Kyle Nelson has been a professional dance accompanist since 1986. Dance companies he has played for include Ballet Hispanico, Mark Morris Dance Group, Hubbard Street Dance, Joffrey Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Milwaukee Ballet, James Sewell Ballet, Minnesota Dance Theatre, New Amsterdam Ballet, Meryl Tankard Dance Theater, Luna Negra, Twyla Tharp Dance Company, Zenon Dance Company and a national touring production of “The Car Man”.
Dance educators Kyle has played for include Lou Conte Dance Studio, Northwestern University dance program, the school of the Minnesota Dance Theatre, Ballet Arts Minnesota, Minnesota Center for Arts Education, the University of Minnesota dance program, and the Macalester College dance program. In 2003, he was invited by the St Paul City Ballet to teach a master class on accompanying ballet classes and in 2004 by the prestigious Royal Winnipeg Ballet School to teach a series of master classes on accompanying ballet and children’s classes.
Along with his dance accompanying background, Kyle has over 30 years of experience as a musical theatre music director and voice teacher. Besides his current duties as an accompanist at Loyola, Kyle is currently an accompanist for the Columbia College Chicago dance department, Ruth Page Center for Dance Education, the Joffrey Academy of Dance (official school of the Joffrey Ballet) and Chicago Ballet Arts. Since 2013, Kyle has been returning as a guest accompanist for the Next Generation Ballet Summer Intensive in Tampa, FL and since 2018 for the Brenau University Summer Dance Intensive in Gainesville, GA. Fun fact: He was invited by ballet teacher Homer Bryant to be the accompanist for two private ballet lessons with Lady Gaga.