Nashville Ballet Company Dancer Kayla Rowser to Retire at the End of the Season

Nashville Ballet Company Dancer Kayla Rowser, who has performed with the organization since 2007, announced she will retire at the end of the 2019-2020 performance season. Rowser will dance in her final main stage production during the Ballet's Modern Masters series for a three-day run April 24-26 at TPAC's Jackson Hall.

Rowser has performed such lead roles with the Company as Sugar Plum Fairy and Snow Queen in Nashville's Nutcracker, Odette and Odile in Swan Lake, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella in Cinderella, and Fortuna in Carmina Burana. Additional notable roles include Russian Girl in George Balanchine's Serenade, the title role in Paul Vasterling's Firebird, the third movement principal in Balanchine's Western Symphony, and a principal in Christopher Wheeldon's Ghosts. In 2019, Rowser premiered the role of Lucy in Vasterling's interntationally-acclaimed Lucy Negro Redux.

In her tenure at Nashville Ballet, Rowser has also been named one of Dance Magazine's "Top 25 to Watch," one of Dance International's "Artists to Keep Watching," and has been featured in Pointe, The Washington Post, Huffington Post, and the New York Times.

"Kayla represents everything that Nashville Ballet stands for-she exemplifies strong technique, grace, and professionalism, and throughout her career she's always shown a passion for connecting with our audience and sharing her craft with others," Nashville Ballet Artistic Director Paul Vasterling said. "She's given us so many superb performances, and we're all grateful to have been a part of her career."

Rowser is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Communications. Upon retirement, she plans to remain in Nashville with her husband, Nick Tazik, while focusing on her studies.

"Nashville Ballet has been a wonderful and rewarding place to grow as an artist, and I am profoundly grateful to have found a home in such a vibrant artistic community," Rowser said. "I will always treasure this time of my life and the bonds I've made along the way, and I am excited to see what the next chapter of life holds."

Fans are encouraged to send Rowser their well wishes with the hashtag #FarewellKayla on social media; they can also tag her on Instagram @kaylarowser.

Two opportunities remain to see Rowser on the main stage. She will perform in Attitude: Other Voices, February 14-16 and in Modern Masters, April 24-26. Additionally, Rowser will perform during Nashville Ballet's choreographic workshop series, Emergence, May 14-17. To purchase tickets to see Rowser before she retires, visit nashvilleballet.com or call 615-782-4040.

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