BURLINGTON—Chatch Pregger, director of Vermont’s Farm to Ballet Project, announced that a dancer interest session and audition will be hosted to cast dancers of all levels for the third summer season of Vermont’s Farm to Ballet. Stipends are available to performers cast as soloists and principal dancers. There will be eight performances around the state with shows starting in July and ending mid-August.
“We are looking for a diverse cast of dancers from adults that are just beginning to explore ballet classes to more experienced dancers, or former dancers with previous training,” Pregger said.
Farm to Ballet was created to make dance accessible and enjoyable to a wide audience. “We dance on grass, so no pointe shoes are necessary,” explained Pregger. “It isn’t about how high you can jump, or how many turns you can whip out. This production is about community and the community of dancers we assemble is devoted to the art of dance and exploring his or her unique technique.”
Performances serve as fundraisers to honor and support the efforts of local farmers and support organizations. In 2016, the project raised over $23,000.
The unique Vermont-based project celebrates farming while at the same time expanding the appreciation and understanding of classical ballet. The feature length ballet production is staged on farms throughout the state using the natural landscape as a stunning backdrop to tell the story of a Vermont farm from spring to fall.
Rehearsals for those performing in the corps de ballet and as demi soloists will take place three Saturdays per month and every Tuesday night starting in February. There will also be one week of intensive training and rehearsal in June. Rehearsals for soloists and principals will start in June with the weeklong intensive and then continue on Saturdays and Tuesdays with additional rehearsals as needed.
Aspiring adult ballet dancers who have always dreamed of performing in a full length ballet, but don’t have professional ballet experience, as well as adults with professional training or experience, are encouraged to audition. Pregger teaches ballet to adults, and many of the Farm to Ballet performers have started ballet in the past few years.
Auditions for adult ballet dancers of all levels will be hosted at Spotlight Vermont in South Burlington on Feb. 5 at 11:30 a.m. with a dancer interest session on Feb. 4 at 1 p.m. Carpooling to the audition is available in both Montpelier and Rutland. For more info or to register for the audition, visit farmtoballet.org.
Photo by Tim Barden
Farm to Ballet dancers take the form of apple trees as part of a performance at Shelburne Farms in 2015.
