught at Chattanooga Dance Theatre, Cleveland City Ballet, and Scenic City Dance. Throughout his professional career, Frank taught and coached generations of dancers in Chattanooga and his influence will forever be felt in the community.
In addition to his parents, Frank was also preceded in death by a brother, Gregory Hay.
Surviving are his brother, William Hay (Karen); nieces and nephews, Jadus Hay, William Hay, Aurora Hampton, and Romana Hay; great-nieces and nephews, Ayalynn Hampton, Robert Hampton, IV, Chason Hampton, Cyrus Hampton, Julia Hay, Willow Hay and Kirby Hay.
A celebration of Frank’s Life will be held on Sunday, Jan. 22, at 6 p.m. at the Scenic City Ballet Company, 1800 Rossville Blvd., Chattanooga, Tn. 37408.
Arrangements are entrusted to Lane Funeral Home, 601 Ashland Terrace, Chattanooga, Tn. 37415, www.Lanefh.com, 423 877-3524.