The Dominique Dawes Academy, founded by Olympic gold medalist and entrepreneur Dominique Dawes, announced today its expansion into Georgia with two new locations in Metro Atlanta: an initial opening in Alpharetta in early 2026, followed by a planned Buckhead studio.

 The move represents a significant milestone in the Academy’s multi-market growth strategy, which positions the brand as a national leader in values-driven youth athletics. The Academy’s business model focuses on creating scalable, community-integrated facilities that emphasize positive coaching, family experience and long-term member value.

“In addition to holding a special place in my heart, Atlanta is a strategic fit for our brand,” said Dominique Dawes, founder and CEO of the Academy, “It is a dynamic, family-oriented market with strong demand for youth activities, wellness programs and community-centered athletic facilities. Our Atlanta locations will serve as an important benchmark as we continue expanding into high-growth metropolitan regions nationwide.”

“We are experiencing extraordinary momentum as families across the country seek healthy, positive athletic environments for their children,” said Adam Zeitsiff, CEO of the Dominique Dawes Academy. “Expanding into Atlanta is a major step in our growth trajectory, and we look forward to embedding ourselves in this vibrant community while continuing to scale our mission nationally.”

The Alpharetta facility will serve as the Academy’s flagship for Georgia, offering recreational gymnastics, ninja training and youth development programming for children aged 9 months and up. Each location is designed to support high daily member volume, with modern equipment, safety-driven layouts and customer-experience enhancements such as parent viewing/work spaces and efficient member onboarding systems.

To support market entry, the Academy is launching a Founding Member Pre-Sale during the 2025 holiday season, offering $10 annual enrollment (a $65 savings). Early enrollment campaigns have historically been a key driver of the brand’s membership growth in new markets, producing strong conversion prior to facility opening.

Dawes’ expansion into Atlanta aligns with the region’s strong economic indicators, population growth and the city's long-standing ties to national gymnastics history — including its role as host of the 1996 Olympic Games, where Dawes earned two medals. She became a limited partner in the Atlanta Falcons ownership group in 2024.