Nashville Ballet Announces Key Audition Schedule and Events for Youth and Academy Participants
Community Youth Auditions for Nashville’s Nutcracker, Academy Auditions for Pre-professional and Professional Division Level Dancers
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – July 30, 2024 – Nashville Ballet has announced upcoming youth and Academy auditions along with special event dates. In addition, as announced earlier this year, renowned ballet instructors Dmitri and Jennifer Kulev will join Nashville Ballet’s leadership team in August as the new School Directors.
Under the guidance of Jennifer and Dmitri Kulev, Nashville Ballet School will significantly enhance its performance opportunities, offering more comprehensive stage experiences for both the Academy and Pre-Professional divisions to showcase their skills and development in professional settings. School of Nashville Ballet is dedicated to providing an environment where students can thrive artistically and personally, promoting dance as a vital and inspiring part of the Nashville community.
“We are thrilled to have the Kulevs join us next month as we continue our mission to foster a rich dance culture in Nashville,” said Nick Mullikin, Nashville Ballet’s Artistic Director and CEO. “The audition season is always an exciting time for us as we see fresh new talent through our training programs, community outreach, and educational efforts.”
Photo Credit: Karyn Photography.
August 1 – Sign up for Youth Cast Auditions for Nashville’s Nutcracker
Nashville’s Nutcracker will again feature School of Nashville Ballet students and, for the first time since 2019, the community at large. Those interested can audition on Sunday, Aug. 25 or on Sunday, Sept. 8 at The Martin Center for Nashville Ballet. Auditions are held in a light and fun environment, and no prior dance experience is required. Pre-registration link now available from August 1 – September 7, 2024. For questions regarding the audition process, please email youthcast@nashvilleballet.com for more information.
August 3 – Academy Auditions (Ages 8 – 18)
Registration: 11 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | Audition Class: 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
School of Nashville Ballet’s Academy Division students are instructed by our world-class faculty to help excel in their technical execution, artistic expression, and maturity. Through careful development and attention to the syllabus, our instructors implement a curriculum designed to produce dancers with expressiveness and clear classical lines. This guidance enables students to develop their own artistry, while pure classical technique provides the vehicle for their artistic expression.
School of Nashville Ballet will have expanded curriculum and increase the total class offerings to 240, accommodating a wider range of disciplines and skill levels. This expansion aims to nurture a larger student body, now capable of supporting up to 2,156 students, with enhanced opportunities for both beginner and advanced dancers. In addition, the school plans to grow their Young Men’s Scholarship Program, spearheaded by Dmitri Kulev, who is dedicated to transforming the skills and performance of male-identifying dancers of all ages. Working together, these men are able to push themselves and each other in a supportive environment that centers on athleticism, strength, camaraderie, and discipline. The curriculum mirrors elements of the Academy Division but with a special emphasis on developing specific male technique and addressing the unique challenges that face young men.
The new school year will also see the introduction of new optional disciplines including tap, jazz, hip hop, musical theater and contemporary. Additionally, the school will offer more comprehensive training programs and an increase in performance opportunities to include showcases for children and community youth, as well as a prestigious spring production for all academy levels.
For more information about these auditions visit the pre-registration link.
August 10 – 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Children’s Open House
Join us for our Children’s Division Open House at The Martin Center with FREE classes, crafts, and other fun activities for your children to enjoy! If you are enrolled for class, this is also a great way to see the studio space and possibly meet your teacher. Watch your child develop a love for movement while practicing cognitive skills, gross motor skills, creative problem-solving, balance, rhythm, coordination, social skills and more! Enrollment is not necessary to attend the Open House. For more information, email school@nashvilleballet.com.
Photo Credit: Lydia McRae Photography.
September 21 – National Dance Day – 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Nashville Ballet will celebrate National Dance Day in the community by offering free classes for all ages, and a performance! The day will feature a sample of Nashville Ballet’s regularly-programmed Community Adult, Children’s Division, and Community Youth Classes. Capacity is limited, so we highly recommend signing up for classes prior to the event. For more information visit www.NashvilleBallet.com or email school@nashvilleballet.com.
Nashville Ballet is committed to remaining accessible to the community while expanding their class offerings. The majority of these new classes will enhance the Children’s, Community Youth and Adult Programs, ensuring that foundational and recreational segments receive focused development and support. This strategic expansion is designed to make ballet more inclusive and available to everyone in the community, nurturing a passion for dance across all age groups and skill levels.
To inquire about placement or to schedule one-on-one sessions with the new School Directors at School of Nashville Ballet, email school@nashvilleballet.com. For more information about Nashville Ballet, visit their website at www.NashvilleBallet.com.
ABOUT NASHVILLE BALLET:
Nashville Ballet, the largest professional ballet company in Tennessee, presents a varied repertoire of classical ballet and contemporary works by noted choreographers, including original works by Artistic Director Nick Mullikin, and other guest artists. Nashville Ballet and the second company, NB2, provides more than 55,000 arts experiences to adults and children annually through virtual and in-person season performances and Community Engagement programming. Nashville Ballet curriculum-based Community Engagement and Education Programs bring dance education to over 12,000 students in over 25 schools across 21 council districts in Middle Tennessee. School of Nashville Ballet provides exceptional dance training to students ages two and up.
Nashville Ballet creates, performs, teaches, and promotes dance as an essential and inspiring element of the Nashville community. Season ticket holders’ support helps to sustain Nashville Ballet’s artistic and educational excellence, accessible arts education to children and adults throughout the Nashville area and beyond, contributing to the city’s vibrant arts and cultural landscape.
Nashville Ballet receives public funding from Metro Arts, the Tennessee Arts Commission, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Contributions from local, regional, and national institutional funders, community partners, and hundreds of generous individuals provide ongoing support for Nashville Ballet’s mission-critical programs.
