With the highly-anticipated release of Nashville Ballet’s 2021-22 season lineup came the announcement that Nashville Ballet will collaborate with several local organizations to offer innovative and specially-curated performances as add-ons this season. In addition to the regular season, the Ballet will offer three spectacular debut performances in Belmont University’s brand new, world-class performing arts center (BUPAC) in June 2022. With the BUPAC ribbon cutting set for September 14, Nashville Ballet performances will be part of the venue’s inaugural season.
“Both Nashville Ballet and Belmont University have the unique advantage of being surrounded by such an incredibly robust arts scene, and we have a long history of working together to offer artists the space they need to thrive,” shared Nashville Ballet Artistic Director Paul Vasterling. “We’ve partnered together to present free performances to our community, house our Summer Intensive students from all across the country on their beautiful campus, and invite Belmont students to train on our campus while our dancers pursue degrees on theirs. For our company artists to have the opportunity to perform in a performing arts venue of this caliber right in our own city is unprecedented, and we are so honored to be continuing our long-valued partnership with Belmont by being a part of their inaugural BUPAC season.”
Nashville Ballet at Belmont will feature an exclusive sneak peek of award-winning choreographer Matthew Neenan’s newest piece commissioned by Nashville Ballet, the premiere of Associate Artistic Director Nick Mullikin’s pas de deux 2,192 Days, and Val Caniparoli’s Tutto Eccetto il Lavandino (everything but the kitchen sink). Music will be from Antonio Vivaldi, Sergei Rachmaninov and more.
Vasterling shared that the company’s artists and employees continued working throughout the pandemic so that when live performances could resume, Nashville Ballet would be able to bounce back stronger than ever. “Because our dancers have spent the last year honing their craft, we are able to present robust and technically-challenging works that showcase their artistry but, just as important, also allow our artists to connect with our audiences in a meaningful way,” he said in Nashville Ballet’s season release. “And that connection is what we’ve all missed the most over the last year.”
Other highlights of Nashville Ballet’s upcoming season include family-favorites Peter Pan and Nashville’s Nutcracker at TPAC, iconic contemporary works like Attitude and the highly-anticipated reprise of Vasterling’s nationally acclaimed Lucy Negro Redux. Other special add-ons to the regular season include a virtual opportunity in collaboration with the National Museum of African American Music, available to stream for free November 2021 – June 2022, and “Ballet Extravaganza with the Nashville Symphony” next May.
Season packages and individual tickets for Nashville Ballet’s 2021-22 season are on sale and can be purchased through their website or through their Box Office at 615-297-2966 x 710 or tickets@nashvilleballet.com.
About Nashville Ballet
Nashville Ballet is the largest professional ballet company in Tennessee. Nashville Ballet presents a varied repertoire of classical ballet and contemporary works by noted choreographers, including original works by Artistic Director Paul Vasterling. Nashville Ballet and the second company, NB2 (a pre-professional training company), provide more than 55,000 arts experiences to adults and children annually through virtual and in-person season performances and its Community Engagement programming. Curriculum-based Community Engagement programs bring hybrid learning dance education to community centers, colleges, public libraries, and public elementary, middle and high schools across the state. School of Nashville Ballet brings world-class in-studio, on-demand and outdoor dance instruction to students age 2 and up. To learn more about Nashville Ballet, please visit nashvilleballet.com.
