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 Paul Vasterling.[1]
The company is composed of 32 professional dancers from around the world. NB2, Nashville Ballet's official second Company, prepares aspiring dancers for a mainstage career through intensive training and performance opportunities.
History
In 1974, a group of dancers and teachers opened the Dancers Studio, which offered ballet and other dance classes to the public, including Opryland USA theme park performers.
After several productions following their 1981 debut, the group evolves into Nashville City Ballet.[1]
Nashville City Ballet becomes a professional performance company in 1986 and hires Dane LaFontsee as its first artistic director.[2] A year later, the company was renamed to Nashville Ballet.[1]
Co-chaired by Clare Armistead and Elizabeth Nichols, the organization hosted its first Ballet Ball fundraiser, originally known as Masked Ball, in 1989.[3] Paul Vasterling is also hired as a company member.
In 1991, Nashville Ballet relocated to a building on Sidco Drive to provide larger rehearsal studios and expand the offerings.[4]
After serving as rehearsal director, Paul Vasterling was appointed Nashville Ballet Artistic Director in 1998.[5]
In 1999, the group traveled abroad for the first time to perform in Basel, Switzerland.[6] Among other international tours, they went to Buenos Aires and other cities across Argentina.[7]
In 2000, the company purchased its current home on 3630 Redmon Street. The building was renovated and Nashville Ballet became the first performing arts group in Nashville to own its own building.[6]
Nashville Ballet reimagined The Nutcracker as Nashville’s Nutcracker by Paul Vasterling in 2008.[8]
In 2009, the Company debuted their first original production of Carmina Burana.[9]
In 2014, Nashville Ballet launched its ELEVATE Capital Campaign to help expand their facilities.[10] Following a large fundraising initiative, Nashville Ballet completed $5.2 million worth of expansions to the Martin Center.[10] Following the initiative, Nashville Ballet completed $5.2 million worth of expansions to the Martin Center.[10]
Created by the male company members and staff, Nashville Ballet launched a tuition free Young Men’s Scholarship Program in 2016.[11]
In 2019, Paul Vasterling's debuts Lucy Negro Redux on the Company and is featured in the New York Times.[13]
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,[14] which received two TELLY Awards and an Emmy Award.[15]
Performances
Nashville Ballet presents five to seven mainstage performances each year.[16] The company performs at and is the resident ballet company at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center in downtown Nashville.
Nashville Ballet collaborates with musicians across all genres for live performances. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Paul Vasterling, Nashville Ballet has commissioned 22 original scores for brand-new ballets.[5] The Nashville Symphony accompanies each of Nashville Ballet’s classical productions. For contemporary works, they have worked with musicians such as Ben Folds, Maren Morris, Rayland Baxter, Louis York, Sugar + The Hi-Lows, Sheryl Crow, 10 Out of Tenn, Guy Clark, Shannon Sanders, and Lockeland Strings.[18]
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.[13]
Education and Community Engagement
School of Nashville Ballet provides dance education for children, youth, and adults for ages 2–70.[19] The school aims to focus on development, inclusivity, and excellence in dance by teaching the fundamental foundation of classical ballet.[8] The Community Engagement Program brings arts education to more than 50,000 individuals each year.[20] The company visits schools, libraries, parks and community centers to introduce new audiences to dance.[21] The Martin Center for Nashville Ballet currently serves as a home for their professional dancers, students, and administrative offices.[22]
Artists
Artistic Director
Nick Mullikin who joined Nashville Ballet in 2015 was officially named Artistic Director, succeeding, Paul Vasterling who is a nationally acclaimed choreographer and former Nashville Ballet Company dancer and has been with the organization since 1988.
Company dancers
There are thirty one full-time professional dancers, recruited through annual auditions. As of August, 2025:
Company Members
Justin Abel
Elisabeth Baehman
Joshua Binowitz
Celeste Borman
Kennedy Brown
Michael Burfield
Shaiya Donohue
Will Giannuzzi
Anneliese Guerin
Jamie Kopit
James Lankford
Garritt McCabe
Claudia Monja
Maia Montgomery
Jack Owen
Jorge Emilio Peña
Sarah Pierce
Nicholas Posluszny
Lily Saito
Brett Sjoblom
Marissa Stark
Farin Taft
Autumn Tierney
Colette Tilinski
Jasmine Wheeler
Company Apprentices
Graham E. Barnes
Summer Brown
Nicholas Mihlar
Summer Montenegro
Joe Parker
Gwyneth Smith
Music director
In 2022, Nashville Ballet named frequent guest conductor Ming Luke as music director and principal conductor.
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