Vail Dance Festival

This July 31–August 10 the Festival welcomes Alexei Ratmansky as Artist-In-Residence, and performances by Martha Graham Dance Company, Rennie Harris Puremovement American Street Dance Theater, Colorado Ballet, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance and a roster of dance stars from New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Philadelphia Ballet, Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, the Royal Danish Ballet, and more!

This exciting season marks the 20th anniversary of Woetzel’s tenure as Artistic Director, celebrating two decades defined by the commissioning of over 100 new works and a trailblazing spirit of innovation, collaboration, and world-class artistry!

Choreographers making new dances this season include Artist-In-Residence Alexei Ratmansky, Robert Battle, Michelle Dorrance, Larry Keigwin, Tiler Peck, Pam Tanowitz, and in Festival choreographic debuts Chun Wai Chan and Amanda Treiber.

Alexei Ratmansky—one of today’s most celebrated ballet choreographers in the world — will be the 2026 Artist-In-Residence. A defining voice in ballet, Ratmansky has created critically acclaimed works for many leading ballet companies around the globe and is currently Artist-In-Residence at New York City Ballet.

And continuing on as the Leonard Bernstein Composer-In-Residence for her 10th year at the Festival, Pulitzer Prize and Grammy award winning composer and performer Caroline Shaw will join Ratmansky as a creative driver of the 2026 Festival.

Colorado Dances – August 9th

Colorado Dances celebrates the vibrant dance community of the Centennial State with a one-of-a-kind program featuring Rocky Mountain powerhouses Colorado Ballet and Cleo Parker Robinson Dance — both celebrated for their artistic excellence, cultural impact, and enduring contributions to American dance.   

Colorado Ballet

Presenting exceptional classical ballet and innovative contemporary dance through performances, training, education and community engagement, Colorado Ballet continues to inspire and grow an increasingly diverse audience base in Denver, Colorado.

Cleo Parker Robinson Dance

Currently celebrating its 54th Season, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance is an international, cross-cultural, dance-arts and educational institution rooted in African-American traditions and the Diaspora, dedicated to excellence in performance, instruction, and community programming.

Performances at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, the Vilar Performing Arts Center, and the Avon Performance Pavilion. Check out each performance to see the venue and time.