Colorado companies join others in a week full of new and traditional pieces
VAIL – It’s almost summer when Vail will be alive with the sounds of … pointe shoes pounding, tap shoes tapping, bare feet stomping and virtually every form of movement that the human spirit can create, and the human body can produce.
From July 26-Aug. 5 the Vail Dance Festival is coming to town again for its 36th season, with 13 performances and seven world premieres. Under the direction of Damian Woetzel, the former New York City Ballet (NYCB) superstar who has helmed the festival since 2006, this year’s lineup features a typically diverse range of dancers, musicians, composers and choreographers.
Some of the companies and individual artists are well-established like Tiler Peck (NYCB), Michelle Dorrance (Dorrance Dance), Dance Theatre of Harlem, Lil Buck and Caroline Shaw (Composer-In-Residence since 2018.) Others are moving into new roles, like former NYCB principal Lauren Lovette, who is building a reputation as a choreographer of note. Others are at the dawn of their professional careers like Kayla Mak, a student at The Juilliard School, who will be this year’s Scholar-In-Residence and take part in select performances.
Although there are other summer dance festivals in the U.S. the Vail festival is unique.
“It has a special lane about creativity,” says Woetzel. “It’s a kind of lab where people work on new things, experimental things. It’s not just a wonderful performance but you’re going to see something new and creative, and you’re going to feel as though every single step has something new about it.”
Collaborations and unique pairings
Another unusual aspect is the collaboration among dancers, choreographers and composers that Woetzel fosters. There are unexpected pairing of artists from different companies, and the chance for dancers to perform roles that are not in their regular repertoire. This year, for instance, NYCB’s Roman Mejia will make his debut in George Balanchine’s Apollo while American Ballet Theatre’s Catherine Hurlin and Aran Bell with perform Jerome Robbins’ Afternoon of a Faun for the first time.
From the beginning, Woetzel envisioned this festival as coming from the artists’ point of view while at the same time expanding audience perspectives on dance.
“The more the audience knows the more it will demand,” he explains.
Based on my experience at the festival over the years, it’s clear he’s right. Even when he has presented works that he acknowledges could be “challenging” the audience has been right there with him.
Given Woetzel’s commitment to education as well as performance, each year he selects at least once dance Artist-In-Residence. This year there are two. NYCB principal Sara Mearns will perform a range of repertory, including an excerpt from Martha Graham’s Clytemnestra. She’ll aslo teach master classes and take part in a various Festival community programs.
Choreographer Jamar Roberts, formerly of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, will do the same and debut a new work on the “NOW:Premieres,” program which closes the Festival on August 5.
Colorado spotlight
As he does every year, Woetzel will feature several Colorado companies – Colorado Ballet, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance and Dance Aspen. On opening night, for instance, Colorado Ballet dancers will be joined by Festival stars in Balanchine’s elegant Serenade with the Breckenridge-based National Repertory Orchestra providing live accompaniment of Tchaikovsky’s lavish score.
Apart from the Festival’s dance performances, Woetzel always offers informational programs that explore different aspects of dance and dance history. This year his “Up Close” presentation will feature what he calls dramatic “swerves” that have moved dance forward over time. Festival stars will join Woetzel in rehearsal and performance to showcase groundbreaking choreography in styles from ballet to modern to tap and ballroom.
And there’s always “Watching Dance with Heather Watts,” when the former NYCB principal presents an engaging exploration of dance repertory and history with demonstrations by Festival dancers.
There are so many offerings during the Festival that regular attendees typically have their favorite programs from year to year. Some make the “International Evenings of Dance,” with stars from companies around the world, their not-to-be-missed shows; others wait for each year’s “Premieres” evening. With such a full potpourri of masterworks and star performers to choose from, I try to see as many performances as I can, knowing that there will be delights and surprises whenever I go.
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