A Dancer’s Honest Review of the 2023 Vail Dance Festival

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.

Vail Colorado, A Storybook Town Straight Out of a Fairytale

By Austin Price, Editor in Chief

Everyone wants life to be magical. We want the world to be clean, cheerful, and rich, brimming with human culture and natural beauty. These types of places are hard to find. However, just a 2-hour drive from Denver is a storybook town straight out of a fairytale. This place is Vail Colorado.  

Up into the mountains, surrounded by luscious, green trees and endless fields of flowers is a small town with a population of under 5000 people. Vail is primarily known as a skier's dream destination, with a plethora of terrain perfect for slick ice and powdery snow. This homey mountain town is designed for the ultimate outdoorsman. With ski shops on every corner, and ski lifts visible at all times, it doesn’t seem like Vail would be very popular in the hot, 90-degree days of the Colorado summer. However, Vail has proven to be a yearlong tourist attraction and a vacation spot with opportunities for relaxation and an atmosphere of adventure.  

I recently visited Vail to attend the annual Vail Dance Festival, an extraordinary yearly event that originated in Vail and has continued to prosper in its homeland ever since. Most of the activities and entertainment for the festival occurred at night, giving me plenty of time to explore the town and enjoy the beauty of Vail. Here I will list the highlights, give some reviews, and encourage you to plan your own trip to Vail Colorado.  

Lodging  

The first thing I noticed about Vail was that it is expensive. This was something I discovered before I even left for the trip and planned accordingly. Vail is a well-known tourist destination and its high value architecture and facilities cost a pretty penny. As a college student, I recommend going to Vail with a friend to help ease the strain on your bank account. I went with one of my good childhood friends and we split the cost. With both of us contributing, we shared a standard sized hotel room with two queen beds at the Evergreen Lodge at Vail. Each of us paid around $600 to stay 4 nights and 5 days. Compared to the multitude of 5-star hotels and private, overpriced Airbnb's, this was a reasonable lodging cost for two people. I personally would not pay that much for a room by myself, but with another person with me, it provided us with a safe, clean space to rest, relax, and store things in without breaking the bank. 

The Evergreen Hotel

Food  

If it wasn’t for the skiing, biking and hiking options at Vail, I would say food is their specialty. Located on Lionshead Circle in Vail are countless restaurants, cafes, and bars, each with a unique taste and personality. Each day was a new opportunity to walk the cobbled streets of this charming mountain town, passing a wide variety of restaurants. I can say with absolute certainty that this trip expanded my palette.  

First up for our food tour of Vail was breakfast, the most important meal of the day. The Little Diner is in Concert Hall Plaza and gives the perfect balance of warm, American charm, and friendly companionship between diners and servers. It’s open from 7am to 2pm every day, giving the perfect window to enjoy a late breakfast, or an early lunch. My personal favorite dish from The Little Diner was their French toast, sprinkled with powdered sugar and drenched in homemade, blueberry syrup. The average price of a meal and a drink for one is around $20, making it a doable price with endless food possibilities.  

Now onto lunch. My personal favorite lunchtime spot was Rocky Mountain Taco. A small truck originating from Vail Brewing Company in Avon Colorado is packed to the brim with delicious tacos, quesadillas, fajitas, and burritos. My personal favorite item on this menu was simply called “The White Chick.” This was a plain chicken taco with no spice. Being a “white chick” myself, this was my ideal meal. With prices of $3 per taco, Rocky Mountain Taco is the perfect place for a quick bite between activities, or the start to an epic feast of traditional Mexican cuisine.  

Up next, dinner. Vail is filled with bars, burger joints, and delis, but my personal favorite place for dinner was Blue Moose Pizza, right off of Lionshead Place. We dined at Blue Moose Pizza more than any other restaurant and for good reason. With hand-tossed New York style pizza as the focus, and delicious appetizers on the side, Blue Moose Pizza, albeit a bit more expensive, was worth every penny. Costing around $25-$30 per person for a full meal, this was both a filling dinner and a wonderful start to an evening of attending more performances at the Vail Dance Festival. My personal favorite dish was not even pizza, ironically enough. The best thing to eat at Blue Moose Pizza is Spinach and Artichoke Dip, specifically topping my leftover pizza crust.  

