{{Short description|Ballet company in Tennessee, United States}}
[[File:Nashville Ballet.jpg|thumb|250px|Nashville Ballet]] '''Nashville Ballet''' is a professional ballet company in Tennessee. Founded in 1986 and based in [[Nashville, Tennessee]], it presents a repertoire of classic and contemporary works by a variety of choreographers, including Artistic Director Nick Mullikin.
==History== In 1974, a group of dancers and teachers opened the Dancers Studio, which offered ballet and other dance classes. After several productions following their 1981 debut, the group became the Nashville City Ballet,<ref name="barres">{{cite web |title=Life behind barres: Dancing into the hearts of Middle Tennessee with the Nashville Ballet |url=https://whnt.com/news/life-behind-barres-dancing-into-the-hearts-of-middle-tennessee-with-the-nashville-ballet/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220113183056/https://whnt.com/news/life-behind-barres-dancing-into-the-hearts-of-middle-tennessee-with-the-nashville-ballet/ |archive-date=13 January 2022 |access-date=20 December 2021 |publisher=WHNT}}</ref> which became a professional performance company in 1986. Dane LaFontsee was the first artistic director.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/dance-companies/ | title = Dance Companies | publisher = Tennessee Encyclopedia | access-date = 20 December 2021 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 15 January 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220115062618/https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/dance-companies/ }}</ref> A year later, the company was renamed to Nashville Ballet.<ref name="barres"/>
After serving as rehearsal director, Paul Vasterling was appointed Nashville Ballet Artistic Director in 1998.<ref name="Paul Vasterling">{{cite web | url = https://balletcenter.nyu.edu/fellows/paul-vasterling/ | title = Paul Vasterling | publisher = The Center for Ballet and the Arts | access-date = 20 December 2021 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 15 December 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211215092354/https://balletcenter.nyu.edu/fellows/paul-vasterling/ }}</ref>
In 1999, the group traveled abroad for the first time to perform in [[Basel]], Switzerland.<ref name="History">{{cite web | url = https://www.nashvilleballet.com/history | title = Nashville Ballet History | publisher = Nashville Ballet | access-date = 20 December 2021 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 13 January 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220113183116/https://www.nashvilleballet.com/history }}</ref> Among other international tours, they went to [[Buenos Aires]] and other cities across [[Argentina]].<ref name="Salsa">{{cite web | url = http://www.hispanicnashville.com/2012/02/nashville-ballet-presents-salsa-dreams.html | title = Nashville Ballet Presents Salsa Dreams | publisher = Hispanic Nashville | access-date = 20 December 2021 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 13 January 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220113193218/http://www.hispanicnashville.com/2012/02/nashville-ballet-presents-salsa-dreams.html }}</ref>
In 2000, the company purchased and renovated its current home on 3630 Redmon Street.<ref name="History"/>
Nashville Ballet reimagined [[The Nutcracker]] as ''Nashville’s Nutcracker'' by Paul Vasterling in 2008.<ref name="mixing">{{cite web | url = https://www.tennessean.com/story/life/entertainment/2021/12/09/nashvilles-nutcracker-tpac-combines-pros-and-young-dancers/6421334001/ | title = Nashville's Nutcracker Returns, Mixing Young Dancers and Professionals | publisher = Tennessean | access-date = 20 December 2021 | url-status = }}{{deadlink|date=September 2023}}</ref>
In 2009, the Company debuted their first original production of ''Carmina Burana''.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://nashvillearts.com/2016/04/carmina-burana/ | title = Carmina Burana | publisher = Nashville Arts | access-date = 20 December 2021 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 13 January 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220113195914/https://nashvillearts.com/2016/04/carmina-burana/ }}</ref>
In 2014, Nashville Ballet launched its ELEVATE Capital Campaign to help expand their facilities.<ref name="record">{{cite web | url = https://www.tennessean.com/get-access/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennessean.com%2Fstory%2Fmoney%2Findustries%2Fmusic%2F2014%2F11%2F13%2Fnashville-ballet-receives-record-setting-gift%2F18994889%2F| title = Nashville Ballet Receives Record Setting Gift | publisher = Tennessean | access-date = 20 December 2021 | url-status = }}{{deadlink|date=September 2023}}</ref> Following a large fundraising initiative, Nashville Ballet completed $5.2 million worth of expansions to the Martin Center.<ref name="record"/> Following the initiative, Nashville Ballet completed $5.2 million worth of expansions to the Martin Center.<ref name="record"/>
