Bouder in Divertimento No. 15

The athletic and spirited New York City Ballet principal, Ashley Bouder, began training at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and continued her studies at the School of American Ballet after attending the summer program.

This summer, Bouder will lead the dance evening at the 2nd annual Buck Hill-Skytop Music Festival in Buckhill Falls, Pennsylvania, which includes lecture demonstrations for high school students in the area. Bouder says her CPYB teacher, Marcia Dale Weary, inspired an early interest in outreach.

“Marcia took us into schools to do lecture demonstrations. I remember doing Balanchine work for elementary students! Because of Marcia, I always thought outreach was so cool and wished that dancers would come to my school so that my friends could understand what I was devoting so much time to. 

I believe that every artist has the obligation and the responsibility to pass on their art form. I jumped at the opportunity to get involved with this festival. It’s in my home state. Our goal is to educate the audience about the connection between music and dance and how they’re integral to one another.”

Photo by Paul Kolnick, courtesy of New York City Ballet.