Blue Moose Pizza, off of Lionshead Place

Time for my favorite part of food consumption, sweet treats and desserts! Vail fulfills the sweet tooth of any sugar addict, like yours truly, with options including gelato, milkshakes, smoothies, chocolate, and pastries. Just a few doors down from Blue Moose Pizza on Lionshead Place was my ultimate favorite desert destination, Rimini Gelato and Chocolate. With a sparkling case of vibrant gelato options, saturated with both color and flavor, it’s impossible to walk in without a watering mouth. Personally, my favorite type of gelato is those built around fruit. So, with half a bowl of raspberry gelato, and half a bowl of pineapple gelato, my $10 cup of ice cream was the perfect end to a long day.  

Transportation  

At its core, Vail is a mountain town, meaning the roads are primarily filled with people and dogs, not with cars and trucks. Once you’ve pulled off the interstate, you are now in a whole new world with large sidewalks, and a severe lack of parking. In simple words, my primary advice for transportation in Vail is to park your car and leave it there for the rest of your trip.  

With a limited range of parking options, we left my car parked at the Evergreen Lodge, our hotel, the entire time. As part of our room fee, we got access to the hotel parking lot and kept the car there for the entirety of our trip.  

Because Vail is relatively small and everything is connected, walking was the easiest and most efficient way to get around the town. With some sturdy walking shoes, comfortable clothing with good mobility, and a light backpack with the essentials, relying on our own two feet was a much better alternative to rental cars or Ubers. In addition to clean sidewalks and official trails, Vail offers a free shuttle around town that runs the loop throughout the whole day, giving your feet a break and your eyes an extraordinary view.  

Local signs for pedestrians and cyclists

Outdoor Activities  

Being a mountain town and ski center, Vail has a plethora of outdoor activities, catering to visitors of all ages and interests. As an outdoor lover myself, Vail was a dream hiking and bicycling destination. Official paths, clear maps, and straightforward directions give even the most novice hikers a challenging and joyful hiking experience. Bring your hiking boots and plenty of water and you are sure to enjoy magnificent scenery, friendly wildlife, and historical roots and origin stories. Gore Valley Trail was my personal favorite hiking trail due to its proximity to the river, wide trails, and well-maintained rest stops.  

For those of you wanting to travel around Vail a bit faster, I recommend you rent a bicycle! Vail’s extensive list of ski shops are often complemented by bike stores and rentals. While an abundance of transportation rental services may seem overwhelming, the most affordable and easiest option for us was Vail Bike Tech, located in the heart of Lionshead Village. After filling out a quick survey and giving your measurements, Vail Bike Tech will reserve a bike for you as well as any safety equipment you desire, such as bike helmets. For one person to bike around Vail for two hours with a helmet, it cost me $20. Well worth the price and gave an amazing and fast paced ride through this beautiful town.  

Another favorite outdoor activity was the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens. The Betty Ford Alpine Gardens are one of the world's highest botanical gardens, located at 183 Gore Creek Drive, Vail, Colorado in the United States, at an 8,200 feet (about 2.5 km) altitude in the Rocky Mountains. These gardens are open year-round to the public for free, with a suggested donation as the only ticket to get in. The Gardens offer beautiful trails, extensive hidden pathways, water features, wildlife preservation, and informative guides to plant life and the ecosystem of Vail. This destination is also perfect for picture taking and sightseeing.  

The BettyFord Alpine Gardens

Indoor Activities  

While Vail offers spectacular experiences outdoors, sometimes it’s nice to be inside with shade, and air conditioning, especially during the summer. When looking for ways to beat the heat, we focused our efforts on big, clean, and cool facilities.  

Our first indoor activity was a trip to the Avon Recreation Center, specifically, the pool. With lap pools, a lazy river, a hot tub, slides, diving boards, and an aquatic climbing wall, the Avon Recreation Center was the perfect place to spend the day. Charging $12 per adult for access to all water facilities is a valuable investment to cool off and swim around.  

