Events

Opening Night: Digital Edition – Tune in on Facebook or Youtube.

The Vail Dance Festival: Digital Edition begins with a specially curated selection of performances from the past 10 years including debuts, revivals, and new works that have rarely if ever been seen outside of Vail. Hosted by Artistic Director Damian Woetzel, with appearances by a range of the extraordinary dancers and musicians who have made Vail a summer laboratory for creative collaboration.

Photo by Erin Baiano

Join us at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater for a screening of the Vail Dance Festival: Digital Edition of Opening Night. Guests will have the opportunity to view never-before-seen footage, unique moments, and performances from the past 10 years including new works, debuts, and revivals that have only been seen in Vail. This special event is hosted from afar by Artistic Director Damian Woetzel, with appearances by a range of the extraordinary dancers and musicians who have made Vail a summer laboratory for creative collaboration.

Virtual Gala: Digital Edition – Tune in on Facebook or Youtube.

The Virtual Gala evening will feature stars of the Vail Dance Festival from the worlds of ballet, tap, modern, and street dance. Among the highlights of this dynamic program will be The Personal Element, a 2019 Vail world premiere from revered choreographer Alonzo King, with an original score composed and performed by jazz luminary Jason Moran, danced by artists from Alonzo King LINES Ballet and New York City Ballet.

The Personal Element
Music by Jason Moran
Choreography by Alonzo King
Dancers: Adji Cissoko, Madeline Devries, Shuaib Elhassan, Christopher Grant, Roman Mejia, Miriam Miller, Michael Montgomery, Unity Phelan
Piano: Jason Moran

Photo by Christopher Duggan

Passing Balanchine On: Digital Edition – Tune in on Facebook or Youtube.

Heather Watts and Damian Woetzel on mentoring, coaching, and curating George Balanchine’s works at the Vail Dance Festival, with Tiler Peck, Herman Cornejo, and Calvin Royal III, and featuring archival films of Balanchine repertory on Vail stages.

NOW Premieres: Digital Edition – Tune in on Facebook or Youtube.

New works and collaborations made in Vail by a selection of today’s most adventurous voices in dance, featuring a world premiere choreographed by Bobbi Jene Smith with dancers Melissa Toogood, Calvin Royal III, and Smith herself joining in this dance made in and for the virtual space. This evening also features Rise Wait Climb Through, a 2018 world premiere choreographed by Justin Peck, with a commissioned score by Caroline Shaw.

Mercy
Music by Max Richter
Choreography by Bobbi Jene Smith
Dancers to include: Bobbi Jene Smith, Melissa Toogood, and Calvin Royal III

Choreographer Bobbi Jene Smith is new to the Vail Dance Festival this year. She was born in Centerville, Iowa. From 2005-2014 she was a member of the Batsheva Dance Company under the artistic direction of Ohad Naharin. She is an alumnus of the Juilliard School, North Carolina School of the Arts, and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. Her choreography has been presented by The Batsheva Dance Company, CORPUS – The Dance Laboratory of the Royal Danish Ballet, The Martha Graham Dance Company, The Juilliard School, PS122 COIL Festival, A.R.T, The Israel Museum, Luminato Festival, LaMama, Sacramento Ballet, and UNC Chapel Hill. In 2017 she became a founding member of the American Modern Opera Company (AMOC). 

Rise Wait Climb Through
Music by Caroline Shaw
Choreographed by Justin Peck
Dancers: Jared Angle, Isabella Boylston, Herman Cornejo, Patricia Delgado, Joseph Gordon, Christopher Grant, Misa Kuranaga, and Tiler Peck
Musicians: Brooklyn Rider and Caroline Shaw

Photo by Erin Baiano

Conversations On Dance: Digital Edition – Tune in on Facebook or Youtube.

Join Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden from the popular podcast series Conversations On Dance, as they host in-depth discussions from afar with Festival artists including Lil Buck, Calvin Royal III, and “the Cindies” Isabella Boylston and James Whiteside.

Closing Night: Digital Edition – Tune in on Facebook or Youtube.

Closing night of the Vail Dance Festival: Digital Edition brings to the screen the extraordinary 2017 world premiere, we seem to be more than one, choreographed by Michelle Dorrance in collaboration with Dario Natarelli and her extraordinary cast. This piece captures the unique collaborative spirit of the Festival, bringing together dancers from tap, ballet, contemporary, jookin’, flamenco, and modern traditions. Hosted by Damian Woetzel, the evening will open with the 2019 world premiere piece d’occasion Carolina Shout with jazz pianist Jason Moran and dancers Michelle Dorrance and Lil Buck.

Carolina Shout
Music by James P. Johnson
Choreographed by Michelle Dorrance, Lil Buck and Damian Woetzel
Dancers: Michelle Dorrance and Lil Buck
Pianist: Jason Moran

we seem to be more than one
Choreographed by Michelle Dorrance in collaboration with the dancers. Assistant choreographer: Dario Natarelli
Dancers: Lil Buck, Herman Cornejo, Barton Cowperthwaite, Michelle Dorrance, Francesca Forcella, Elena Heiss, Bill Irwin, Daniel Mayo, Roman Mejia, Ron Myles, Dario Natarelli, Tiler Peck, Melissa Toogood, and James Whiteside
Musicians: Brooklyn Rider, Kate Davis, Gabe Schnider, Savannah Harris