Christopher Stuart
Guest Teacher Summer 2021 Faculty
PROGRAM DIRECTOR CHARLOTTE BALLET II & REHEARSAL DIRECTOR
Originally from Sandy Hook, Connecticut, Stuart always had a niche for choreographing. His vast experiences as a dancer and performer helped him articulate his choreographic voice through improvising and exploring different forms of movement. Embarking upon his journey as a choreographer has allowed him to further express himself in a free and limitless way. Stuart has created works for Nashville Ballet 2, Nashville Ballet, Quixotic Fusion and Ballet Arkansas. In Nashville Ballet’s 2012 Emergence performance, he collaborated with ALIAS Chamber Ensemble and Watkins College of Art, Design & Film. In 2012 he choreographed and staged Nashville Shakespeare Festival’s Macbeth.
For the past three seasons Stuart has created pieces for Nashville Ballet’s annual Ballet Ball with music performed by Holly Williams, Kellie Pickler, Clare Bowen and John Oates. For Nashville Ballet’s 2014 Attitude series, he created Under the Lights, a full length work to the music of Johnny Cash performed by Sugar and the Hi lows to which ArtsNash said, “Stuart’s choreography proved to be a seamless blend of classical, modern and popular dance styles.” Stuart was a finalist in Ballet Arkansas’ first annual Visions Choreographic Competition. In 2015 Stuart had the pleasure of choreographing a piece to the music of the world renowned Fisk Jubilee Singers. In 2016 and 2017 he was awarded a choreographic Fellowship from the New York Choreographic Institute. Nashville Ballet presented Stuart’s world premiere of Seven Deadly Sins. In July 2017 he created a new work for the National Choreographers Initiative in Irvine, CA. In 2017 Stuart created a new work for Nashville Ballet entitled The Raven, after Edgar Allan Poe’s poem. In 2018 Chattanooga Ballet commissioned a new work for them. Stuart had a commission with Charlotte Ballet presented in their 2019/2020 season, as well as new commissions with Oklahoma City Ballet and Eugene Ballet.
Stuart had the pleasure of dancing with Nashville Ballet for 16 years and rose to the rank of principal. He served as Resident Choreographer of Nashville Ballet and also choreographed for schools and companies around the country.
Stuart became Program Director Charlotte Ballet II and Rehearsal Director of Charlotte Ballet in 2020.