Vail Dance Festival launches with full, exciting schedule on Friday

The Vail Valley Foundation recently issued the following press release on the Vail Dance Festival kicking off on Friday, July 26:

The Vail Dance Festival kicks off on Friday, July 26 and will bring together renowned and emerging dancers, musicians, composers, and choreographers from near and far. A project of the nonprofit Vail Valley Foundation, the famed event will include 13 performances and numerous events throughout Vail and the surrounding communities through August 5. As previously announced, this year’s Artists-In-Residence will be New York City Ballet principal dancer Sara Mearns and choreographer Jamar Roberts, Composer-in-Residence will be Caroline Shaw, and Scholar-in-Residence will be Kayla Mak and Emiko Nakagawa.

“Reuniting in the heart of the Rockies to make and share art is something the dancers, musicians and audiences of all ages look forward to every year,” says Artistic Director Damian Woetzel. “As we arrive in Vail we are full of anticipation for the performances and all the special collaborations we will be making this season.”

Casting and Performance Highlights
Friday, July 26 – Monday, July 29
For full festival schedule through August 5, visit vaildance.org

*Denotes role debut. 
Please note that the Festival schedule and casting are subject to changes and additions. 

Opening Night
Friday, July 26 at 7:30 p.m.
Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail
Tickets starting at $32

The Opening Night program will begin with Jazz Jam 2024 a new work collaboration between the Julliard Alumni Jazz Ensemble+ and kora musician Youba Cissokho with a cast of dancers from various genres including Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet’s Adji Cissoko, tap dancer Michelle Dorrance, Memphis Jooker Ron Myles, and ballroom duo Denys Drozdyuk and Antonina Skobina, The evening will also include an excerpt from José Limón’s A Choreographic Offering featuring the Limón Dance Company, Artist-In-Residence and New York City Ballet principal Sara Mearns*in George Balanchine’s Élégie joined by New York Philharmonic violist and 2023 Juilliard graduate Tabitha Rhee* playing the Stravinsky score, Alexandra Hutchinson and Micah Bullard of Dance Theatre of Harlem in Helen Pickett’s When Love featuring a score by Philip Glass, and American Ballet Theatre’s Catherine Hurlin and Aran Bell in the thrilling Act III pas de deux from Le Corsaire. In the second half of the evening, guest stars of New York City Ballet and American Ballet Theatre will join Colorado Ballet in a special performance of George Balanchine’s landmark ballet Serenade, with Tschaikovsky’s score performed live by the National Repertory Orchestra conducted by Michael Stern. Guest stars in the iconic ballet will include Isabella Boylston, Chun Wai Chan, Lauren Lovette, Unity Phelan, and James Whiteside.

Dance Theatre of Harlem
Saturday, July 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail
Tickets starting at $32

The legendary Dance Theater of Harlem returns to the Festival in a program featuring George Balanchine’s Allego Brillante and DTH Artistic Director Robert Garland’s recent work Nyman String Quartet #2 which was hailed by the Associated Press as “highly athletic and infectiously joyous,” and Blake Works IV (The Barre Project) by William Forsythe.

UpClose: SWERVE with Damian Woetzel
Sunday, July 28 at 6 p.m.
Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail
Tickets starting at $32 

Hosted by Festival Artistic Director Damian Woetzel, UpClose features dramatic “swerves” in the history of dance as shown through the works that have led this art form forward. This program features Festival stars in rehearsal and performance mode as they take on groundbreaking choreography from across centuries of dance styles from ballet and modern dance, to street styles, tap, and ballroom. Casting includes American Ballet Theatre’s Aran Bell, Catherine Hurlin, and Calvin Royal III, New York City Ballet’s Olivia Bell, India Bradley, Harrison Coll, Joseph Gordon, KJ Takahashi, Sara Mearns, and Unity Phelan, tap dancer Michelle Dorrance, ballroom duo Denys Drozdyuk and Antonina Skobina, modern dancer Melissa Toogood, Royal Danish Ballet’s Philip Duclos, former New York City Ballet dancer Lauren Lovette, Philadelphia Balet’s Mayfield Myers, and Scholar-In-Residence Kayla Mak.

