Boulder Arts Outdoors’ weekly mixed bills bring Xicano funk, ballet, juggling, samba and more to the Boulder Bandshell

On Thursdays in July and August, Boulder Arts Outdoors (BAO) will present mixed bill performances of live music, dance, physical theater, and circus arts at the Bandshell in Boulder’s downtown Civic Area. Each performance will include five acts that range from contemporary ballet to Xicano funk music to juggling to bluegrass. Audiences can enjoy food and drinks from local purveyors alongside the dynamic lineups of local and regional talent.

Performances will take place July 22 and 29 and August 5, 12, 19, and 26 from 7 p.m to 8:30 p.m. Doors and concessions open at 6 p.m. Salsa, samba, and Ghanaian dance artists will teach 20-minute workshops before select shows. DV8 Distillery will provide an assortment of craft cocktails and other beverages, and rotating vendors such as Izote Latin Foods and the Village Nosh will host food tents and carts.

Performers include longtime regional favorites such as Chris Daniels and the Kings with Freddi Gowdy, 3rd Law Dance/Theater, Peter Davison, and Ginga, alongside exciting newcomers, including the Elisa Garcia Trio, Lady Romeo, and VisKosity Dance Collective. Although many groups are Boulder-based, some come to Boulder from Denver and the surrounding region, such Los Mocochetes (303 Magazine’s 2019 Best Multi-Genre Band), Edgar L. Page: Feel the Movement, and the newly formed Dance Aspen. Other notable performers include By the Lee (the front duo of bluegrass band The Railsplitters) and American Ballet Theater dancers and Boulder natives Claire Davison and Leah Baylin. All in all, BAO will present 30 unique acts.

BAO was founded by Boulder native Mara Driscoll at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when it created a safe platform for live performance with two packed drive-in series at the Stazio Ballfields parking lot. Following the tremendous response from audience members who connected with the diverse, mixed-bill format of programming, Driscoll chose to carry BAO’s mission forward in 2021.

CU Associate Dance Chair Helanius J. Wilkins, who performed in the inaugural 2020 series and who will return to the 2021 series with a world premiere, believes that BAO is an important addition to Boulder’s performance offerings. According to Wilkins, “BAO offers a unique opportunity to experience a wide range of Colorado-based performing artists who are recognized regionally to internationally. Through the curated programming, there is something for everyone to enjoy and even more for them to be introduced to!”

PERFORMANCE LINEUPS

July 22

Los Mocochetes – Xicano funk band

Peter Davison – Juggling and physical theater

Bateria Alegria and Bella Diva – Samba percussion and dance

Edgar L. Page/Feel the Movement – Contemporary dance

By the Lee – American folk duo

July 29

Lady Romeo – Soul/pop/rock band

Claire Davison – Neoclassical ballet

Helanius J. Wilkins – Contemporary dance

Marcela Lay and Toqui – Cuban-style salsa

Alfredo Muro – Latin guitar virtuoso

August 5

Dandelions – Folk rock, bluegrass

3rd Law Dance/Theater – Contemporary dance

VisKosity Dance Collective – Contemporary and street dance fusion

Ball Lune – Mime, juggling, experimental vocals

Los Chicos Malos – Cuban jazz/salsa/cha cha

August 12

Elisa Garcia Trio – Latin American folk music

Dance Aspen – Contemporary ballet

Yesutor Kotoka – Ghanaian dance and drumming

Andrew Krimm and Rosemarie Mientka – Viola and contemporary dance

All Wheel Drive – Bluegrass/Bela Fleck tribute band

August 19

Sherefe – Arabic music

Leah Baylin – Classical ballet

Celia Perarnaud – Contemporary dance

Block 1750 – Cypher-style hip hop

Ginga – Brazilian music

August 26

Boulder Symphony Percussion Trio – Chamber percussion

Rueda de la Primera – Rueda de casino

Boulder Ballet – Neoclassical ballet duet

Paul Fowler with 3rd Law Dance/Theater – Vocals and contemporary dance

Chris Daniels and the Kings with Freddi Gowdy – Blues/funk/jam band

Ticket and Venue Information

General Admission tickets are $20 and free for children under 12 years old. Packages for multiple performances are offered at reduced prices. To purchase, visit www.boulderartsoutdoors.com.

Livestream broadcasts of the performances will be available through the Boulder Arts Outdoors website.

The Glen Huntington Bandshell is located in Boulder’s Civic Area on Canyon Blvd, Boulder, CO 80302. Parking is available on the street and in the parking garages at 15th and Pearl, 14th and Walnut, and 11th and Spruce. The RTD Skip Bus stops nearby at Broadway and Canyon Blvd.

Los Mocochetes: Photo by Karson Halloway

Edgar L. Page: Photo by Calvin Berry

By the Lee: Photo by Cary Jobe 

Ball/Lune: Photo and editing by Joan Hofmeyr and Blake Habermann

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