Farm to Ballet begins July performance tour
Year-round studio focuses on adult classes
July 7, 2022 | By Waterbury Roundabout 
Farm to Ballet dancers portray farm animals, vegetables, insects, etc. in their colorful outdoor summertime performances. Photo courtesy Farm to Ballet
Farm to Ballet opens its summer performance series this weekend with shows in Brattleboro on Saturday and on Sunday at Shelburne Farms.
The production will present seven shows at outdoor venues around Vermont this month starting with the Retreat Farm in Brattleboro. Other locations include Woodstock, Cambridge and Wolcott.
Farm to Ballet’s shows are an original hour-and-15 min. story ballet revolving around the relationships between farmers and land, natural food cycles, and the human role in ecosystems. Dancers ranging from first-timers to seasoned professionals portray cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, chickens, sheep, and other farm-themed characters. Performances are held at varied outdoor venues, often in farm settings across the state.
This year, the company welcomes back Stephanie Eggers, recent graduate of University of Oklahoma’s Ballet Performance and Biology programs to dance the principal role of Farmer. In the fall, Eggers will be joining Ballet Quad Cities in Illinois. She said she is excited to be able to dance with Ballet Vermont once again before taking this next step in her career.
Last year, the company ventured out of Vermont for the first time for a performance in Bozeman, Montana. Founder and Vermont native Chatch Pregger says the project raised nearly $18,000 in 2021, half of which went directly to Vermont farms and agricultural nonprofits.
Started in 2015, Farm to Ballet’s successful summer performances led to the creation of the Ballet Vermont company which this year opened a studio in Waterbury focused on adult classes. Pregger says the company’s mission is to present “high-quality, inclusive, and joyful ballet which celebrates Vermont.” With the addition of a year-round studio, Pregger said he hopes for professional ballet dancers, musicians, and choreographers in Vermont to collaborate and produce original dance pieces. For example, Ballet Vermont plans a new contemporary production, “Love is a Many Varied Thing,” to debut in February. “With our new location in Waterbury, we have been really fortunate to continue to attract dancers from all over Vermont,” Pregger said.
The company offers adult dance classes six days a week for all levels including beginner through advanced ballet, contemporary, yoga, stretch and strengthen, pre-pointe, and a rotating selection of multi-week workshops.
More information about the summer performances and classes is online at balletvermont.org. A note on ticket prices: Audience members may choose from two options. Pricing is set at both the “true cost of producing this event” ($35 for adults, $10 for children) and a reduced price in an effort to be affordable ($20 for adults, free for children). Tickets are general admission.
Food is available for purchase at the venues. More information about the performances and artists of Farm to Ballet and Ballet Vermont’s offerings is online at balletvermont.org.