For approximately the last 65 years, or at least for as long as my memory serves me, I have thought of ballet as something for … well … not for me. Even with the occasional story of the possibly mythical football player who took ballet to strengthen balance and power, I remained skeptical that it held any intrinsic value for me personally.
That began to shift a few years ago when my wife and I attended my first ballet in Nashville at Belmont’s Fisher Center, The Nutcracker. I went largely to “check the box” on a seasonal activity, expecting to be mildly entertained at best. Instead, I left slightly impressed and unexpectedly engaged, recalling moments from the performance in my mind on the drive home. As fate would have it, that reflection settled quietly into a corner of my memory—and then life went on.
About a year later, while on a solo trip visiting our daughter in Boston, I decided to take in a few Christmas events not available back home. From that recessed corner of my mind emerged my memory of The Nutcracker and a new awareness: Boston is home to one of the premier ballet companies in the United States, arguably second only to New York City. So why not see what they could do with the same classic? This time the production was amazing, and it significantly deepened my appreciation for the art and for those who perform it. Learning to watch the movement as an interpretive layer on top of the story added unexpected depth—an emotional layering like music but now expressed through the body.
That experience led to another solo trip to Boston in March for yet another performance, this one a reimagining of Vivaldi by Max Richter. At one point, 54 dancers moved in unison across the stage, the choreography so precise and so intricately woven with the score that I felt my mind wrestling to keep up with what my eyes were taking in. It was as if my senses were being pleasantly overtaxed, and I began to realize that ballet might be far more intellectually and emotionally engaging than I had ever allowed.
Which brings me to the night I attended the Nashville Ballet’s production of Sherlock. But this time with the whole family. Why did I journey here with my family? On one level, I simply wanted to introduce others to a new experience, to open a door that had only recently been opened for me. But why this ballet? Sherlock is Penny Saunders’ choreographed reimagining of one of literature’s most iconic figures from a fresh angle. With a couple of family members who are not especially “into” ballet, this felt like an inviting entry point—a familiar character framed in an unfamiliar medium.
The production is advertised as bringing the legendary Sherlock Holmes to life through choreography infused with cinematic flair and immersive storytelling, integrating vintage 1940s radio broadcasts into the performance. In other words, it promised to be part ballet, part play, part radio drama, and part musical—an artistic mash-up that seemed well suited to those of us still learning how to view ballet. It offered story, sound, and movement all braided together, which I hoped would give each member of our family at least one element they could latch onto.
Are you curious how this unfolded? Let me share our experience and reveal who may attend another ballet … maybe you will seek a ballet experience yourself?
As we settled into our seats, slightly stage left, soon the lights dimmed and the experience began. Interestingly, we were presented two small works prior to the “main event”, that surprisingly help to set the tone. The performance Wake the Neighbors, choreographed by Donald Byrd, is a solo for one dancer that grows from quiet, precise steps into bold, energetic movement. It highlights strength, control, and musical rhythm in a clear, contemporary style. Follow this with Lumina, choreographed by Maria A. Konrad, takes visual inspiration from Gustav Klimt’s Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer, especially its gold tones and decorative surface. The dancers move through warm, golden light in a contemporary ballet style that highlights group patterns, close interactions, and a quiet sense of shared presence.
This proved to be a magnificent opening for us, it slowly moved us from the rush of the outside world and transported us into a somewhat more surreal environment, more attuned to what was in front of us.
Then … lights come back up… Sherlock!
Your guard is somewhat let down when the performers enter the stage not in tutu’s and tights but dressed in Victorian style of London. Is this a play or a ballet? But then as the performers start to move in their choreographed manner, you sense somehow, whether play or ballet something there on stage is transcending genre. A story is about to unfold, and you want to be a part of it. Glancing to my left and right, I could see the faces of my family being drawn into the story as well.
The performers are… lip-syncing the radio broadcasts! How clever. Bringing this performance out of the “radio” and into the theatre. This every family member responded to with a stretch of the mouth into a smile.
I think this experiment is going to work.
While this is not a critique of the play, I must say that Penny Saunders choregraphed an exceptional show. To see this show is to probably be witnessing an evolution of ballet, but what do I know, I’m at best a novice with this art form. However, the reaction of the whole family was sheer enjoyment.
Why?
To see the skill of ballet exhibited under the lead of a story being told, had a powerful engaging effect on each one of us. Oh, final tally after the ballet? Two ready to attend a traditional ballet in Boston or NYC. One will see another Nashville Ballet production next season, and the other…. probably will also.
Grab a friend and find you an art form you have never experienced. Follow a curiosity to check it out and see what you think. But don’t forget this …
The driving reason everyone enjoyed this evening and expressed an interest in seeing another one? Curiosity! That ballet would have went on with or without us there! It was each of us having the curiosity to walk into that theatre tonight and experience a ballet that changed something within us.
The Curious Table 