Nashville Ballet will be helping families across middle Tennessee experience Nashville’s favorite holiday tradition for free this December through its Holiday Magic initiative. An integral branch of its Community Engagement program, which aims to bring dance education to underserved communities, this year’s Holiday Magic initiative will allow more than 2,000 students and families in need to experience the magic of Nashville’s Nutcracker for free this holiday season.
“A huge element of our dance education programming is accessibility,” shares Briona Richardson, Senior Manager of Community Engagement. “We love sending our teaching artists out into the community, but we also want people to experience what goes into a full, large-scale theatrical production. Nashville’s Nutcracker is our largest performance of the season and such a time-honored tradition in the world of dance. It’s important to us that we share that experience with all members of our community, not just those who are able to purchase tickets on their own.”
For over three decades, Nashville Ballet’s Community Engagement program has provided free arts educational experiences to more than 100,000 local students, families and community centers. With support from public funding, generous individuals and corporate sponsors such as Publix Charities, Dollar General and Nissan, Nashville Ballet teaching artists and dancers are able to present free performances, ballet-inspired story times, movement exercises and dance classes with the community each year.
Each December, Holiday Magic helps share the joy of Nashville’s most beloved holiday tradition with students and families who may not otherwise be able to purchase tickets on their own. With the help of local service organizations, such as Preston Taylor Ministries, Thistle Farms and 4:13 Strong, 2,000 free tickets will be distributed this year. In addition, the company will also provide a full performance dedicated especially to Title 1 Metro Nashville public school students.
“All levels of our organization, from the students at the school, the administrative staff, and up to the professional company dancers and artistic team, will tell you that our favorite part about doing what we do is sharing it with the community,” shared Artistic Director and CEO Nick Mullikin. “We are so thankful for every partner, donor, staff member and artist that makes this opportunity possible. Together, we’re able to share what makes not just dance but the Nashville arts community so special and worth investing in.”
Nashville’s Nutcracker will run at Tennessee Performing Arts Center from December 8-24. Each performance will include live music by the Nashville Symphony, a youth cast and members from Nashville Ballet’s professional company and second company, NB2.
For more information on Nashville Ballet’s Community Engagement program or to purchase tickets to Nashville’s Nutcracker, visit nashvilleballet.com.
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