LIVE IN STUDIO A to Open Nashville Ballet's 2026-27 Season
Choreographers Travis Bradley, Maia Montgomery, Garritt McCabe and Anneliese Guerin contribute new works to the program.
Nashville Ballet will open its 2026–27 season Sept. 11–20 with Live in Studio A, an intimate program that gives audiences a rare, up-close look at both ballet’s celebrated past and its creative future, from a honored classic to new works created from within Nashville Ballet.
Anchored by George Balanchine’s Allegro Brillante, set to music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, the program brings together classical precision and athleticism with fast-paced choreography in one of Nashville Ballet’s most experimental programs of the season.
Among the program’s highlights is the first public look at The Picture of Dorian Gray, a new work by Nashville Ballet Rehearsal Director Travis Bradley inspired by Oscar Wilde’s classic novel. The piece offers audiences an early glimpse into the development of a work Nashville Ballet hopes to expand into a full-length production for fall 2028.
This mixed rep performance includes three new contemporary works choreographed by Nashville Ballet company artists Maia Montgomery, Garritt McCabe and Anneliese Guerin, providing a platform for emerging choreographic voices from within the organization. The production marks the first company-program works for Montgomery and McCabe.
“I think one of the things that we’re all kind of longing for is a sense of connection to our community,” said Nick Mullikin, Artistic Director & CEO of Nashville Ballet. “One of the things that the arts does so well is bring people together. It’s also important that we give our artists the creative space they deserve to explore new ideas, take artistic risks and grow as storytellers beyond their work onstage.”
That sense of connection is at the heart of Live in Studio A. Presented in Studio A at The Martin Center for Nashville Ballet, the program places audiences just feet from the dancers, providing an immediate view of the artistry, athleticism and creative energy behind a professional ballet company.
Bradley, whose choreography was featured in Nashville Ballet’s 2025 production of If I Can Dream, has been developing the concept for The Picture of Dorian Gray for approximately two years. The Live in Studio A presentation provides an early glimpse into the creative process as the work begins its journey toward a potential full-length production.
Live in Studio A launches Nashville Ballet’s 2026–27 season, Movement Taking Form, reflecting the company’s continued commitment to honoring ballet’s classical foundation while creating space for new voices, new works and deeper connections with the community.
Photo Credit: MA2LA
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