Kaatsbaan Dance Park's Second Phase Is On Point
The dance haven celebrated its accomplishments and looked forward to new initiatives.
Stella Abrera, ABT principal dancer and associate director of the summer intensive at Kaatsbaan; Sascha Radetsy, former ABT dancer and artistic director of ABT's studio company; and Kate Lydon, former ABT dancer and director of dance at St. Paul's School.
Aside from feeling like Ten Ton Tillie among the lithe dancers at Kaatsbaan — the cultural park for dance in the Hudson Valley — it was a thrill to meet former and current stars of the American Ballet Theatre on Sunday, March 10. Located on 153 peaceful acres in Tivoli, New York, Kaatsbaan (which translates to “playing field” in Dutch) was instituted in 1990 by several former ABT stars (including the company's current director, Kevin McKenzie). The party was an opportunity to introduce its new executive director, Sonja Kostich, enjoy a performance by the Malpaso Dance Company from Cuba and announce the organization's plans to move into its second phase of development. Kaatsbaan also celebrates 20 years of residencies (numbering 200) and hosting 1,500 professional dancers in its studios. This year it will present 24 companies on its stages. But there are big plans ahead: Additional studios, a 500-seat theater, additional accommodations at the Dancers’ Inn, a lodge and dining hall complex, and the restoration and adaptive reuse of the historic 1895 Stanford White designed "Music Barn" are slated.
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Matteline deVries-Dilling, founder of Lite Brite Neon, one of the evening's honoree of this year's Upstate Benefit adresses the gala from the Caboose's caboose.
- Karen Pearson. Courtesy Art Omi.
Olana senior vice president and landscape curatorMark Prezorski, president Sean Sawyer, The evenings honoree Kristin Gamble and New York State Assemblymember Didi Barrett.
- Oxygen House Photo
