Nashville Ballet Artistic Director Paul Vasterling has announced the 2019-20 season roster. Vasterling promotes three artists from within and welcomes four newcomers to the organization. Nashville Ballet’s company now includes 25 artists, approximately 50 percent of which are alumni of NB2, Nashville Ballet’s official second company, as well as two School of Nashville Ballet alumni. Nashville Ballet’s company and NB2 dancers are selected from a rigorous nationwide audition process from a pool of over 500 qualified applicants.

“The level of talent and artistry within our company has never been greater, an accomplishment that wouldn’t be possible without the increased strength of our school and our second company,” said Vasterling. “It’s wonderful to see our company grow and flourish in the same way that our city continues to by bringing in fresh and diverse perspectives.”

After joining Nashville Ballet in 2017 as an apprentice, Jackson Bradshaw of Los Angeles, California, has been promoted to company member. Imani Sailers of Chicago, Illinois, has also been promoted from apprentice to company member; Sailers receives this promotion after joining NB2 in 2017 and becoming a company apprentice the following season. Vasterling also welcomes Lydia McRae of Kernersville, North Carolina, and Daniel Rodriguez of New York, New York, as company members. McRae joins Nashville Ballet after four seasons with Ballet Memphis; Rodriguez joins from Kansas City Ballet.

The 2019-20 season will also welcome three Patricia and Louis Todd apprentices to the company in what is the inaugural year of a transformational gift for the organization. After two years in NB2, Erin Williams has been promoted to the company. A Tennessee native, Williams began her training with School of Nashville Ballet’s Academy in in 2006; she continued her training in Nashville Ballet’s Professional Training Division before being hired to the second company. Truman Lemire of Huntsville, Alabama, and Noah Miller of Lake Forest, California, have also been hired as company apprentices. Lemire joins Nashville Ballet from Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Professional Division and Miller joins after two years as a trainee at Texas Ballet Theater.

The generous support of the Todd Family Foundation allows Nashville Ballet to further invest in the next generation of artists and to continue strengthening the company by contributing to the salaries of this season’s newly-hired apprentices, as well as those returning from the 2018-19 season. Patricia and Louis Todd were intimately involved in and supported Nashville Ballet from its very conception through more than 30 years. The Todd family’s generous gift commemorates this lifelong investment and their unwavering care and advocacy for the company’s artists, in particular. The 2019-20 Patricia and Louis Todd apprentices represent the future of Nashville Ballet.

In addition to recognizing the new company members, the organization is also pleased to announce a new principal conductor for the upcoming season. Ming Luke will join Nashville Ballet as the conductor for all of the organization’s performances accompanied by the Nashville Symphony. Principal guest conductor for San Francisco Ballet, Luke has conducted and performed with numerous exemplary organizations including Berkeley Symphony, Houston Symphony, Sacramento Philharmonic, and San Francisco Opera, among others.

Nashville Ballet’s 2019-20 season features thought-provoking, entertaining programming that raises a mirror to society in an exploration of perceptions, standards and stereotypes including thrilling blockbusters like Romeo and Juliet and A Streetcar Named Desire. Single tickets go on sale July 1. Season ticket packages are available now offering dance enthusiasts early access to purchase tickets at discounts of up to 50% off. For season tickets, call 615-297-2966 x710 or visit NashvilleBallet.com.