By Austin Price, Editor-in-Chief
I have been a dancer for the past 16 years. Despite the countless dress rehearsals, classes, costume fittings, performances, and outreaches I have done, there was one thing on my list that I never got the chance to do until this year. What was this thing? To attend the Vail Dance Festival, 2023.
As a former bunhead and lifelong student of movement and art, attending the Vail Dance Festival was one of the top things on my bucket list. I was so excited to finally get the chance to do so, this past summer of 2023. As a dancer attending one of the most nationally acclaimed and revered dance festivals in the world, I was determined to keep an open mind. With my long history in dance, dance education, and choreography, I wanted to put aside my biases and enjoy the festival as a normal, non-dancer human. It did not take me long to realize that turning off that dancer mentality is a lot easier said than done. And so, I have decided to embrace my dance history and experience and allow it to give you an honest, raw, and critical review of the Vail Dance Festival, as witnessed by a dancer.
The Vail Dance Festival was established in 1989 and has made its home in the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. This annual festival has designated Vail Valley as one of the top summer dance destinations in the world. The Dance Festival was a product of the extremely successful performances by the Bolshoi Ballet Academy of Moscow during the summer of 1989, when the Vail Valley Foundation accepted the responsibility of hosting Madame Sophia Golovkina and her students, after their cancellation in Houston, Texas. After 3 sold out and wildly successful shows at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Golovkina decided that Vail should become the home of the exclusive North American satellite school of the prestigious Bolshoi Academy. Former President and Mrs. Ford, longtime residents of the Vail Valley, recognized the importance Golovkina’s mission, and the potential of her students. With their avid support, the Vail Dance Festival became a permanent pillar in the artistic world of movement.
The stage of the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheatre, the main performing venue for Vail Dance Festival. Photo by Austin Price.
While dancers and choreographers have come and gone, one particular figure, an idol in the dance community, has remained loyal to the Vail Dance Festival. In the fall of 2006, the Foundation took a major step toward moving the Vail Dance Festival forward by hiring Artistic Director Damian Woetzel. Damian has remained a dedicated and efficient Artistic Director, bringing new life and fresh ideas to this iconic celebration. Damian has presented his talent in the direction of the Vail Dance Festival through the addition of NOW: Premieres, the Up-close series, a roster of international dance stars and the Celebrate the Beat educational dance programs for Vail Valley students.
I think it’s safe to say the Vail Dance Festival would not survive, let alone thrive, without the work of Damian. Despite the countless challenges and millions of hours of work he puts into the production side of the festival, Damian remains true to his dancer heritage, by both teaching, lecturing, demonstrating, and performing on the stage throughout various nights of the festival. As a dancer, this was so fun to see. Oftentimes, I feel like dancers who turn towards the backstage, administrative side of things tend to lose their vibrant feature of performance, and overall, their love of the stage. However, Damian broke this stereotype by recognizing his origins as a mover and former student.
The Vail Dance Festival is an event that is promoted by internationally acclaimed, professional dancers throughout the world, who have been invited to perform at the festival and to represent their love of the art form. Some of the most popular figures of today’s dance world that act as ambassadors for the festival are Tiler Peck, Chun Wai Chan, Isabella Boylston, and James B. Whiteside. Let me start by saying that I lost all dignity and grace once I saw these dancers. I fangirled like no other. Witnessing these dancers in a live performance in my home state was one of the most exciting and inspiring moments of my life.
As a dedicated follower of these dancers’ social media accounts, and repeat viewer of their performances on YouTube, watching them perform live was something I never expected, and is something I will never forget. With the genuine joy of performing radiating from their smiles, and the light of pride and grace shining behind their eyes, these dancers embody the dream that every dancer has. This dream is to perform, to change minds, to sharpen understanding, to express emotion, to teach lessons, to innovate new techniques. This dream is to dance.
Chun Wai Chan and Tiler Peck perform a pa de deux. Photo by Austin Price.
James B. Whiteside and Isabella Boylston make a grand exit. Photo by Austin Price.
The Vail Dance Festival lasts a little over a week, and is consistently scheduled for the end of July, bleeding into the beginning of August. Most guests tend to travel to Vail to stay for one performance, maybe two. The structure of the festival follows a standard of one performance per evening, with class in the morning, and an accompanying lecture right after. Because of this separate structure, most of the audience go for short, weekend long vacations. However, I chose to take the phrase “go big or go home” by heart, and stayed for a total of 5 days, and 4 nights.
For such a truncated festival, it seems unnecessary to stay that long. However, I chose to extend my trip and make the most of my vacation days because I had never been to the festival before. Let me say now, I made the right choice. The truth is, I had an ulterior motive for this dance themed vacation. I wanted to reconnect with an estranged childhood friend. While this was my goal, albeit subconsciously at first, I was so grateful I took my time in Vail, a unique and original experience.
I covered the highlights of my Vail vacation in one of my previous articles as well.
With all the amenities and activities in Vail, I recommend making the most out of your trip, and attending as many days of the festival as you can. Each night promises a different performance, different artists, and a completely different experience. By expanding your Vail Dance Festival trip into a full-blown, Vail vacation, you are given the luxury of time to explore the food, shops, and natural beauty of Vail without stressing over heavy traffic or crowded theaters.
Patrons await the nightly performance at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheatre. Photo by Austin Price.
As a dancer, this vacation provided me with several things. First, I got to experience my lifelong dream of attending the festival and seeing some of the most profound and progressive artists of this generation. Second, I was able to cultivate a fabulous vacation, all centered around dance, while simultaneously providing me other opportunities that peak my interests such as hiking and biking. I was able to take my time before and after performances and enjoy the beauty of Colorado surrounding me. I was able to explore, move, create, and I was inspired by the natural, and manmade beauty around me throughout this extraordinary artform.
And so, as a dancer, I cannot recommend the Vail Dance Festival enough. It will move you; it will inspire you; and it will surprise you. As a normal human being, I cannot recommend visiting Vail, Colorado enough. It will charm you; it will welcome you, and it will delight you.