Nantucket Atheneum Dance Festival
A few summers ago, I had a father and daughter join me on a fishing charter. Like most other charters, I asked “what brings you to Nantucket?” The daughter said that she was here as a performer for the Nantucket Atheneum Dance Festival and was a member of the American Ballet Theater. They had some down time in between performances and rehearsals, and her dad had a dream of catching a Nantucket striper. Knowing nothing about ballet, I was intrigued. For the length of the charter, I learned about her career, intense practice schedule, how she came to love ballet and how competitive it was. In her world she is a rock star and said young girls and boys ask her for autographs after performances. I was fortunate enough to get to know her and learn about professional ballet. The fishing was great too and dad caught his first striper!
Later that afternoon she had a performance. Lucky for me, there were still tickets available. I decided to check it out because I was fascinated with her story. I asked some friends and family to come but everyone was busy, but boy did they miss out! My eyes were glued to the stage; the athleticism of the performers and the aesthetics of the body in motion was jaw–dropping. I left the theater in awe and appreciation. Once again, I was thankful that our tiny island could host such a large-scale event that is more likely to be found in a big city. I would encourage anyone on the island to use this great opportunity that the Nantucket Atheneum provides, to see some of the world’s best dancers showcase their craft.
The 2019 Nantucket Atheneum Dance Festival lasts between July 22nd and July 27th 2019 and will feature Artistic Director Tyler Angle from the New York City Ballet. Other world–class stars from major ballet companies across the country will descend on the Rock for six days of dance-filled festivities. In addition to live performances, the festival offers free events, workshops and classes. The festival culminates with two evening performances on Friday, July 26th and Saturday, July 27h, 2019. Tickets go on sale July 1st, and can be purchased here.
