NASHVILLE, TENN. (January 26, 2023) Nashville Ballet is thrilled to announce that nationally recognized choreographer Maria Konrad has been named their new Director of Nashville Ballet 2 (NB2), Nashville Ballet’s official second company. Recently named International Outstanding Choreographer in 2022 by Youth America Grand Prix, the world’s largest dance network, Konrad’s work has been showcased and recognized both nationally and internationally.
“We are elated for Maria to be joining our Nashville Ballet family,” shared incoming Nashville Ballet Artistic Director Nick Mullikin. “Our NB2 artists are the future of this company, and we pride ourselves in investing in their talent. For them to have the opportunity to work day in and out with a choreographer of this caliber is unprecedented, and we can’t wait to see how much this program continues to grow under Maria’s guidance.”
A graduate from A.W. Dreyfoos High School of the Arts in West Palm Beach, Konrad earned her BFA in Performing Arts at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As a teacher in Philadelphia, she created the early-dance-education curriculum for the school of the Koresh Dance Company, which has been featured in Dance Magazine. A nationally acclaimed choreographer, her work has been presented around the country at Pennsylvania Ballet, Next Generation Ballet, the 2022 Nervi Festival in Italy, the Mariinsky, the Spoleto Festival in South Carolina, The School of Colorado Ballet, The Harid Conservatory, Florida Atlantic University, and more. This season, she will create for Oklahoma City Ballet 2, NB2, and Kansas City Ballet’s main company. She has collaborated with artistic organizations such as Palm Beach Symphony and Palm Beach Pops, and her work has been picked up by several choreographic workshops. She has been recognized by organizations such as Young Arts and YAGP for Outstanding Choreography (2015, 2017) and International Outstanding Choreographer (2022) and has been a guest teacher for institutions such as The Colorado Ballet School, The Joffrey School, University of the Arts, Florida’s Young Dancers Workshop, The Art of Classical Ballet, Next Generation Ballet, St. Paul’s School, Florida Dance Festival, and YAGP.
Konrad will be joining Nashville Ballet full-time beginning in August. As the Director of NB2, she will work alongside incoming Artistic Director Nick Mullikin to expand NB2’s repertoire and programming for the 2023-23 season. A champion of the diversity of the art form, Konrad aspires to help NB2 artists develop their skills outside of just ballet by exploring contemporary, jazz, and modern movement. In addition, she will spearhead bringing in new choreographers, classes, and workshops for NB2 dancers.
“As an artist, I have always been intrigued by the curriculum of contemporary dance and how we can use it to support classical technique,” shared Konrad. “When we unite these styles of movement, we push the boundaries of the art form and create stronger, more versatile artists and programming. Nashville Ballet has created a space that fosters this sort of creativity and forward-thinking, and I’m so excited to continue bringing that vision to life through the second company.”
To learn more about Nashville Ballet and NB2, please visit nashvilleballet.com.