Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals and Lodging Deals » Vail International Dance Festival

Vail International Dance Festival Presents the Pacific Northwest Ballet

hbalogh — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:00:11 +0000

On Saturday night the Vail International Dance Festival will continue with a performance by the Pacific Northwest Ballet. This will mark the Ballet’s third tour to Vail in the past four years. They are scheduled for three different performances, the first of which will be on Saturday, July 31^st at 7:30 pm. The program is titled Ballet Masterworks and includes three separate performances; Square Dance (George Balanchine), Red Angels (Ulysses Dove), and Serenade (George Balanchine). Pacific Northwest Ballet will be performing a total of nine ballets at the Festival, and in case you miss Saturday’s performance, they will be performing an encore of Red Angels on Tuesday during Dance for $20.10, the third annual showcase of this type featuring Festival favorites.

The Pacific Northwest Ballet is based in Seattle and was founded in 1947 and is recognized as one of the top three ballet schools in the United States. The school offers training to more than 900 students, though only 38 will be performing at the Festival, under the direction of Artistic Director Peter Boal.

The performance will take place at the Gerald R Ford Amphitheater, with ticket prices at $17 for lawn seating and $55/$75 for reserved seating, depending on section.

For more information about the Vail International Dance Festival or to plan your stay in the Vail Valley, please contact Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals at 1-888-866-2305.

2010 Vail International Dance Festival, Night 1

derekl — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:09:40 +0000

Tonight is the first performance of the 2010 Vail International Dance Festival, debuting with world-renowned performer Savion Glover along with legendary jazz musician Eddie Palmieri. This will be Glover’s second consecutive trip to the Vail International Dance Festival, as he performed back-to-back last year. He is a well decorated tap dancer that can please a crowd regardless of age. His influences date back to the Vaudeville tap era and range to recent hip-hop.

He has starred on the big screen as well as on Broadway, alongside legends such as Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr. In fact, Gregory Hines coined Savion Glover to be “the greatest tap dancer that ever lived.” Many may know his work in the Oscar award-winning animated film “Happy Feet”, where he was co-choreographer for the character Mumble. Last year he managed to sell out both shows; and certainly it will happen again.

Tickets are $17 for lawn seating, $55-$75 for reserved seats, and $10 for children. This is a great substitute for the usual Tuesday Hot Summer Nights Series. For more information about upcoming events and lodging in the Vail Valley, please visit our website at rockymountainvacationrentals.com, or by phone at (970)477-1777.

20 Free Things to do in Vail

Maria Piquet — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 22:58:12 +0000

Your Vail vacation doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. There are plenty of fun, free things to do in the area that will keep you and the kids entertained for days.

Hot Summer Night Concert Series every Tuesday
Betty Ford Alpine Botanical Gardens – and select scheduled events
Hiking atop Vail Mountain
The Nature Discovery Center
Farmer’s Markets
Outdoor Films
No nightclub cover
Free shuttle throughout Vail
Sports fields
Lionshead Skate Park
Select events from the Vail International Dance Festival
Dog parks
Free summer parking at Vail Village and Lionshead garages
Adventure Ridge Park activities
Lionshead Family Afternoon Club on Saturdays, July 10 -Aug 14
Colorado Ski Museum
The Vail Nature Center
Explore the Vail Recreation Path
A multitude of events going on all summer
Vail’s Neighborhood BBQs

The Vail International Dance Festival

Maria Piquet — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:39:08 +0000

Come watch the world’s greatest dancers, choreographers and musicians work the stage and showcase their amazing talent at the 2010 Vail International Music Festival. From July 27 to August 10, dancers from all kinds of backgrounds and styles will execute expertly crafted performances at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. With the mountains looming behind the stage and lush greenery thriving around it, Colorado’s natural beauty embraces the dancers, a glorious scene unfolding before the audience.

Dance styles will range from tango to tap, from ballet to break dancing. Performers include Savion Glover, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Paul Taylor Dance Company, BeijingDance, Natalia Hills & Gabriel Missé. Visit the event Web site for a full schedule and a brief biography on the dancers. Prices for the shows range from $10 to $90. There will also be a variety of free performances for audiences to attend. Dancing in the Streets will be a combination of live performances and dancing. In the Arrabelle at Vail Square, audiences will have the opportunity to get instruction from professionals and put their feet to the test. Village Vignettes will offer free sneak peeks of the on-stage performances. The Festival closes with Bud Light Hot Summer Nights of Dance: BreakEFK, a free urban-inspired dance performance. With the wide variety of dance styles and event prices, there is something for everyone.

To book your Colorado vacation, contact Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals. They specialize in Vail and Beaver Creek rentals. 1-888-866-2305

JAZZ ASPEN SNOWMASS

steffiw — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 22:35:16 +0000

Aspen Snowmass will kick off their 20th Anniversary season of June Jazz Festival with some of the biggest names in jazz, pop and world music.

A new addition to the last year program is jazz pianist/vocalist Harry Connick, Jr.
Making his first ever JAS appearance jazz pianist and vocalist Harry Connick, Jr. and his Orchestra have been new to the June Festival lineup being o stage in Aspen Snowmass at the Benedict Music Tent on Friday, June 25.

