Retirement Farm, From Farm to Ballet, 2017. Photo by Michelle Frehsee

Vermont Business Magazine After a two-year hiatus, Farm to Ballet returns to Retreat Farm to celebrate Vermont’s rich agricultural culture on Saturday July 10 at 6:00 p.m. With dancers dressed in lettuce leaves, goats, pigs and cows, this whimsical outdoor ballet is sure to delight all ages. Set on a grassy stage, the Complete Ballet is an artistic expression of agriculture, food, and our connection to the land through dance.

The Vermont Ballet production, which hits Vermont farms, opens Saturday at Retreat Farm and features two dancers with close ties to Brattleboro.

Ballet Vermont Principal Dancer Megan Gendell recently returned to Vermont to train at the New England Center for Circus Arts after moving to pursue her professional career as an international circus artist. Megan is the first dancer to take on the lead role of Weathervane / Rooster in Farm to Ballet, making her debut in the role on Saturday at Retreat Farm.

Kaitlyn Hayes, a dancer with the Portland Ballet, will dance the lead role of The Farmer. After the weather cancellation of Brattleboro Farm to Ballet’s 2019 performance, Kaitlyn, whose mother lives in Brattleboro, is looking forward to finally performing in front of her family on Saturday.

“We are thrilled to share Retreat Farm as a platform for the amazing artists from across the country that Ballet Vermont has brought together,” said Lindsay Fahey, Executive Director of Community and Impact. “We are grateful for the support of Prentiss Smith to help bring this special event back to Retreat Farm.”

“Prentiss Smith & Co is proud to support the dynamic convergence of Retreat Farm culture, community and planet,” said President Prent Smith. “As portfolio managers who take a holistic view of every investment we make for our clients, we are successful organizations whose work embodies their principles and mission – Retreat Farm is such an organization. “

Taking place without the traditional staging, the lights or the backdrop of a theatrical performance, dancing vegetables, pets and even the seasons themselves come to life through dance in this joyful and entertaining spectacle for all. ages.

Doors open at 4.30 p.m. Come early and visit the grazing animals, walk the Hope Garden maze, explore the forest playground, and check out the historical interpretive trail and creative play areas. Dosa Kitchen and Jamaican Jewelz will serve local food truck dishes. Local craft beers, wine and cider will be available at Retreat Farm’s Thirsty Goat pop-up bar or grab a fresh-squeezed lemonade or cold brew coffee from Cattail Coffee. Be sure to leave room for a Vermont maple creemee from the Farmhouse Creemee booth.

This year the show is a fundraiser for the Retreat Farm Community Food Project, which is helping alleviate hunger in our area by growing and distributing fresh food. Ticket prices are available on a sliding scale to keep this community event affordable for everyone.

For more information, tickets and other upcoming events, visit www.retreatfarm.org .

ABOUT THE RETIREMENT FARM

Retreat Farm is a natural and cultural public commune where people connect with the land and with each other. Located on Abenaki lands, this 19th-century farmhouse was created to provide food and nature therapy to patients at the nearby Brattleboro retreat. Today our gardens and farmland produce food for our community. Our pastures, our bodies of water, our trails and our historic farm are open to everyone to enjoy them for free. You can support this vital work by donating today to www.retreatfarm.org .