James Sofranko and Nick Mullikin to kick off “The Directors’ Summer” at BBT
On June 30, 2025, we will welcome Artistic Director of Grand Rapids Ballet James Sofranko and Artistic Director of Nashville Ballet Nick Mullikin for “The Directors’ Summer” at Boca Ballet Theatre! This renowned program has earned a reputation for being one of the most thorough and rewarding dance experiences a student can have over the summer, and many use it as a launching pad for a professional career in dance. We can’t wait for Sofranko and Mullikin to share their extensive knowledge and experience with our workshop dancers this summer!
In addition to teaching during Weeks 1 & 2 of our workshop, Sofranko and Mullikin will be staging original works on the dancers to star in our mixed repertory performance Summer Dreams on August 2-3, 2025. Both directors will be invaluable resources to our dancers this summer. Learn more about Sofranko and Millikin’s impressive careers below!
James Sofranko
Photo by Erik Tomasson.
James Sofranko assumed the position of Artistic Director of Grand Rapids Ballet in 2018 after an 18-year career as a soloist with the San Francisco Ballet. He is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, and received his dance training at The Harid Conservatory in Florida and later at The Juilliard School in New York City, where he received his BFA in dance. At San Francisco Ballet, he danced in numerous works and world premieres by choreographers such as William Forsythe, Justin Peck, Alexi Ratmansky, and Christopher Wheeldon, Jiri Kylian, Kenneth Macmillan, George Balanchine, and Jerome Robbins. In 2014, he formed a new contemporary repertory company in San Francisco, SFDanceworks, presenting works by Alejandro Cerrudo, Lar Lubovitch, José Limón, Nacho Duato, Christopher Bruce, and world premieres by Penny Saunders, James Graham, Danielle Rowe, Dana Genshaft, and Sofranko himself. Since becoming Artistic Director of Grand Rapids Ballet, Sofranko has created 11 original works for Grand Rapids Ballet as well as works for San Francisco Ballet School, SFDanceworks, Long Beach Ballet, and Marin Dance Theater. We are thrilled to welcome him to Boca Raton work with our workshop dancers this summer!
Nick Mullikin
Photo by Caroline Sutton.
Nick Mullikin is the Artistic Director and CEO of Nashville Ballet. He oversees all company productions, and is the director of NB2, Nashville Ballet’s second company, and the School of Nashville Ballet which serves over 1800 students annually. During his performing career, Mullikin danced with Houston Ballet and Ballet West, performing works by William Forsythe, George Balanchine, David Parsons, Ronald Hynd, and many more. He has toured nationally and internationally including at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2004 as well as performing as a guest artist for Ballet Arizona, and regional companies throughout the country. Today, Mullikin is a highly sought-after guest teacher and teaches regularly at summer programs, festivals, and schools across the United States. He is a judge on the international panel for the Youth America Grand Prix finals, coaches students for multiple ballet competitions, and acts as a consultant for schools and festivals across the country. He has created multiple works for Nashville Ballet, and NB2, including work featured at the Memphis Dance Festival and multiple digital releases. We cannot wait for him to mentor our students this summer!