Myths by Legends
Monday, July 29 at 7:30 p.m.
Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail
Tickets starting at $32 

Today’s extraordinary dancers perform works themed to myths ancient and contemporary, as choreographed by legends of the dance world. The program will include Limón Dance Company in their founder’s classic Orfeo, Artist-In-Residence and New York City Ballet principal Sara Mearns*in George Balanchine’s Élégie, American Ballet Theatre’s Isabella Boylston and James Whiteside in the Act III pas de deux in Marius Petipa’s Swan Lake, Jerome Robbins’ moving ballet studio encounter Afternoon of a Faun with American Ballet Theatre’s Catherine Hurlin* and Aran Bell*,and George Balanchine’s Apollo with New York City Ballet’s Joseph Gordon*, Unity Phelan and India Bradley*, and Mayfield Myers* of Philadelphia Ballet. Musicians scheduled to perform include Quartet-in-Residence Brooklyn Rider, pianist Michael Scales, violinist Tabitha Rhee, and flutist Alex Sopp.

Community Programs
Thursday, July 25 – Monday, July 29

The FREE Dancing in the Streets invites participants of all ages and abilities to join in on the fun. Choreographer Larry Keigwin comes to Lionshead Village on Thursday, July 25 at 5:30 p.m. to host a one-a-kind pop-up performance in front of Garfinkel’s Sports Bar. On Sunday, July 28 at noon, dancers of the Limón Dance Company will host similar a similar experience at the intersection of Bridge and Gore Streets. 

Tiny Dancer Tea Party
Saturday, July 27 at 10 a.m.
Social Courtyard at the Gerald R. Ford Amphiteater, Vail
Tickets: $50, includes entry for one adult and one child

An event for the littlest dancers with the biggest dreams. Boys and girls ages 4-7 are invited to enjoy crown and tiara decorating, a dance session, meet-and-greets with Festival dancers, snacks, and fun! Includes one children’s size Festival t-shirt. 

Conversations on Dance
Vail Mountain School, Vail (New Location)
Tickets: $25 

Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden sit down with artists of the Vail Dance Festival for live recordings of their popular Conversations on Dance podcast series. Early festival dates of the series include Dance Theater of Harlem Artistic Director Robert Garland (Saturday, July 27), choreographer Larry Keigwin (Sunday, July 28), and Limón Dance Company Artistic Director Dante Puleio (Monday, July 29). Each event starts at 10:30 a.m. and light refreshments will be served. 

Master Classes
Vail Mountain School, Vail
Tickets: $30, participate and $15, observe (parent, guardian, or dance instructor)

Ballet with Dance Theatre of Harlem (Thursday, July 25 at 9 a.m.), Ballet with New York City Ballet’s Chun Wai Chan (Friday, July 26 at 9 a.m.), Repertory with Limón Dance Company’s Dante Puleio (Friday, July 26 at 10:30 a.m.), Ballet with New York City Ballet’s Sara Mearns (Saturday, July 27 at 9 a.m.), Ballet with New York City Ballet’s India Bradley (Sunday, July 28 at 9 a.m.), and Tap with Michelle Dorrance (Monday, July 29 at 9 a.m.) 

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Performance tickets and a full schedule of shows and events are available at vaildance.org. Tickets can be purchased online or through the Box Office by phone at 970.845.TIXS (8497). The Box Office hours are 11a.m. through 5p.m. daily. 

Ticket packages and discounts are available including Pay Your Age (18-30yrs old), Student & Faculty lawn pricing for $10, and free lawn admission for children under 12 and under. Visit vaildance.org/plan-your-experience for terms and conditions. Subject to availability. Prices listed do not include service fees.

*Please note that the 2024 Vail Dance Festival schedule and casting are subject to changes and additions.