LINES Dancers at the Nashville Dance Festival

LINES Ballet company dancers Adji Cissoko and Shuaib Elhassan perform as guest artists at the Nashville Dance Festival. The duo will perform repertoire choreographed by LINES Ballet’s Artistic Director Alonzo King. This community-centric celebration also showcases live performances by Nashville Ballet Company Artists, members of NB2, Nashville Ballet’s official second company, and guests from Collage Dance Collective.

Adji Cissoko
Adji Cissoko was born and grew up in Munich, Germany where she trained at the Ballet Academy Munich and graduated with a diploma in dance. Cissoko attended the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre in New York City on full scholarship, before joining the National Ballet of Canada in 2010. In 2012, she was awarded the Patron Award of Merit by the Patrons’ Council Committee of The National Ballet of Canada. Cissoko joined LINES Ballet in 2014. Since then she’s originated many central roles and guested for galas worldwide. Cissoko has given multiple master classes and taught classes around the world as part of the company’s outreach program. In 2020, she became certified in health/life coaching and ABT’s National Training Curriculum. Cissoko choreographed her first piece “AZIZ “ for Ballet X in 2021. She also is a 2022 recipient of the Toulmin Fellowship.

Shuaib Elhassan
Shuaib Elhassan, from Manhattan’s Lower East Side, began his formal dance training at The Ailey School under the co-direction of Tracy Inman and Melanie Person on a full scholarship. Elhassan also trained at intensives such as Earl Mosley’s Institute of the Arts, Jacob’s Pillow, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Elhassan was a member of Complexions Contemporary Ballet during their 2012–2013 season. Additionally, Elhassan performed with Life Dance Company, Zest Collective, Dance Iquail, and the Von Howard Project. Elhassan joined LINES Ballet in 2014.

Photography: Alonzo King LINES Ballet | Dancers: Adji Cissoko and Shuaib Elhassan | © Angela Sterling