James Lankford

From Hanau, Germany 
With Nashville Ballet since 2018

Training and Education
School of Nashville Ballet Young Men’s Scholarship Program 

Previously
NB2

BIO
James Lankford began his professional dance career at the age of 14 when he was accepted into School of Nashville Ballet’s Young Men’s Scholarship Program (YMSP). After one year of training, he was awarded a merit-based scholarship to continue training in the YMSP and advance into School of Nashville Ballet’s Professional Training Division. 

Throughout his training years, Lankford was awarded several scholarships to attend Summer Intensives at various schools across the country — including American Ballet Theatre, Ballet West, Bolshoi Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, and more. In 2020, he was invited to join NB2, Nashville Ballet’s official second company, as a trainee and, shortly after, was promoted to the role of NB2 member.  

During his time in NB2, Lankford worked alongside Artistic Director Emeritus Paul Vasterling to perform works such as Fresco, Paquita, Peter and the Wolf, and Artistic Director and CEO Nick Mullikin’s He Loved Big Brother. As an NB2 artist, he also had the opportunity to work with Nashville Ballet Company members in mainstage productions of Paul Vasterling’s Nashville’s Nutcracker, Peter Pan, and Lucy Negro Redux. In March of 2022, at the age of 18, Lankford was promoted to the position of Company apprentice. 

When he’s not in the studio, Lankford serves as a part-time instructor in School of Nashville Ballet’s Young Men’s Scholarship Program.