For the second year in a row, Nashville Ballet will serve as Nashville’s official location of National Dance Dayon Saturday, July 28, by offering free sample classes and choreography provided by Fox hit realty show So You Think You Can Dance(SYTYCD).
“Through dance, we have the power to express our feelings, tell a story, accomplish our fitness goals and have fun,” Nashville Ballet Executive Director Angie Adams said. “We want to offer as many opportunities as possible for members of the community to experience the transformative power of dance.”
Nashville Ballet’s National Dance Daywill offer free classes in ballet, hip hop, contemporary and dance conditioning with elements of yoga and Pilates. All class participants will have an opportunity to learn choreography provided by SYTYCD, and perform as a group. The performance will be recorded and submitted to the SYTYCD website.
Students can choose from a variety of dance styles between 10 am. and noon:
10 – 10:30 a.m. All participants warm up with yoga/Pilates/conditioning class
10:45 – 11:15 a.m. Choose amongst ballet, hip hop or contemporary
11:30 a.m. – Noon Choose between Zumbaor hip hopSYTYCD choreography
SYTYCD Executive Producer and judge Nigel Lythgoe instituted National Dance Day in 2010 to encourage Americans to engage in the kind of fun physical activity they see profiled each week on the television show. Lythgoe’s initiatives to increase physical activity through dance and raise awareness for dance education across the country were recognized by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) in 2011.
National Dance Day classes at Nashville Ballet are free and open to men and women ages 13 and up. Advance registration is not required to participate. Participation will be offered on a first come, first served basis as space permits. Sample classes on National Dance Day are offered at the School of Nashville Ballet during the fall semester, which begins Monday, August 6 and is currently open for enrollment. Students who enjoy National Dance Day sample classes can enroll onlineat any time.
Students interested in enrolling in the School of Nashville Ballet are invited to attend one of two open houses Saturday, August 4 at each School of Nashville Ballet location – in Nashville and Brentwood. The open house at The School of Nashville Ballet in Nashvillewill be held 10 a.m. to noon, and at the School of Nashville Ballet Brentwood Campus2 to 4 p.m. Both open houses will host Spells Dancewearon site for students to shop for dance attire.
About Nashville Ballet
Nashville Ballet is the largest professional ballet company in Tennessee. Nashville Ballet presents a varied repertoire of classical ballet and contemporary works by noted choreographers, including original works by Artistic Director & CEO Paul Vasterling. Nashville Ballet and the second company NB2 (a pre-professional training company) serve nearly 50,000 adults and children annually through performances and our outreach and community engagement programming. Curriculum-based outreach programs bring dance education to community centers, colleges, public libraries and public elementary, middle and high schools across the state. The School of Nashville Ballet provides world-class instruction in ballet and other forms of dance for dancers of all ages.
Nashville Ballet is funded in part from grants made available through the Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission, the Tennessee Arts Commission and the Ingram Charitable Trust. Additional funding is also provided by Bridgestone Americas Trust Fund, Caterpillar Financial, ELAN, The Memorial Foundation and Publix Super Markets Charities.