The chairs for the 2024 Ballet Ball, Evelyn Cate Galetti, Bob Deal, and Jason Bradshaw, along with beloved and longtime supporter of the arts, Honorary Chair, Amy Joyner, promise this year’s event will be a spectacular evening.
Slated for March 2 at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, the evening includes a glamorous cocktail hour, a gourmet seated dinner, and an exclusive gala performance by Nashville Ballet accompanied by special guest music artists. The chairs are seasoned vets of this exquisite event and experts in their fields. Evelyn trained pre-professionally in ballet and attended the Virginia School of the Arts, where she first met Nashville Ballet’s Artistic Director, Nick Mullikin, who was also a student. Due to injuries, she did not pursue a career in dance, but elected to keep dance in her life as a patron, donor, and volunteer. She is a Senior Manager in Deloitte’s Higher Education consulting practice.
Bob is a native Nashvillian, who was raised around theater and the arts. An interior designer by profession, and one who has said yes to many opportunities to serve in leadership roles as a volunteer, Bob has unselfishly contributed to many nonprofits with his creative talents. Jason has been a part of Nashville for over 30 years and has served in many roles as a volunteer for various nonprofits, and specifically enjoys the arts. A native of Rome, Georgia, Jason moved to Nashville in the early ’90s and after a couple of years of teaching, Bob earned a degree in Interior Design. He and Bob Deal founded the Bob and Jason Design firm. (nashvilleballet.com)
Nashville Lifestyles: What made you want to chair the Ballet Ball this year?
Evelyn Cate Galetti: As a busy mother with a demanding career that requires extensive travel, co-chairing the Ballet Ball provided an opportunity for me to make my mark on Nashville and establish myself as a leader in my own community. Further, the work ethic, discipline, and confidence that I obtained in my years of ballet training have paid dividends in my professional life. Because of the benefits I experienced in my own life, I firmly believe in the mission of making the arts accessible to children.
Bob Deal: This is the most fun fundraiser in Nashville. We have worked behind the scenes for years.
Jason Bradshaw: I have always enjoyed attending the Ballet Ball as a patron and when I learned how the money is used to incorporate education and dance performance programs for children who might never get the chance to see a live performance: it was a no-brainer to accept the co-chair position.
NL: How are the funds raised from the event utilized? What is the amount this event has raised over the years?
ECG: The Ballet Ball funds Nashville Ballet’s Community Engagement programs, reaching tens of thousands of young students and community members across Middle Tennessee. These programs break down geographic and financial barriers, bringing free performances, programs, and training, to public libraries, schools, pre-kindergarten centers, and more.
BD: The annual event raises more than one- half million dollars each year.
NL: Why do you think supporting the Ballet Ball is important to our community and why is the Nashville Ballet vital to our community?
JB: I feel that supporting Nashville Ballet is important to our arts community as a whole. The caliber of dancers in the company is extremely high. Maintaining that standard and level for a major city like Nashville is vital. We have such a great arts community not only with Nashville Ballet, but also The Nashville Symphony, Nashville Opera, and more.
ECG: Research shows that the arts positively impact academic achievement, such as graduation rates and SAT scores (Americans for the Arts). With the movement towards Generative AI, creative skills are even more critical.
NL: What in your background do you think most prepared you to chair an event of this magnitude?
ECG: The discipline from my ballet training, tenacity from the Peace Corps, and willingness to take calculated risks cultivated at Deloitte. But when I learned that I was paired with Bob and Jason as my co-chairs, that was the icing on the cake!
BD: Jason and I chaired two TPAC Galas and One Night Only for Studio Tenn and were décor chairs for multiple LookBook Fashion Shows for Steeplechase.
JB: Having co-chaired two back-to-back TPAC Galas in 2013 and 2014 helped me prepare to chair Ballet Ball and being on countless “manpower” committees for almost every event within our community for almost a decade gave me the confidence to pursue this endeavor.
NL: What inspires you to use your time, talents, and treasure to support nonprofits?
ECG: Dance is a life passion. Supporting Nashville Ballet keeps dance in my life and rounds me out as a person.
BD: The opportunity to see the arts in Nashville flourish and work with like-minded volunteers.
JB: Without giving funds, time, and talent to arts programs within one’s community, the reality becomes... no arts programs.