Julia Eisen will dance in Nashville Ballet’s upcoming Anthology

Nashville Ballet will continue their 2022-23 season and kick off the new year with the world premiere of Anthology. Conceptualized by Emmy Award-winning Artistic Director Paul Vasterling, Anthology will highlight unexplored stories of Music City’s past. Inspired by his passion for community, music, and movement, Anthology will be Vasterling’s final world premiere as Artistic Director of the company.

“In my 34 years with Nashville Ballet, I’ve always been mesmerized by the city around us,” shared Vasterling. “It is full of artists, creators, musicians, and visionaries; new ideas, collaborations, and voices. But it’s important to remember that there are people that came before us that made all of this, and so much more, possible. My hope with Anthology is that it would give names, faces, and recognition to those whose influence, accomplishments, and sacrifices, are so often forgotten. Everyone’s story deserves to be told.”

A poignant exploration of Nashville’s rich cultural tapestry, Anthology will explore the stories of both well-known locals and everyday people of the past, including formerly enslaved philanthropist Lucinda Bedford, the first women to serve on the Nashville Police Force, dance visionary Albertine Maxwell, the first peoples of Middle Tennessee, and more.

Known for his cross-disciplinary collaborations, Vasterling has enlisted a variety of creators to contribute to the project, including local Jewish artists MORGXN and Julia Eisen. A native Nashvillian, this will be MORGXN’s first time writing music for a ballet. Inspired by the 200-year-old city cemetery and the diverse stories it encompasses, MORGXN has worked alongside Vasterling and fellow musician Jordan Lehning on several brand-new pieces that he will debut live on stage during the production.

In addition, Nashville Ballet Company Dancer Julia Eisen will be dancing in several sections of the production. With Nashville Ballet since 2010, she is a familiar face in the Nashville dance community. Throughout her career, she has danced at several prestigious venues across the country, as well as in the broadcast debut of Nashville’s Nutcracker on NewsChannel 5 and in Black Lucy and the Bard on PBS.

Joining MORGXN as a collaborating artist will be multi-award winner Sidra Bell, newly appointed Resident Choreographer Mollie Sansone, longtime Nashville Ballet Teaching Artist Shabaz Ujima, Windship Boyd, Company Dancer Aeron Buchanan, Jordan Lehning, and local composer Larissa Maestro. Similar in kaleidoscopic style to his nationally-acclaimed ballet, Lucy

Negro Redux, Anthology will highlight a variety of art forms on stage in addition to dance, including original songs, musical scores, and live projection.

Anthology is sponsored in part by Vanderbilt University, DANCE/USA, and the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation and will make its world premiere at TPAC’s Polk Theater February 10–12, 2023. To learn more about Nashville Ballet, upcoming performances, or to purchase tickets, please visit nashvilleballet.com.