Today, the annual Vail Dance Festival is recognized the world over as a vitally important cultural event for the dance world, but in the 1980s there was little sign that a small mountain resort town would become an epicenter of dance each year.

In 1989, the legendary Bolshoi Ballet Academy dancers of the Soviet Union were on a performance tour in the United States. The Cold War was in its dying days, lending the tour political significance. When a performance date scheduled for Houston was cancelled, the president of Beaver Creek Resort, Jerry Jones, took the idea of hosting the Bolshoi Tour to a group that included Vail Valley Foundation President and CEO Bob Knous, Vail Valley Foundation Vice President Lissa Macintosh Tyler, Vail Valley Foundation Director of the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater Melody Kenninton and soon-to-be Vail Valley Foundation President and CEO John Garnsey. In late May of 1989, Tyler hopped on a plane to San Diego to find out more and met with manager Mary Ellen Devery to explore the idea of a performance in Vail.

At the time, the nonprofit Vail Valley Foundation had just completed its first of three Alpine World Ski Championships, and was known primarily as an ‘athletics’ organization. However, the Vail Valley Foundation charter called for cultural enrichment of the Vail Valley – and this seemed like a golden opportunity to expand in that direction.

Many credit Knous and Tyler with being the first to understand the long-term value of hosting the famous Bolshoi Academy, but who would fund it? With support from President and Mrs. Gerald R. Ford, and VVF Board Chairman Harry Frampton, Knous rallied a host of patrons that included Oscar Tang, Red & Carolyn Blount, Henry Kravis, and Dick Swig, who ensured the Bolshoi Academy could perform that summer in Vail. Donna and Gil Giordano, Judy and Howard Berkowitz, Marlene and John Boll, Sheika and Pepi Gramshammer, and several others were also instrumental in supporting the early years.

Continue scrolling below to see a timeline and highlights from the Vail Dance Festival’s history.

1989

The Bolshoi Ballet Academy of Moscow makes its first appearance on the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater stage.

When that auspicious first performance arrived, so did heavy rain. At the time, the Ford Amphitheater was not very well covered – and everyone in the audience was getting drenched in the downpour before the performance even began.

The Vail Valley Foundation’s John Dakin summarized the scene on opening night:

Madame Golovkina peered out into the audience from backstage and wondered why all these crazy Americans were sitting in the rain, waiting for her students to perform.  If this were Russia, all of those people would have been home by now, but this was not Russia and these people weren’t leaving.

“They have come to see us,” Madame Golovkina announced to her students, “and we will perform for them.”

Three sensational sold-out performances later, a special friendship had been formed between the Vail Valley and the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, and Vail was on its way to becoming a dance destination.

1990

The Vail Valley Foundation and local patrons help Madame Sophia N. Golovkina officially establish the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Vail. Forty-four American students take part in a four week summer academy for American students. At the conclusion of the course, four American students are invited to travel to Moscow to study for a semester at the Bolshoi Academy.

1992

The Bolshoi Ballet Academy at Vail grows to a three-week residency, culminating in four sold-out performances at the Ford Amphitheater.

Katherine Kersten, School Director for the Milwaukee Ballet, is named Managing Director of the Bolshoi Ballet Academy at Vail.

1993

Kersten, with support from local patrons and sponsorship from Paul Mitchell, helps establish “Paul Mitchell International Evenings of Dance.”

New York City Ballet principal dancer Damian Woetzel performs for the first time in Vail as part of the International Evenings of Dance, alongside principal dancers from the Stuttgart Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, and San Francisco Ballet.

1993 also saw the introduction of the International Dance Teachers’ Conference.

1993

…continued.

The New York Times and other newsmedia covered the attendance of President Bill Clinton and family, writing on Aug. 16, 1993:

“In just 36 hours here, Mr. Clinton went golfing twice with former President Gerald R. Ford. He jogged. He watched an outdoor performance by dancers from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy. And at a lavish dinner in a tent lighted by candles, he borrowed a tenor sax for a haunting rendition of “My Funny Valentine.” 

Mr. Clinton was having such a good time that he decided to spend an extra night tonight in this resort town, forsaking (for a day, at least) his original destination of Springdale, Ark. …”

“…The influence of Mr. Ford seemed to have been particularly contagious on his thrice-removed successor. The former Republican President and his wife, Betty, who have been on near-permanent vacation here since 1977, helped the Clintons find a condominium (owned by the Firestone family, of rubber riches) near their own and escorted them to the ballet and dinner at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater.” 

