Helen Pickett: Choreographer, Helen Pickett, native of San Diego, CA, has created over 60 ballets in the U.S., U.K. and Europe. The Crucible, which premiered at Edinburgh International Festival in 2019, won the UK Theatre Critics Award and the Herald Angel Award, just had its London premiere in June 2022, and it will show at the Kennedy Center, Spoleto Festival USA and Nashville in May/June 2023. In 2020/21, Helen choreographed 12 dance films, including The Air Before Me, winning the Audience Choice Award for Screen Dance International Festival, and Hurley Burley, which was nominated for an Emmy Award. While Resident Choreographer for Atlanta Ballet, 2012 – 2017, she was named Best Choreographer in 2014 and 2015. Helen’s upcoming commissions include, Boston Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Alberta Ballet, West Australian Ballet, and two new long form narratives for National Ballet of Canada and Dutch National Ballet.

Helen danced with William Forsythe’s Ballet Frankfurt from 1987-1998, and performed with the Wooster Group, director, Elizabeth LeCompte, 1998-2003. She collaborated as a choreographer and actress with the filmmakers, Eve Sussman, Toni Dove and Laurie Simmons. In 2021, Helen was co-director of the Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Summer Dance Program, and leads her think tank workshop, Choreographic Essentials. Between 2020 and 2021, Helen created and produced, 83 interviews for her YouTube talk show, Creative Vitality Jam Sessions. Helen founded, 2021, the Female Choreographer’s Big Round Table, a zoom discussion panel, with 160 women in the roster. She earned a Master of Fine Arts from Hollins University, and in 2016, was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from The University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Representation: Kristopher McDowell, KMP. www.helenpickett.com

Christopher Stuart: Christopher Stuart began his formal training with Steve Sirico, Angela D’valda Sirico, Franco De Vita and Raymond Lukens. After a 16-year career with Nashville Ballet as a principal dancer, choreographer, and teacher, he was appointed as their Resident Choreographer in 2018, creating over 10 works during his tenure. During this time Christopher concurrently taught and created new works for schools and companies all across America. He has created works for Nashville Ballet, Ballet Arkansas, Chattanooga Ballet, National Choreographers Initiative, Charlotte Ballet, various festivals, and commercial work.

In 2014, he created Under the Lights, a full-length work to the music of Johnny Cash performed by Sugar & The Hi-Lows about which ArtsNash said “Stuart’s choreography proved to be a seamless blend of classical, modern and popular dance styles.” In 2015, Stuart had the pleasure of choreographing a piece to the music of the world-renowned Fisk Jubilee Singers.

Christopher brought music lovers and dance enthusiasts together by collaborating with some of the music industry’s best including, Maren Morris, Sheryl Crow, Ronnie Dunn (Brooks & Dunn), John Oates (Hall & Oates), Kellie Pickler, and John Carter Cash (son of Johnny and June Carter Cash).

Christopher created for Charlotte Ballet’s Innovative Works in 2020, inspired by the Mint Museum’s installation of Immersed in Light by studio DRIFT. Under the direction of Hope Muir, Christopher was appointed Program Director of Charlotte Ballet II and Rehearsal Director for the main Company in July of 2020. In 2021, he served as interim artistic director.