June 27–28, 2026 @ East Tennessee State University
Kingsport, Tennessee: Kingsport Ballet prepares to once again stage "Vincent," this time at the Martin Center for the Arts at East Tennessee State University, Saturday, June 27at 7 p.m., and Sunday, June 28 at 2:30 p.m. The production introduces new choreography and professional guest artists, as well as regional musical talent.
Also new to this year’s production is the addition of “Blossoms” a new dance inspired by Van Gogh’s painting “Almond Blossoms” which he painted as a gift to his brother Theo on the occasion of the birth of his firstborn child. The piece, along with many others in the show, has been choreographed by Erika Ballard. The costumes for “Blossoms” are being created by Bertina Dew, using Eastman’s Naia fabric — a new cellulose acetate filament yarn made with recycled products for a sustainable product with tremendous versatility.
The contemporary ballet is an exploration of the relationship between Vincent Van Gogh's life and his art. Van Gogh — the genius and prolific painter — battles his darker, troubled self on the stage. By bringing his favorite painting themes to life through the art of dance, this production tells the story of Vincent's struggle with mental illness, rejectionand perceived failure.
"Vincent" features original choreography, backdropsand costumes inspired by Van Gogh’s works such as “Sunflowers,”“Starry Night” and others. The ballet is choreographed primarily by Erika Ballard, with contributions by Erica Dew, Raleigh Shelton, Leonid Flegmatov, and Irma Cardano, international choreographer from Naples, Italy.
Dancers include principal dancer, Adrian Sanchez-Hernandez, with Washington Ballet sharing the lead role of Vincent with Graham Barnes of Nashville Ballet and Nevada Ballet. Joining them on stage will be members of the Kingsport Ballet Professional Company, KB’s student company. Regional soprano Emmaline Grubb and pianist Steven Sensenig perform live on stage and recorded cello pieces by local talent Joshua Kovac are also a first for the Vincent production.
The ballet is brought to the stage in a collaborative effort with various exceptionally talented contributors. Elements from Van Gogh’s paintings will come to life in a merging of contemporary, modern dance, and ballet.
The show is sponsored primarily by BRAVISSIMA. Other Kingsport Ballet sponsors can be found at kingsportballet.org. Tickets to Vincent are available now at Kingsport Ballet.
Category: Dance