1994

The Festival officially takes the name of The Vail International Dance Festival.

1995

The Vail International Workshop for young dance students is added to the Festival schedule.

1998

Kersten helps introduce a choreographic dimension as the Festival begins to commission and premiere new works. The project, named the Choreographers Collection, was developed as a collaborative effort with strong regional American dance companies wherein each year a new work is premiered. New works were created by: Stuttgart Ballet’s Stephen Greenston, Over Here, showcased the world premiere of Trey McIntyre’s Go Out.

Also in 1998, a group of young students attend classes as part in the Festival, including a 16-year-old dancer named David Hallberg. Hallberg later went on to become the first foreign principal dancer to join the historic Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow. Hallberg also went on to become a principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre, and in 2021 became the Artistic Director of the Australian Ballet.

2006

Katherine Kersten celebrates her fifteenth and final season as Producing Artistic Director.

The Festival celebrates a seminal moment in its history with a double-billing of Jessye Norman singing a collection of Duke Ellington’s Sacred Music with the Trey McIntyre Project, followed by the dramatic world premiere of McIntyre’s Go Out. At the end of this spectacular season, Kersten passes the torch to Damian Woetzel, principal dancer of New York City Ballet.

2007

The Festival welcomes Damian Woetzel in his first full season as Artistic Director. Woetzel, a Principal Dancer at the New York City Ballet, had first performed at the Festival in 1993. In his first season as Director, Woetzel expands the possibilities for repertory at the Ford Amphitheater by commissioning a set of stage wings from celebrated Broadway scenic designer Robin Wagner.

Full companies begin appearances at the Festival including Pacific Northwest Ballet who perform alongside celebrated musicians from the Bravo! Vail Music Festival. The UpClose series begins, and a variety of dance forms take the stage including a sold-out appearance by tap superstar Savion Glover. The season culminates with the launch of choreographer Christopher Wheeldon’s groundbreaking new company Morphoses/ The Wheeldon Company, which draws international press attention and ushers in a new era for the Festival. Beyond the performance season, Woetzel’s wife the New York City Ballet star Heather Watts engages the Celebrate the Beat program for dance and music education as a free initiative for local children.

2008

The 2008 Festival is filled with exciting moments: legendary composer Philip Glass takes the stage on opening night to accompany several dances staged to his own compositions as part of an American Dance Spectacular; the genius of choreographer Jerome Robbins’ is celebrated with a special UpClose performance; and new creations are debuted by Christopher Wheeldon as part of Morphoses’ second season in Vail. The Paul Taylor dance company is welcomed to the Vail Dance Festival Stage for the first time, as are Kirov Ballet’s Igor Zelensky, NYC Ballet’s rising star Tiler Peck, New York’s Keigwin + Company, Buckets and Tap Shoes, and flamenco artist Soledad Barrio.

2010

Larry Keigwin is invited to be the first Artist-In-Residence at the Vail Dance Festival. He choreographs a crowd-pleasing world premiere, Rock Steady, for Tiler Peck, Robert Fairchild, Joaquin de Luz and Sokvannara Sar. That same season, Alexei Ratmansky’s Fandango created for Wendy Whelan has its world premiere as a Festival commission.

2011

NOW: Premieres, an evening dedicated entirely of new works commissioned for the Festival, makes its debut. The Festival also presents the worldwide launch of New York City Ballet MOVES, the touring company of dancers and musicians from New York City Ballet. Other season highlights also include performances from the Mark Morris Dance Group, the Trey McIntyre Project, Ballroom dance featuring international stars, and a return to Vail by Christopher Wheeldon who creates a new work. Memphis Jookin’ star Lil Buck makes his Festival debut as the 2011 Artist-in-Residence.

2012

The 2012 Vail Dance Festival schedule includes: New York City Ballet Moves in a return engagement, a special UpClose focusing on Stravinsky and Balanchine, and the first full company appearance at the Festival by the lengendary Martha Graham Dance Company.

Iconic Keith Haring artwork makes its debut as a key element of Festival merchandise and signage.

