Step into the world of ballet beyond the spotlight with our exclusive feature! Each edition offers a glimpse into the off-stage lives of your favorite dancers, showcasing their unique hobbies and passions. Discover the surprising and delightful activities that make these artists’ lives as captivating as their performances.
BRETT SJOBLOM
Nashville Ballet
Company Dancer
@sjoblombrett90
Essential item in your dance bag?
Definitely my blue yoga ball that I use to roll out my muscles. A very essential item for me.
Movie you can re-watch till the end of time?
Chef. A fantastic movie about a chef who opens a food truck. As a big foodie, the food displayed in this movie is top tier, and it’s such a heart-warming story that I watch whenever I need a pick-me-up.
Dancer who’s inspired you?
Steven McRae of The Royal Ballet. He had a big injury that he rehabilitated and then returned to the stage, and he was a big inspiration for me while I was recovering from my own knee surgery.
Song/artist/playlist you’ve been playing on repeat?
Sleep Token’s album Take Me Back To Eden. They’re putting out another album soon so I’ve been listening to this one on repeat to get ready for it.
Least favorite dance step?
Tour jeté.
How do you like to spend your time outside of dance?
Spending time with family, going to the gym, and I love to cook and bake. I was making my own sourdough for a while until my wife and I had our daughter.
Best place to hang out in your company’s home city?
M.L.Rose here in Nashville. The best place for a burger and fries!
Dream role?
Albrecht in Giselle. I have had the pleasure of checking off plenty of my previous bucket list roles—Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Prince Charming in Cinderella, and Prince Desire in Sleeping Beauty—but I’ve always wanted to portray Albrecht as well.
Go-to coffee shop order?
Black drip coffee with Splenda or Stevia. On my birthday, my order is an iced dirty chai tea latte, with one shot of espresso.
Essential post-show ritual?
My family always comes in from out of town to see shows, and we go out to eat afterwards which is so rewarding after a hard show. And to spend time with family always makes for an amazing time.
ABOUT BRETT
Brett Sjoblom started dancing at the age of thirteen at Columbia Performing Arts Centre in his hometown of Columbia, Missouri. As a high school student, he danced competitively across the state while maintaining his studies. During his senior year, he moved to Lynchburg, Virginia to study ballet at the Virginia School of the Arts under the direction of Martha Faesi and Adam Sage.
After graduating high school, Sjoblom attended The Boston Conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts, where he was able to perform new works by Bonnie Mathis, Danny Pelzig, Viktor Platnikov, Gianni Di Marco, and Danielle Agami. He also performed in works like The Moors Pavane by Jose Limon, Blank on Blank and Mechanical Organ by Alwin Nikolais, and Three by Ohad Naharin. Sjoblom later graduated with honors from The Boston Conservatory with a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts degree.
After college, Sjoblom joined NB2, Nashville Ballet’s official second company, before being promoted into the main company. During his time at Nashville Ballet, Sjoblom has performed in Artistic Director Emeritus Paul Vasterling’s Sleeping Beauty, Nashville’s Nutcracker, and Romeo and Juliet and in new works by Darrell Moultrie, Jennifer Archibald, Carlos Pons Guerra, and Matthew Neenan. Other notable performances include Val Caniparoli’s The Lottery, Christopher Wheeldon’s Ghosts, Jiřà Kylián’s Petite Mort, and Christopher Bruce’s Sergeant Early’s Dream and Moonshine. His favorite roles over the years include Romeo in Paul Vasterling’s Romeo and Juliet, Sugar Plum Cavalier in Nashville’s Nutcracker, and a Wind God in Salvatore Aiello’s Satto.
Outside of the studio, Sjoblom enjoys cooking, playing guitar, and teaching dance.
Featured Image: Brett Sjoblom in Snowblind by Cathy Marston. Photo by Lydia McRae. Courtesy of Nashville Ballet.