Created by the male company members and staff, Nashville Ballet launched a tuition free Young Men’s Scholarship Program in 2016.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://pointemagazine.com/nashville-ballet-launches-mens-scholarship-program/ | title = Nashville Ballet Launches Men's Scholarship Program | publisher = Pointe Magazine | access-date = 20 December 2021 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 4 December 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211204053927/https://pointemagazine.com/nashville-ballet-launches-mens-scholarship-program/ }}</ref>
In 2017, the group performed at The [[Kennedy Center]],<ref name="Kennedy">{{cite web | url = https://www.tennessean.com/get-access/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennessean.com%2Fstory%2Flife%2Farts%2F2017%2F04%2F02%2Fnashville-ballet-takes-ben-folds-project-prestigious-kennedy-center%2F99699504%2F | title = Nashville Ballet Takes Ben Folds Project to Prestigious Kennedy Center | publisher = Tennessean | access-date = 20 December 2021 | url-status = }}{{deadlink|date=September 2023}}</ref> In 2019, Paul Vasterling's debuted Lucy Negro Redux on the Company and was featured in the New York Times.<ref name="A Nashville Miracle">{{cite web | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/18/opinion/lucy-negro-ballet-nashville.html | title = A Nashville Miracle | work = The New York Times | access-date = 20 December 2021 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 13 January 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220113195911/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/18/opinion/lucy-negro-ballet-nashville.html }}</ref>
In 2020, For the first time in the company's history, Nashville Ballet staged and filmed ''Nashville’s Nutcracker'' for television. The performance made its televised premiere on NewsChannel 5 [[WTVF]],<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.tennessean.com/get-access/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennessean.com%2Fstory%2Fnews%2F2020%2F09%2F17%2Fnashville-ballet-to-present-televised-premiere-of-nashvilles-nutcracker%2F3478881001%2F| title = Nashville Ballet to Present Televised Premiere of Nashville's Nutcracker | publisher = Tennessean | access-date = 20 December 2021 | url-status = }}{{deadlink|date=September 2023}}</ref> which received two TELLY Awards and an Emmy Award.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.visitmusiccity.com/media/press-release/2021/emmy-award-nominated-nashvilles-nutcracker-return-newschannel-5-holiday | title = Emmy Award Nominated Nashville's Nutcracker to Return to NewsChannel 5 this Holiday Season | publisher = Visit Music City | access-date = 20 December 2021 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 9 December 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211209221359/https://www.visitmusiccity.com/media/press-release/2021/emmy-award-nominated-nashvilles-nutcracker-return-newschannel-5-holiday }}</ref>
==Performances== Nashville Ballet presents five to seven mainstage performances each year.<ref name="season">{{cite web | url = https://www.tennessean.com/get-access/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennessean.com%2Fstory%2Fentertainment%2F2021%2F06%2F25%2Fnashville-ballet-schedule-2021-2022-season%2F7766997002%2F| title = Nashville Ballet Schedule 2021-2022 Season | publisher = Tennessean | access-date = 20 December 2021 | url-status = }}{{deadlink|date=September 2023}}</ref> The company performs at and is the resident ballet company at the [[Tennessee Performing Arts Center]] in downtown [[Nashville]].
Nashville Ballet has performed at The [[Kennedy Center]] in [[Washington, D.C.]] in 2017<ref name="Kennedy"/> and at the [[Chautauqua Institution]] in [[Chautauqua, NY]] in 2018.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://chqdaily.com/2018/08/nashville-ballet-chautauqua-symphony-orchestra-collaboration-match-made-in-amphitheater-heaven/ | title = Nashville Ballet, Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra Collaboration, Match Made in Amphitheater Heaven | publisher = The Chautauquan Daily | access-date = 20 December 2021 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 13 January 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220113201517/http://chqdaily.com/2018/08/nashville-ballet-chautauqua-symphony-orchestra-collaboration-match-made-in-amphitheater-heaven/ }}</ref> The company has performed internationally in [[Basel]], Switzerland,<ref name="History"/> and [[Buenos Aires]], Argentina.<ref name="Salsa"/> In the spring of 2022, the company will tour Paul Vasterling’s ''Lucy Negro Redux'' to [[Denver, Colorado]], [[Santa Fe, New Mexico]], [[Kansas City, Missouri]], and [[Norfolk, Virginia]].<ref name="season"/>
Vasterling’s 2019 ''Lucy Negro Redux'' in collaboration with [[Rhiannon Giddens]] examined themes of otherness, equality, and self-worth; it was dubbed a “Nashville miracle” by [[The New York Times]].<ref name="A Nashville Miracle"/>
== Music director == In 2022, Nashville Ballet named frequent guest conductor [[Ming Luke]] as music director and principal conductor.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Official website|http://www.nashvilleballet.com}}
[[Category:Ballet companies in the United States]] [[Category:Dance in Tennessee]] [[Category:1986 establishments in Tennessee]] [[Category:Performing groups established in 1986]] [[Category:Nashville, Tennessee]]