Nashville Ballet's annual Attitude series in February is known for using the art of dance to explore timely social and cultural topics. This season's Attitude production, Other Voices (Feb. 14 – 16; ages 14 & older), tackles the hot-button topic of gender identity and stereotypes. The production will premiere four new works by four renowned choreographers — Jennifer Archibald, Erin Kouwe, Matthew Neenan and Carlos Pons Guerra.
Drawing inspiration from National Geographic's "The Gender Issue" (January 2017), Nashville Ballet Artistic Director Paul Vasterling presented the four choreographers with a set of four questions: What does it mean to be a man? What does it mean to be a woman? What does it mean to be both? What does it mean to be neither. Vasterling's directive was for each choreographer to interpret the questions and expand upon them any way they wish.
“In mainstream media, we’re seeing similar stories being told and retold; we’ve had the same perspectives and experiences brought to life through every artistic medium possible for so long, and while those perspectives are important, they’re not the only voices or perspectives that we need to hear from or see on stage in order to progress as a community and grow as individuals,” says Vasterling. “Each choreographer has spent more than a year reflecting on the four questions I posed, and each one brings aspects of their individual identities — gender, race, sexuality, ethnicity, life experiences — into their work to share new perspectives; they’re telling stories less likely to be told.”
COMMUNITY CONVERSATION WITH THE OASIS CENTER: THURSDAY, FEB. 6
In conjunction with Other Voices, Nashville Ballet and the Oasis Center have teamed up to present a free Community Conversation on Thursday, Feb. 6 from 5:30 – 7 p.m. at Nashville Ballet Studios (3630 Redmon St., Nashville). The panel discussion is designed to help prepare the the public for the work they'll see onstage while conversing about the ballet's topic. In addition to Oasis Center's Just Us Program Coordinator Joseph Clark serving as a panelist, teen members of the Students of Stonewall group will also participate in the discussion.
IF YOU GO:
Nashville Ballet presents:
Attitude: Other Voices
Feb. 14 – 16, 2020; Ages 14 & older
TPAC's Polk Theater, Nashville
505 Deaderick St., Nashville
615-782-4040 | nashvilleballet.com
Showtimes: Fri – Sat 7:30 p.m., Sun 2 p.m.
Tickets: $30 – $88
