From Ballanchine to Paint Cans
The art of the dance weaves the alchemy of human grace and imagination to inspire and amaze us all. This summer, the Vail International Dance Festival’s second year under Artistic Director Damian Woetzel will mine artistic dance forms both classical and street-savvy with an ambitious program. Woetzel’s connections as a former principal dancer and choreographer for a number of prestigious companies, including the New York City Ballet, have elevated the Festival to a new level, giving it access to exciting international talent. This season continues Woetzel’s vision to expand dance from the intellectual zone into the mainstream with an exuberant breadth of expression ranging from traditional flamenco to the most edgy modern moves, from tap shoes exploding off the stage, to a salute to the masterworks of beloved West Side Story choreographer Jerome Robbins.
The July 27 opening night performance by world-famous composer and pianist Philip Glass will kick off this noteworthy 19th season. Glass’s renown stems equally from his 
operas, concertos and symphonies and from his powerful collaborations in dance, film and popular music with artists such as Twyla Tharp, Woody Allen, Paul Simon and David Bowie. This electrifying evening will feature Glass and his ensemble providing the musical accompaniment to three very different dance companies, whose presence in the dance firmament varies from 53 years to a troupe that’s just celebrating its first birthday.
The Paul Taylor Dance Company has journeyed the well-trod artistic road from rejection to triumph in the over half a century since its founder’s first modest Manhattan performance with five dancers in 1954. At the beginning, Taylor’s choreography was judged experimental, even “painful” to sit through. But it wasn’t long until audiences caught on. Now Taylor and his troupe have been hailed for their stirring originality in performances in over 500 cities and 62 countries. The company has appeared frequently at the Vail International Dance Festival, and this year will take the stage on opening night and the following evening as well.
The Dance Festival‘s 2008 season features another stellar company, the Pacific Northwest Ballet, which will perform at the Festival four times, including opening night. Founded in 1974 and headquartered in Seattle, the group of 44 dancers is one of the largest and most celebrated ballet companies in the U.S. They have toured Europe, Australia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Canada, and have also appeared throughout the U.S. The Company will dance to works by Jerome Robbins, Twyla Tharp, and a new piece by the director/choreographer of The Producers, Susan Stroman. The Pacific Northwest Ballet will also interpret select masterpieces of that icon of the dance, choreographer George Balanchine. 
The excitement continues with the crackling energy of Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company, a new troupe which made its world premiere to great acclaim at last year’s Vail International Dance Festival. Christopher Wheeldon and Lourdes Lopez founded Morphoses in 2007 with the mission of broadening the scope of classical ballet through innovation and collaboration. Wheeldon, the company’s artistic director, has created luminous ballets for companies including the New York City Ballet, the Royal Ballet, and the Bolshoi Ballet. Executive Director Lopez is a former New York City Ballet principal dancer and one-time director of the George Balanchine Foundation. Morphoses will perform vibrant new works on opening night and two other evenings.
As always, the Vail International Dance Festival includes something for everyone, and Buckets and Tap Shoes will delight the entire family. This music-and-dance party gets its rhythm from mischievous improvisation with five-gallon paint buckets and cast-off “junque” as well as generous sprinklings of electric guitar, keyboards and drums. The talented performers from Minneapolis take the audience on a high-energy adventure with original music spun from the roots of funk, soul, jazz, classical, hip-hop, blues and rock. The dazzling footwork, good-times vibe and sheer fun will have everyone tapping along. 
On August 4, Keigwin + Company brings its lively dance entertainment to the Ford Amphitheater. And the group doesn’t hesitate to call its witty and theatrical dances “entertainment,” either. Sharing the stage that evening, Spain’s incomparable Noche Flamenca troupe will light up the night with the torrid rhythms that could belong only to the dance of romance. The company has an appreciative global audience, with annual seasons in New York City and Buenos Aires.
The final treat of the Festival showcases the breath-taking beauty and athleticism of world champion ballroom dancing. Whirling across the stage, these gorgeously garbed dance contest-winning couples from around the world will captivate the audience.
The Vail International Dance Festival is sponsored by the Vail Valley Foundation and generous donors. For a complete schedule and more information, please visit www.vaildance.org.
Joy Overbeck is a Denver-area journalist whose work has appeared in publications such as Redbook, Woman’s Day, Health, Readers Digest, 5280 Denver Magazine, Vail-Beaver Creek Magazine, LUXE, and others. She is also the author of three books.
