What goes together better than farming and ballet?
Farm to Ballet describes itself as “a dance project intended to celebrate Vermont’s farming culture while expanding classical ballet’s audience.” No small feat! To accomplish that goal, the members of the Farm to Ballet troupe set up performances all around Vermont throughout this summer. Each performance not only takes place at a farm, but is farm-themed.
The ballet is an original composition. Set to Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons,” the narrative tells the story of Vermont’s farms from spring to fall (winter in Vermont has many charms, but not so much for agriculture). It begins with geese returning north in the springtime, followed by the farmers planting their crops for the year, then the entire process of growing, harvesting, and – very Vermont-y – a farmstand scene in which happy customers pick up their produce, before the geese fly back south for the winter, ending the cycle.
All proceeds from the ticket sales go to various non-profit agricultural organizations, which sometimes is the actual farm that’s staging the performance. Shelburne Farms, a working farm and educational center just south of Burlington and close to Lake Champlain, was one of those farms that was both the stage and the recipient of the ticket sales.
Farm to Ballet doesn’t need much in the way of setup; the troupe brings its own makeshift barn-like structure and solar panel for energy, according to Civil Eats. And the performance is family-friendly, with kids welcome to wander around.
There are still a few more performances lined up for August, if you find yourself in Vermont and in the mood for ballet.