Wild Swans presented by Nashville Ballet
Nashville’s Nutcracker
I have been involved in the production of Nashville Ballet’s yearly production of The Nutcracker for three years (2021-2023). In addition to various repairs and maintenance on the costumes and fairy tutus, I have aided in the repairs of the Rat King’s tail, and in the pictured Teddy Bear Cavalry member, I inserted a custom bracket to reinforce the “spine” of the bear against its “ribs” to keep the head upright. Upon the completion of its spinal surgery, I applied new contact cement in the foam legs where the old cement was coming apart with age.
Additionally as shoe manager for the last two productions, I was in charge of assigning character shoes, and dance boots, modifying flats for the Chinese Dragon Bearers, and in 2023’s production I dyed the Snow King’s, Sugar Cavaleir’s, and Snake Women’s shoes to match their tights.
Lucy Negro Redux
I was a stitcher during the 2022 production of Nashville Ballet’s Lucy Negro Redux. My main role in the project was to aid in the lining of the Jesta costumes (pictured here). These costumes were made from a variety of unconventional materials (such window screens) but lacked the lining neccessasry to protect the dancers. I drape patterned the linings of multiple bodices and doublets. Additionally, I aided in the creation of Lucy’s new tearaway dress, cutting pieces for the skirt, and helping to roll hem the skirt.
Un Ballo
In 2023, Nashville Ballet gained the rights to re-create Jiří Kylián’s Un Ballo for a U.S. production. I aided in the creation of costumes based on Joke Visser’s original designs, by aiding in the cartridge pleating for the skirts, the construction of the mens’ pants, and did work on the mens’ spats.
Paul Vasterling’s Cinderella
In Nashville Ballet’s 2022 production of Cinderella, my largest role was in fitting the gentlemen playing the step-sisters in pointe shoes, and working with them through various trials until we found a fit that would allow them to dance on pointe without injury.
School of Nashville Ballet’s Giselle
One of my first tasks in this 2022 production was to patch and darn the chiffon sleeves of the lead back together. Many holes had worn away at the pits over many years of wear and re-use.
Additionally, many of the skirts used in this production have been re-used in various productions over the last decade (some have suggested they’ve been in use even longer due to archival photos) causing the chiffon to regularly shred. Most of our work was the regular patching an repair of these skirts, both in this production and subsequent school productions where they have been re-used.
Paul Vasterling and Mollie Sansone’s Wild Swans
In 2023 I was assigned the role of using sharpies to outline each feather on 9 out of the 14 pairs of wings used in the short film. Additionally, I created the headpiece worn by the lead. A Behind the Scenes can be found here to see the wings in both scale and motion.