Partner Press Release – Vail Dance Festival
Vail, Colo., July 31, 2025 — The Vail Dance Festival, which opened on July 25 and continues through August 5, is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated casting and repertory for this weekend’s signature International Evenings of Dance at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater in Vail, CO. For over three decades, the beloved dance series has brought a dazzling lineup of world-renowned artists to the Vail stage. Audiences can choose from three distinct performances, each offering a unique experience with a fresh cast and repertory—showcasing the very best in dance from across the globe.
Under the artistic direction of Damian Woetzel, and produced by the nonprofit Vail Valley Foundation, the Vail Dance Festival is critically acclaimed for its world-class artistry that celebrates classical traditions as well as new collaborations and partnerships between artists of various dance styles and genres including ballet, modern, tap, street styles, and more.
For a full Festival schedule and a list of who is performing, visit vaildance.org.
Casting and repertory are subject to changes and additions.
The International Evenings of Dance performance highlights from August 1 – 2 include:
[*denotes role debut]
International Evenings of Dance I | Fri. August 1 at 7:30 p.m.
Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail CO
Celebrate the Beat opens with an electrifying performance featuring local Eagle County students sharing the stage with Festival stars. As the sun sets, the evening comes alive with energy, talent, and inspiration with some of the biggest stars in the world of dance.
Select highlights will include a Jam Session between jookin’ street dancers and tap dancers; Spring Waters with American Ballet Theatre’s Catherine Hurlin and James Whiteside; Alvin Ailey’s Reflections in D danced by American Ballet Theatre’s Calvin Royal III; Mark Morris’ Three Preludes with Robbie Fairchild; Pam Tanowitz’s Song of Songs with Artist-in-Residence Melissa Toogood; William Forsythe’s Herman Schmerman with Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia of New York City Ballet, and Vail Dance Festival original By and By with Lil Buck and bass-baritone Davóne Tines.
The program will include three Balanchine works: Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux with American Ballet Theatre’s Chloe Misseldine and Brooks Landegger*, Diamonds Pas de Deux with New York City Ballet’s Mira Nadon and Ryan Tomash of the Royal Danish Ballet, and Elegie (from Tschaikovsky Suite #3) with New York City Ballet’s Sara Mearns and Chun Wai Chan*.
International Evenings of Dance II | Sat. August 2 at 5:00 p.m.
Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail CO
Enjoy an earlier showtime perfect for families or those planning dinner or a night out on the town afterwards. Set in the warmth of daylight, this 60-minute, no-intermission performance delivers all the brilliance of the Festival’s world-class dancers.
Highlighted casting and repertory includes Christopher Wheeldon’s This Bitter Earth with American Ballet Theatre’s Isabella Boylston and James Whiteside*; the world premiere of a new work choreographed by Tiler Peck; George Balanchine’s Rubies Pas de Deux with New York City Ballet’s India Bradley and Joseph Gordon; Divertissement Pas de Deux from A Midsummer Night’s Dream with New York City Ballet’s Unity Phelan and Chun Wai Chan; National Ballet of Canada’s Ben Rudisin with Broadway star Robbie Fairchild in St John’s Gate, 1594; and the Rose Adagio from Marius Petipa’s The Sleeping Beauty with New York City Ballet’s Mira Nadon making her debut in this legendary role. The performance will conclude with the thrilling Swan Lake Act III Pas de Deux with American Ballet Theatre’s Chloe Misseldine and Royal Danish Ballet’s Ryan Tomash.
International Evenings of Dance III | Sat. August 2 at 8:00 p.m.
Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail CO
The series concludes with a magical night under the stars. This later-evening performance takes full advantage of dramatic lighting and the beauty of a Colorado night sky.
Three Balanchine works will be included in the performance: Tarantella; La Sonnambula with New York City Ballet’s Sara Mearns* and Broadway star Robbie Fairchild; and Duo Concertant with New York City Ballet’s Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia*.
Other program highlights include Hopeful Parents (from The Missing Mountain) choreographed by Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber and featuring New York City Ballet star Unity Phelan* and Ryan Tomash of Royal Danish Ballet; and Philadelphia’s BalletX will perform an excerpt from Big Wig recently choreographed by Marquerite Donlon, which combines traditional Irish dance forms and contemporary choreography.
Folk music star Rhiannon Giddens will make a special musical appearance. With live music being a staple of the Festival, you’ll also see many other musicians perform throughout the International Evenings of Dance including Quartet-In-Residence Brooklyn Rider (Johnny Gandelsman and Colin Jacobson on violin, Nicholas Cords on Viola, and Michael Nicholas on cello), along with Cameron Grant, Michael Scales, Joel Wenhardt, Tony Siqi Yun on piano, Caroline Shaw on vocals, Youba Cissokho on the kora, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Kate Davis, and bass-baritone Davóne Tines.
The Vail Dance Festival season continues through Tuesday, August 5 and includes the FREE Dancing in the Park in Avon (July 31), the Festival debut of A.I.M by Kyle Abraham (Aug. 3), NOW: Premieres (Aug. 4), the Closing Night celebration of Dance for $20.25 featuring BalletX (Aug. 5), and a host of remaining special events including the Conversations of Dance live podcast series, the FREE Dancing in the Streets pop-up performances, Master Classes, and more.
For more information visit vaildance.org or reach the Box Office at [email protected] or 970.845.TIXS(8497).
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About the Vail Dance Festival
Established in 1989, the Vail Dance Festival is an internationally renowned two-week celebration of exceptional artistry in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, featuring performances at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater and other venues throughout the Vail Valley. Led by Artistic Director Damian Woetzel since 2006, the Festival brings a wide range of extraordinary dancers and musicians to Vail and has established the Vail Valley as one of the top summer dance destinations in the world. The Festival features a variety of programming that welcomes everyone to enjoy the spectrum of dance, including commissioned new works of dance and music, adventurous collaborations, education initiatives, free community events, and more.
For more information, visit vaildance.org.
About the Vail Valley Foundation
The Vail Valley Foundation is a 501(c)(3) Colorado nonprofit with a mission to provide leadership in arts, athletics, and education, and address community needs to enhance our valley as a place to live, work, and visit.
The organization’s work in education is through YouthPower365, a 501(c)(3) Colorado nonprofit corporation which provides programs from early childhood to college and career to help youth reach their full potential and support youth and families every step of the way. The VVF puts on several annual events including the GoPro Mountain Games, Stifel Birds of Prey Audi FIS Ski World Cup races, Vail Dance Festival, and Bulleit Hot Summer Nights and Town of Eagle ShowDown Town free concert series. The organization manages the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek Village and the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater in Vail, hosting over 150 events annually. The VVF also operates Eagle River Valley Childcare, a 501(c)(3) Colorado nonprofit corporation focused on enhancing early childhood education and development services across the community. The first initiative in Avon is a partnership with the Town of Avon, with donations eligible for the Colorado Child Care Contribution Tax Credit (CCTC).
Vail Valley Foundation is grateful for our cornerstone partners: Town of Vail, Vail Resorts, Beaver Creek Resort Company, GoPro, Nature Valley, Constellation Brands, CELSIUS, Diageo, Lifetime Home Remodeling, and Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate.
To learn more, visit vvf.org.
Media contact:
Joel Solari
- 312.678.7568
- 970.777.2015