World premiere ballet of 'The Little Mermaid' to debut in Charleston

Palmetto City Ballet brings the classic fairy tale to life with original choreography and digital projections.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 11:33pm

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The Palmetto City Ballet is debuting a brand-new ballet inspired by the classic fairy tale 'The Little Mermaid' this weekend at the Sottile Theatre in Charleston, South Carolina. The original production features elaborate costumes, digital projections, and ocean-inspired choreography that draws heavily from the original Hans Christian Andersen story.

Why it matters

The world premiere of this ballet marks a major milestone for the Palmetto City Ballet as they celebrate their 25th anniversary season. The production aims to appeal to families while also providing the dancers with a meaningful creative challenge.

The details

Artistic director Johnathan Tabbert said the ballet blends classical ballet technique with innovative staging and design to bring the underwater kingdom to life. Digital projections create constant motion on stage beyond the dancers, and the orchestra pit is incorporated into the staging. The production explores the sacrifices that come with love, particularly as the mermaid dreams of life on land.

  • The world premiere of 'The Little Mermaid' ballet will take place on March 14 and 15, 2026.
  • Tabbert said the process of building the production from scratch has been nearly a year in the making.

The players

Johnathan Tabbert

The artistic director of the Palmetto City Ballet who choreographed the new 'The Little Mermaid' production.

Natasha Nast

The dancer who performs the role of The Little Mermaid in the upcoming world premiere.

Victoria Bevil

The dancer who performs the role of the Little Mermaid's mother, a character that brings emotional depth to the production.

Palmetto City Ballet

The ballet company producing the world premiere of 'The Little Mermaid' at the Sottile Theatre in Charleston.

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What they’re saying

“When I was forming my ideas for the ballet, I really went back to the original Hans Christian Andersen story for a lot of detail and inspiration, both musically and choreographically.”

— Johnathan Tabbert, Artistic Director (abcnews4.com)

“With love comes sacrifice. You see that in order to keep the Little Mermaid happy and to help her achieve her dreams of living on land with the prince, the mother has to let her go into this on-land world where she may never see her again.”

— Victoria Bevil, Dancer (abcnews4.com)

“I hope that people feel a sense of familiarity in the princess that they know and love maybe with an added sense of depth. This really is a true story of love and family and sacrifice for the people that you love.”

— Natasha Nast, Dancer (abcnews4.com)

What’s next

The world premiere of 'The Little Mermaid' ballet will run for a limited series of performances on March 14 and 15, 2026 at the Sottile Theatre in Charleston. Tickets are available online through the Palmetto City Ballet website.

The takeaway

The Palmetto City Ballet's world premiere of 'The Little Mermaid' ballet showcases the company's commitment to bringing beloved stories to life through innovative choreography and production design. By drawing inspiration from the original Hans Christian Andersen tale, the ballet promises to offer a fresh and emotionally resonant interpretation of this classic fairy tale.