Vail Dance Festival

What is the Vail Dance Festival?

The origins of the Vail Dance Festival are ballet but over the years the festival has evolved to include many forms of contemporary dance as well as free community events and educational events for children. Each year the festival hosts an internationally renowned Artist-in-Residence and Company-in-Residence for a series of world-class performances. Most events take place at the Gerald R Ford Amphitheater, a spectacular outdoor theatre with stunning views of the surrounding mountains.

The festival is committed to empowering boys in dance, to eliminate stigmas and encourage young boys to express themselves through the medium. There are free online masterclasses as well as community discussions and a choreography challenge.

Need to Know

Many festival events are ticketed, so make sure to book in advance. You may also want to consider extending your stay in Vail, while most famous as a ski resort there are plenty of summer activities including hiking, fishing, mountain biking and more.

Did You Know?

The Vail Dance Festival was born out of an unlikely late Cold War cultural exchange. In 1989 the unrivalled Bolshoi Ballet Company from Moscow was slated to perform in Houston, but the shows were cancelled. At the last minute the performances (with a bit of help from Vail Valley resident, former US President Gerald Ford) were moved to Vail. It was the first time in 40 years the Bolshoi performed in the United States and it was a roaring success.