Our second, main indoor activity was a visit to The Museum at Dinosaur Junction in Edwards, CO. With an admission fee of $8 per person, you are taken to this hidden gem of the mountains at a science center with fossils, artwork, sculptures, replicas, 3D models, interactive exhibits, personalized tours, all for the love of dinos. Run by volunteers and prehistoric creature enthusiasts, this small, historic escape is a perfect way to spend the afternoon. My favorite part of this attraction was the mascot, a real-life iguana, who we named Frank, that hangs out among the exhibits, living his best life with his ancestors.  

Shopping 

I will not deny my love, and possibly borderline obsession with shopping. Vail fed into my addiction to material things like no other. But it was useful for shopping! As an outdoors person who loves to camp, hike, backpack, rock climb, and be in the wild, the Vail shopping community catered to me and my every outdoor need. With shops including Patagonia, The North Face, Fjallraven Kanken, Helly Hansen, Salomon, and Christy Sports, Vail gave me a new and improved stock of outdoor tools and accessories.  

The Patagonia Store, located in Lionshead Place

For more touristy, mainstream shops, Vail offers a multitude of gift stores and merchandise plants. Some of the main ones include Charlie’s T Shirts, Vail T Shirt Company, Crazy Shirts, Mountain Tees, and Vail Style. These offer a wide variety of Vail Swag and include the perfect gifts to take home to your loved ones.  

Final Thoughts

All in all, Vail Colorado is truly a magical place that’s well-kept, beautiful, welcoming, and contains all the mountain charm we could ever ask for. I highly recommend taking a trip to Vail whether it’s for a weekend getaway, a trip with that special someone, a family reunion, a bachelor or bachelorette party, or a self-reflection, one on one trip with yourself. No matter who you are or what you’re interested in, Vail has something for you.   

A final look at Vail

Ski resorts are being blessed with heavy snowfall this season; here’s why

Blue Sky Basin at Vail. Photo source: westword.com

By: Joshua Lenahan, Practicum Reporter

Blue Sky Basin at Vail opened Nov. 29this year – more than a month earlier than last year. Aspen Highlands had the earliest opening since 1992. As of Nov. 9, the Loveland Ski Area had had the best opening in its 81-year history, passing the 10-foot mark before December. Breckenridge had fewer than five runs open this time last year; now nearly 100 percent of the runs are open. 

“It’s absolutely dumping, and has been since October,” said a 10-year ski patrol veteran at Copper Mountain. “It doesn’t even compare to last year and we’re loving it.” 

The heavy snowfall seems to have caught every major ski area in the state. The totals are nothing short of jarring compared to last season’s snow tally. 

Keeping in mind the records that so many ski resorts are reporting, how good is this season? How does it compare to normal years (surely, the totals could feel exaggerated when compared to last year’s extreme lack of snow)? 

Well, Colorado is still in a drought, but it’s beginning to catch up. With 20 percent of the state, mostly in the Southwest, in extreme drought, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System, there’s a lot of catching up that needs to be done. Vail has the most ski terrain open than any resort in North America right now with 4,200 acres in total, and they’re considered to be in a severe drought. 

The high snowfall totals were only one piece to the puzzle that is this season. Consistent cold temperatures has kept the snow on the ground and blessed snowmakers with ideal snowmaking conditions. Snowmakers were able to blow snow to form safe bases for early season skiing. Some high winds earlier in the season helped pack down the snow and form a base for the areas that snowmakers can’t get to. This was important for places like A-basin, which rely heavily on natural snowfall instead of man-made snow. It also helped the higher and harder-to-access terrain elsewhere. 

Early-season starts are heralded not only by ski resorts, but other businesses too. Restaurants, ski shops, dispensaries and hotels benefit from the massive flocks of tourists. 

This season hasn’t been without challenges, however. A heavy early-season snowfall also means heavy early-season avalanches. With avalanches being reported as early as mid-October, the mountains aren’t messing around this season. Additionally, good ski conditions bring tourists, which means traffic, which means accidents. Mid-November brought its fair share of accidents on I-70, but the worst was a multi-car pile up that resulted in four tragic deaths.  

With snow totals piling up fast, resorts are opening new terrain and new lifts, and new skiing opportunities are being offered. The Alterra Mountain Co. introduced the Ikon Pass, a new all-season option for riders, and coincidentally picked what most might consider the best season in years to do so.