Sadie Bo Sommer To Retire From NASHVILLE BALLET After MIDSUMMER...

Nashville Ballet company dancer Sadie Bo (Harris) Sommer, who has performed with the organization since 2001, will retire at the end of the current performance season, dancing in her final mainstage performance as Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream for a three-day run April 24-26 at TPAC's Andrew Jackson Hall.

Sommer has performed such lead roles with the company as Sugar Plum Fairy in Nashville's Nutcracker, Odette and Odile in Swan Lake, Juliet in Romeo & Juliet, Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Chosen One in Salvatore Aiello's Rite of Spring, the title role in Giselle and in Ji?í Kylián's Petite Mort.

"Sadie represents Nashville Ballet in a most perfect way," Nashville Ballet Artistic Director & CEO Paul Vasterling said. "She's been with us for a long period of time, and we've had the pleasure of watching her develop as an artist and experience these wonderful performances she's given us."

Sommer is the current recipient of the Patricia Taylor Bullard Endowed Scholarship Fund at Belmont University, where she will graduate with a bachelor's degree in August 2015. After retiring, she will relocate to Atlanta and pursue a Master's Degree in Public Health.

"Nashville Ballet has not only been my career for the last 14 years, but my way of life," Sommer said. "I am forever grateful for the opportunities I have had and the relationships I've built. I'll always look at this part of my life with such fondness, and I'm excited to see what lies ahead for this new chapter."

Fans are encouraged to send Sommer their well wishes with the hashtag #FarewellSadie on social media, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Tickets to A Midsummer Night's Dream begin at $28 and can be purchased in person at the TPAC box office in downtown Nashville, or by phone at (615) 782-4040. Adults receive 20% off and children 12 & under receive 50% off A Midsummer Night's Dream tickets when adding Clowns and Others or Emergence. Call (615) 297-2966 x710 to purchase.

About Nashville Ballet Nashville Ballet is the largest professional ballet company in Tennessee. Nashville Ballet presents a varied repertoire of classical ballet and contemporary works by noted choreographers, including original works by Artistic Director & CEO Paul Vasterling. Nashville Ballet and the second company NB2 (a pre-professional training company) serve nearly 60,000 adults and children annually through performances and our outreach and community engagement programming. Curriculum-based outreach programs bring dance education to community centers, colleges, public libraries and public elementary, middle and high schools across the state. School of Nashville Ballet provides world-class instruction in ballet and other forms of dance for dancers of all ages.

Sadie Bo Sommer with Jon Upleger in Midsummer Night's Dream 2010 - photo by Marianne Leech

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