Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum to premiere ‘Reclamation’, a new film by the Asian American Ballet Project
The Asian American Ballet Project (AABP) and Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum announce the premiere of Reclamation, a dance film exploring ancestry, heritage, and history. The ten-minute film will screen on a loop from 3:00–8:00 PM in Calderwood Hall during the Museum’s Free First Thursday event on December 4, 2025, with an artist conversation in the Living Room at 6:15 PM.
Reclamation documents the 2024 AABP original ballet collaboration between artist Kathy Eow, musician Yoona Kim, and choreographer Zoe Mueller. The ballet is a multidisciplinary experience featuring spoken word, live music, and dance to explore one transracial adoptee’s journey reclaiming her family legacy. The film was made possible in part thanks to generous contributions from the Korean Cultural Society of Boston and the Asian Community Fund.
“As a 2025 Neighborhood Salon Luminary at the Gardner, I am thrilled to premiere this film at the museum. I hope audiences will connect with Reclamation and take to heart the message that we all matter,” said Beth Mochizuki, Artistic Director, AABP.
As part of the evening’s programming for Free First Thursday, Kathy Eow, Beth Mochizuki, and Angela Lombardi (Director of Public Programs at the Gardner Museum) will discuss the creative process, artistic collaboration in Boston, and the importance of making space for Asian American storytelling.
“The Gardner Museum is honored to host the premiere screening of the Asian American Ballet Project’s Reclamation. This powerful and moving work engages us in questions of belonging and identity while opening a dialogue made possible through the power of the arts.” said Angela Lombardi.
Asian American Ballet Project, founded in 2022, is the very first Asian American ballet company, ever. AABP commissions works from local and international Asian American choreographers whose repertoire spans classical to contemporary ballet. Its mission is to present Asian American dancers on stage together in all Asian American productions. They aim to tell stories from their unique perspectives and transform how audiences see Asian Americans in performance, from unexpected to accepted. Learn more at https://asianamericanballetproject.org/
Kathy Eow, Andrea Huynh, Lauren Huynh, Rheya Shano, Amane Takaisi, and Mollie Petrizzo in ‘Reclamation’, June 2024. Photo credit Olivia Moon Photography