On Saturday, June 26 at the Benedict Tent JAS will present JAS @ 20!, a special evening of performances in a Grammy-like format of multiple guests artists backed by a crack Big Band. Directed by JAS Distinguished Artist in Residence Christian McBride, the show will also feature jazz legends Dianne Reeves, Patti Austin, Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley, Terence Blanchard, John Clayton and more.

On Sunday, June 27, Pink Martini will perform at the Benedict Music Tent. Having twelve musicians, Pink Martini’s repertoire is wildly diverse. Says bandleader and pianist Thomas Lauderdale, “at one moment you feel like you’re in the middle of a samba parade in Rio de Janeiro, and in the next moment, you’re in a French music hall of the 1930s or palazzo in Napoli. It’s a bit like an urban musical travelogue.”

The closing night of the JAS 20th June Festival on Saturday, July 3, will take place featuring Natalie Cole with Big Band and Musicians from the AMFS. Cole, who had to cancel an appearance with JAS last July due to a kidney transplant last May, is already back on stage feeling “healthy, whole, fit and 100% back again.” Her last release called the Still Unforgettable, earned her two Grammy Awards in 2009, including Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. Cole was also the recipient of the NAACP Award for Best Jazz Artist in 2009.

During the whole event starting on June 24 and lasting till July 3, the JAS Academy Summer Sessions with Christian McBride, will be in residence. JAS’ flagship music education program, the Academy is the nation’s only all-scholarship jazz residency program, uniting the finest young jazz artists with the world’s “jazz legends.” JAS has contributed $5 million dollars to music education since 1996.
Additional special concerts and events will take place throughout the June 24-July 3 Festival including free performances at the Cooper Mall Stage, Jazz performances downstairs at the Little Nell, special events featuring students from the JAS Academy and JAS After Dark shows.

Program Overview:

06/25/2010 HARRY CONNICK, JR. = Benedict Music Tent= 8:30pm

06/26/2010 JAS @ 20! FEATURING CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE, PATTI AUSTIN, DIANNE REEVES, FRED WESLEY & MORE = Benedict Music Tent = 8:30pm

06/27/2010 PINK MARTINI = Benedict Music Tent = 8:30pm

07/03/2010 NATALIE COLE & ORCHESTRA W/AMFS MUSICIANS = Benedict Music Tent = 8:30pm

Tickets for this amazing event are already on sale since February!!! (For Tickets Click here)

Vail International Dance Festival

janyceb — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:42:59 +0000

March 11, 2010- the Vail International Dance Festival

The furthest I got while trying to learn dance as a child was sliding across the kitchen floor in my tights, more than likely breaking something important. This is why the Vail International Dance Festival will leave me in awe. The big air and physical strength combined seamlessly with an artistic flare can’t be missed!

The Vail International Festival, located in Vail, Colorado from July 27, 2010 to August 10, 2010 will include the Pacific Northwest Ballet and the Paul Taylor Dance Company, along with many dancers from around the world such as Savion Glover, Larry Keigwin, and include styles ranging from traditional ballet to Beijing Dance. Tickets (in the seating area of the Gerald Ford Amphitheater) are available for $20.10, and $10 for the lawn.

I can’t wait for these evening shows! Get a group together because summer in Vail, Colorado can’t be beat. Other festivals and events coming this summer in Vail and the Rocky Mountains include:

the TEVA Mountain Games & IFSC World Cup Climbing, June 3-6
Vail Arts Festival, June 25-27
Vail America Days, July 4
Beaver Creek EXTERRA, July 17
Colorado Soul Festival, August 20-22

Ford Amphitheater during a summer concert

2008 Vail International Dance Festival Preview

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:39:22 +0000

Preview of the 2008 Vail International Dance Festival

Review of the 2007 Vail International Dance Festival

Vail International Dance Festival Director Retires from the Stage

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 23:46:05 +0000

Damian Woetzel the Founder of the Vail International Dance Festival Officially Retires from the Stage

The man who founded the 2008 Vail International Dance Festival 2 years ago has officially announced his retirement from the stage, and in doing so performed once more with the New York City Ballet on June 18th. His style and grace supported a long career lasting over 25 years at the professional level. During this time his reputation as one of the United State’s prominent dancers has established his mark in the dance world. Yet, his contribution to the arts may just be beginning as Damian Woetzel is rumored to be a potential replacement for his troupe’s director in the future.

Damian making a curtain call for his final performance

Photo courtesy of Evan Namerow

While the Vail Dance Festival may not gain his full attention now, he is enrolled at Harvard after all, it is sure to grow under his direction. His style and grace have translated into a wonderful persona as a director, his influence over the festival is quite dramatic as he guides his dancers yet doesn’t overstep his boundaries as a director.

Vail Ski Vacations is very anxious for the return of the Vail International Dance Festival and await opening night. Coverage will increase as the festival approaches, but for now all of our staff would like to congratulate Damian Woetzel on a fabulous career.

For further reading on Damian Woetzel’s retirement from the stage check out Dancing Perfectly Free a great blog covering the arts or check New York Entertainment’s for a great in depth look into his career and retirement.