Christopher Stuart News

In its ongoing effort to profile how dance pairs with every style of music, Nashville Ballet will pay homage to the diverse musical genres that earned Nashville the title of "Music City," at its premier fundraising event Ballet Ball, held on March 4, 2017, at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center.

The Nashville Ballet's 2017 production of ATTITUDE brought a host of grace, edge and even a bit of history to TPAC's James K. Polk Theatre on Thurs., Feb. 9.

Nashville Ballet's smash-hit Johnny Cash ballet returns by popular demand this Valentine's Day withSugar + The Hi-Lows to pay tribute to The Man in Black's iconic life and legacy. The Johnny Cash piece joins the lineup for Nashville Ballet's annual contemporary Attitude series February 9-12, 2017, at TPAC's Polk Theater.

Since its debut in 2008, Nashville's Nutcracker – choreographer Paul Vasterling's holiday-scented love letter to his adopted hometown – has delighted thousands of audience members eager to experience this particularly rapturous paean to this most wonderful time of the year. Eager to set off on a journey of wonder and delight, to be swept away to a fanciful world of dashing princes and beautiful fairy princesses brought to life vivdly by the accomplished dancers of Nashville Ballet's various companies, audiences for nine successive years now have allowed themselves to be caught up in the spectacle of the production which never fails to enthrall and to entertain.

From the very first moment - when principal guest conductor Nathan Fifield raises his baton and the musicians of the Nashville Symphony play the very first notes of Prokofiev's lush score - it becomes apparent that Nashville Ballet's Cinderella is going to be something very special. And so it goes for the next two-and-one-half-hours: All the way to the final tableau in which the lovely young woman (danced with power and grace by the always-superb Kayla Rowser) finds herself upon a swing in an altogether bucolic setting, with the comforting and loving arm of her dashing prince (Judson Veach, handsome and steadfast) gently caressing her.

Nashville Ballet brings the magical fairytale Cinderella to life September 16-18, 2016, at TPAC's Polk Theater as the opening performance of its 2016-2017 season. The family friendly classical ballet features a Cinderella who's not afraid to take fate into her own hands, two stepsisters hilariously played by men and an adorable youth cast of 5 to 7 year olds.

Nashville Ballet and company principal/choreographer Christopher Stuart have been awarded a Fellowship Initiative grant from the New York Choreographic Institute, an affiliate of New York City Ballet, to support the development of new choreography in a studio setting.

Nashville Ballet has been awarded a Fellowship Initiative grant from the New York Choreographic Institute, an affiliate of New York City Ballet, to support the development of new choreography in a studio setting. The choreographer will be Christopher Stuart.

Nashville Ballet brings its 30th anniversary season to a close with two works choreographed by artistic director and CEO Paul Vasterlling:  a dazzlingly intricate and grand revival of Carmina Burana, set to the timeless music of Carl Orff, and the world premiere of Layla & The Majnun, which features the music of composer Richard Danielpour, which recreates one of the world's oldest love stories from Persian culture.

Country music star Jana Kramer is among a diverse group of artists to perform at Nashville Ballet's largest annual fundraiser, Ballet Ball, at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center tonight, March 12. In the midst of the company's 30th anniversary season, this year's Ballet Ball entertainment will celebrate the richness and diversity of dance as well as Music City artists.

Country music star Jana Kramer is among a diverse group of artists to perform at Nashville Ballet's largest annual fundraiser, Ballet Ball, at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center on Saturday, March 12. In the midst of the company's 30th anniversary season, this year's Ballet Ball entertainment will celebrate the richness and diversity of dance as well as Music City artists.

Without doubt, excessive exaggeration or hyperbole, Nashville is a veritable 'city of dreams,' a place where creativity thrives and collaboration is a way of life. Perhaps in no other way is this synergy expressed more artfully than in Nashville Ballet's Attitude series - playing through Valentine's Day at TPAC's James K. Polk Theatre - which captures the very essence of Music City, encapsulating it in the music of local songwriters and then translating it for an audience via the ephemeral nature of dance.

Nashville Ballet's acclaimed Attitude series will shake up its annual performance - slated for this weekend at TPAC's James K. Polk Theatre - to feature a collaboration with Music City's world-famous Bluebird Cafe for a unique series of dances.

Nashville Ballet's acclaimed Attitude series will shake up its annual performance - slated for this weekend at TPAC's James K. Polk Theatre - to feature a collaboration with Music City's world-famous Bluebird Cafe for a unique series of dances.

Nashville Ballet's acclaimed Attitude series shakes up its annual performance by collaborating with the world-famous Bluebird Cafe. A Valentine's Day evening performance has been added to the original schedule due to popular demand, with a total of four performances February 12-14, 2016, at TPAC's Polk Theater.

Darkly sensual and broodingly sexy, Paul Vasterling's balletic interpretation of Bram Stoker's legendary anti-hero Dracula (first presented in 1999 and revived in 2007) remains as potent and as stirring as ever, richly conceived and beautifully performed by the dancers of Nashville Ballet, who offer  audiences a spine-tingling seasonal adventure.

 Oscar-winning and Emmy-nominated Production Designer Patrizia von Brandenstein will receive the Art Directors Guild's Lifetime Achievement Award at the 20th Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards on January 31, 2016 at a black-tie ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The announcement was made today by Marcia Hinds, ADG Council Chair, and James Pearse Connelly, ADG Award's Producer.

The weekend is upon us, which means you have just a few hours to figure out a game plan so you don't miss out on all the fun that's happening all around you. We've got the goods on theatrical events this weekend, to save wear and tear on your brain, and we can offer some sound advice: Just do as we say and everything will be fine. Resistance is futile.

There always seems to be so much to do in Nashville, from a creative and theatrical standpoint, we're often asked for recommendations of what's not to be missed on our calendar. Well, have no fear, gentle readers, we're at your service, at the ready to tell you of the shows you really should see this week and in the coming weeks…

Nashville Ballet closes its 2014-2015 performance season with the return of its cutting-edge Emergence series, an evening of emerging art featuring four original pieces from renowned local musicians and guest choreographers, May 14-16, 2015, at The Martin Center for Nashville Ballet.