BRATTLEBORO — Farmers, food, neighbors, live classical musicians, community, and the graceful art of ballet are what make Vermont's Farm to Ballet unique. Now in its fourth year, this partnership of agriculture and dance will offer audiences a delightful summer evening of entertainment, with eight performances on farms throughout Vermont. Farm to Ballet returns to Retreat Farm on Sunday, Aug. 5, at 5 p.m.
“We are thrilled to have Farm to Ballet back at Retreat Farm for a third season,” said Katrina Razionale, director of business and platform development, in a news release. “The themes of seasonality, regeneration, and hard work conveyed in the performance echo the values that visitors experience in our Children's Farm and Forest Program.”
Proceeds from the event will support Retreat Farm's Open Barn program, an accessibility initiative that offers reduced admission and memberships to Medicaid, EBT, or free/reduced school beneficiaries.
Doors open at 3:30 p.m., so audience members are encouraged to come early and enjoy the Children's Farm & Forest program, visit animals in the barn and pasture, walk through the Children's Garden and Nature Trail, and enjoy indoor and outdoor play spaces.
Farm to Ballet is designed to tell the story of a Vermont farming operation from spring to fall.
Produced by Ballet Vermont, the performance will include a live string sextet during the entire feature-length production. The ballet takes place without the traditional staging, lights, or backdrop of a theater-based performance.
Seating is on the grass of Farmhouse Square, marked for blankets in front and chairs in the back. Guests are encouraged to bring their own blankets or chairs and bring a picnic or dine at local food trucks including Dosa, Rigani Wood-Fired Pizza, Ro's Petite Fête, and Tito's Taqueria.
Vermont native and homesteader Avi Waring returns in the title role of the farmer and leads a cast of accomplished dancers. A professional dancer and dance educator, she co-founded Ballet Wolcott and the Montpelier Movement Collective. She lives on 17 acres in Wolcott, where she raises goats and chickens and has a garden.
Farm to Ballet is the brainchild of former professional dancer and Vermont native Chatch Pregger, who dreamed up the project after teaching adult ballet classes in an outdoor setting.