Kaatsbaan Cultural Park Summer Festival 2021 Film Premiere of “In Balanchine’s Classroom”

Kaatsbaan Summer Festival 2021 is proud to present the Hudson Valley premiere of the film, “In Balanchine’s Classroom.” This screening kicks off the Woodstock Film Festival season and is courtesy of Zeitgeist Films, in association with Kino Lorber Incorporated. Invited guest speakers include filmmaker, Connie Hochman, with former New York City Ballet Prima Ballerina Merrill Ashley. Tickets are available at https://ci.ovationtix.com/36035/production/1071010.

“In Balanchine’s Classroom” takes us back to the glory years of Balanchine’s New York City Ballet through the remembrances of his former dancers and their quest to fulfill the vision of a genius. Opening the door to his studio, Balanchine’s private laboratory, they reveal new facets of the groundbreaking choreographer: taskmaster, mad scientist, and spiritual teacher. Today, as his former dancers teach a new generation, questions arise: what was the secret of his teaching? Can it be replicated? Filled with never before seen archival footage of Balanchine at work during rehearsals, classes, and in preparation for his most seminal works, along with interviews with many of his adored and adoring dancers and those who try to carry on his legacy today, this is Balanchine as you have never seen him, and a film for anyone who loves ballet and the creative process.

Schedule:
4:00pm: Matinee screening
5:30pm: Panel Discussion
6:15pm: Reception
7:00pm: Evening screening

Tickets available for:
1 Screening
1 Screening + Panel Discussion
1 Screening + Panel + Reception

There will also be a special installation of select books from the library of Clive Barnes, the late dance and theater critic for the New York Times, whose family generously donated the Clive Barnes Dance Library to Kaatsbaan.

“Kaatsbaan has always been a haven for artists, and this was never more evident than during these last sixteen months. We felt it was our responsibility to find a way to provide safe work spaces and performance opportunities for artists throughout the pandemic. The Summer Festival 2021 is building off the success of our past two Festivals, which supported over 300 New York City artists and allowed us to welcome more than 3,500 audience members to Kaatsbaan.” said Stella Abrera, Artistic Director. 

About Kaatsbaan Cultural Park
The mission of Kaatsbaan Cultural Park is to provide an extraordinary environment for cultural innovation and excellence. As both an incubator for creativity and presenter for world-class artists in dance, theater, music, film, poetry, culinary and visual arts, Kaatsbaan provides artists with state-of-the-art dance studios, accommodations, an indoor theater, and two outdoor stages. Sitting on 153 Hudson River-adjacent acres, Kaatsbaan is free of urban facilities’ space and time constraints, allowing for exciting levels of artistic exploration, creative action, and achievement – just two hours north of New York City. Kaatsbaan Cultural Park is committed to the advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the arts as we aim to present, promote, and embrace programming that accurately reflects our society. We encourage a broadly diverse group of individuals to participate in our programs and join our Board and Staff and insist on being inclusive of all peoples regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, socio-economic background, physical or mental ability.