Bossov Ballet Theatre dancers. Photo by Mike Nyman

PITTSFIELD — Bossov Ballet Theatre dancers are to present a new work, “Heartbeat,” on Saturday, May 29. Performances will take place at 3 and 7 p.m. on an outdoor stage on the institute campus.

Emerging young artists have faced their own set of challenges during the pandemic. Most of theater’s student dancers have not had an opportunity to perform since 2019. For others, 2021 will be their last opportunity to dance together. All agree that the ability to perform is critical to the work they accomplish in the classroom.

“Performing is how we are able to give something to the people — it’s our way of trying to move and inspire them. We interpret different emotions and stories through our movements so that our audience can hopefully take something from this, and so that we can connect with others through something more than just words,” said student Jane Weymouth, according to a news release from the institute.

The desire to connect forms an important part of the theater’s new production, created and choreographed by Artistic Director Natalya Getman. With help from a Siberian shamanic drum, and student-generated readings, this original work follows life’s rhythms, its beginnings and endings, as a series of shaping moments that lead to a greater understanding and expression of who we are as individuals. It suggests that while our pursuit of happiness can be interrupted, we learn to become receptive to moments of unexpected joy and learning along the way.

A limited number of tickets are available for purchase at mci-school.org/bossov-tickets. Live streaming options are also available for those unable to attend in person. For more information, call 207-487-3355, ext. 207.

Led by Getman, Bossov Ballet Theatre at Maine Central Institute is both a performing company and an international pre-professional ballet school. The program offers students a unique opportunity to study and perform classical ballet as part of the academic curriculum, allowing them to earn full academic credit for ballet training. For more information about Bossov Ballet Theatre, visit mci-school.org/ballet.