2013

The Festival celebrates 25 years with a season featuring many new artists, the return of favorites, and five new works. Highlights include an evening with the Pacific Northwest Ballet, Balanchine in Black and White, UpClose: Footwork featuring a wide range of dance styles demonstrating the intricacies of their techniques, a new creation from legendary choreographer Paul Taylor who joins his company at the Festival, and a Ballroom Spectacular followed by Dance TV to close the Festival. Tiler Peck and Robbie Fairchild are the 2013 Artists-in-Residence. The New York Times calls the Vail Dance Festival’s International Evening of Dance “Simply the best gala I have attended in decades.”

2014

The 2014 season opened with the 8150 Urban Dance Challenge as part of the Vail Valley Foundation’s Hot Summer Nights free concert series on July 7. Then, on July 27, the Festival hosted Opening Night, followed by performances from Pennsylvania Ballet, UpClose: Jewels, International Evenings of Dance I & II, NOW: Premieres, Dance for $20.14, Wendy Whelan: Restless Creature, Martha Graham Dance Company, Ballroom Spectacular, and Dance TV. Herman Cornejo is the 2014 Artist-in-Residence.

2015

The Community Arts Access Program is established to provide broader access to the arts for those who might otherwise not attend due to economic limitations. Carla Körbes is the 2015 Artist-in-Residence.

2016

The Festival simplifies its name to: “Vail Dance Festival.” Isabella Boylston is the 2016 Artist-in-Residence.

The Vail Dance Festival celebrates its best year yet in terms of ticket sales, revenue, and attendance.

In November Vail Dance Festival goes on tour to New York City with an acclaimed 4 day run at New York City Center for Vail Dance Festival:ReMix NYC.

2017

The Festival simplifies its name to: “Vail Dance Festival”

Michelle Dorrance is the 2017 Artist-in-Residence.

2018

The Vail Dance Festival celebrates 30 years to great fanfare, including a dazzling lineup on Opening Night Saturday, July 28, featuring Festival Artists along with appearances by Alonzo King LINES Ballet and American Ballet Theatre with music by the Breckenridge Festival Orchestra. Live music at the Festival continues to grow. Pulitzer-Prize-winning musician Caroline Shaw arrives as the first Leonard Bernstein Composer-In-Residence and composes a new work for NOW: Premieres, which also includes music performed by Kate Davis, Cameron Grant, Savannah Harris and string quartet Brooklyn Rider, who premiere a new Festival commission by acclaimed composer Gabriela Lena Frank as the score for one of the new dance works.

Jan Hiland, who worked from 2001 as ‘Wardrobe Mistress’ is recognized as the 2018 Vail Valley Volunteer of the Year.

2019

Highlights include the debut of the Cuban dance company Malpaso Dance; at International Evenings of Dance II the Festival presents a world premiere of Alonzo Kings’ work scored by jazz luminary Jason Moran featuring artists from Alonzo King LINES and New York City Ballet.

Also making their debut in 2019: Jacqueline Green of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Julian Mackay of The Mikhailovsky Dance Company, Catherine Hurlin of American Ballet Theatre, Maria Kochetkova an International Ballerina, Hope Boykin of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Lauren Lovette is the 2019 Artist-in-Residence.

2021

The Vail Dance Festival returns to in-person performances, including American Ballet Theatre’s Calvin Royal III as Festival Artist-In-Residence performing in new works choreographed for him by Tiler Peck and by Jamar Roberts. The Festival also featured seven commissioned world premieres. The Festival also welcomes two premiere dance companies: New York City Ballet MOVES, and BalletX.

2022

The Vail Dance Festival returns to full-capacity seating at performances, and features twelve performances and more than 55 Festival Events throughout Vail and the surrounding communities, including the return of New York City Ballet MOVES and BalletX, and the addition of Ephrat Asherie Dance, Limón Dance Company, and DanceAspen. The Festival also celebrates the 100th world-premiere dance commission under Artistic Director Damian Woetzel’s leadership. Caili Quan and Roman Mejia are the 2022 Artists-in-Residence.

2023

The Vail Dance Festival celebrates 35 years of creativity and collaboration  with 12 performances and numerous special events throughout the Vail Valley. Highlights include the Martha Graham Dance Company, L.A. Dance Project, Music From the Sole, BalletX, DanceAspen, and an all-star cast of Festival artists from New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, the Royal Danish Ballet, Boston Ballet, and many more. The Festival hosts Adji Cissoko of Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet as the 2023 Artist-In-Residence.