Young Dancers from Antioch-South Nashville to Perform in Nashville Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty

Eleven young dancers from Antioch-South Nashville have been selected to perform in Nashville Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty September 23-24, 2017, at TPAC’s Jackson Hall. A total of 58 School of Nashville Ballet students age 6 to 7 years old will be featured in Nashville Ballet’s version of the beloved classic as flower girls and fairy pages.

Nashville Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty will feature the following young dancers from Antioch-South Nashville:

• Bentley Beam, child of Amanda and Stacy, as a Garland Waltz
• Stella Carter, child of Kelly and Joshua, as a Garland Waltz
• Xavier Dixon, child of Sameka and Gary, as a Page
• Evelyn Ells, child of Stacey, as a Garland Waltz
• Beatrice Harvey-Schwartz, child of Sara and Matthew, as a Garland Waltz
• Sophia Hill, child of Margaret, as a Garland Waltz
• Alice Lowe, child of Michiru and Bryan, as a Garland Waltz
• Garrett Northwall, child of Beth and Joel, as a Page
• Selah Smith, child of Melanie and Donte, as a Garland Waltz
• Althea Stefansic, child of Candy and Jim, as a Garland Waltz
• Eva Stefansic, child of Candy and Jim, as a Garland Waltz

Members of The Sleeping Beauty youth cast come from seven counties in Middle Tennessee—Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Montgomery, Rutherford, Sumner and Williamson. The youth cast will perform alongside all 53 members of Nashville Ballet’s professional company and second company as well as 60 musicians from the Nashville Symphony.

“The youth cast adds an unmatched layer of charm and magic to the production,” Nashville Ballet Artistic Director & CEO Paul Vasterling said. “Watching and working with this age group is a fantastic reminder of why I got into this. Their uninhibited joy and creativity awakens the child in all of us.”

The Sleeping Beauty ballet, based on the famous fairytale by Charles Perrault, debuted in 1890 featuring choreography by Marius Petipa (known as the "father of classical ballet”) and music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Even today, The Sleeping Beauty is known as one of classical ballet’s most famous works because of its intricate and challenging choreography for professional dancers.

Last presented by Nashville Ballet in 2012, The Sleeping Beauty features Petipa’s original choreography with updates from Vasterling. The timeless tale follows Princess Aurora, who is cursed to sleep for 100 years until a dashing prince’s kiss breaks the spell. The Sleeping Beauty depicts the search for an idealized version of love, but also explores the conflicting forces of good vs. evil represented by the noble Lilac Fairy and villainous Carabosse.

Though Carabosse is a female character, the role is often performed by a male dancer. In Nashville Ballet’s production, company dancer Jon Upleger will dance the role for the first time. In addition to fairies, princesses and kings, The Sleeping Beauty also includes fairytale characters from Perrault’s other stories, including Little Red Riding Hood, Beauty and the Beast, and Puss in Boots. The Sleeping Beauty will feature costumes and sets new to Nashville, traveling 1,626 miles from Ballet West in Salt Lake City, Utah. The production displays 29 handmade tutus per performance that each required approximately 80 hours to create, equaling more than 2,300 hours total.

“The Sleeping Beauty is unique because its impressive choreography and rich history appeals to ballet connoisseurs, but the beloved storyline and enchanting elements—like Tchaikovsky’s famous music (which was featured in The Sleeping Beauty Disney film), the extravagant sets and costumes, and the charm of the youth cast—also makes it a fantastic introduction for a first-time visitor to the ballet,” Vasterling said.

The Sleeping Beauty is presented by Bridgestone Americas Trust Fund, Benefits, Inc., Tennessee Orthopedic Alliance and Mix 92.9. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased in person at the TPAC box office in downtown Nashville, by phone at (615) 782-4040 or at NashvilleBallet.com. A complete performance schedule and more information can be found at NashvilleBallet.com/The-Sleeping-Beauty.