Go Behind-the-Scenes at the Vail Dance Festival with These Incredible Instagram Posts
If, like us, you’re anywhere that isn’t the Vail Dance Festival right now, you’re obviously bummed to be missing all the amazing performances, premieres and collaborations currently underway. Luckily, many of our favorite bunheads have been keeping us updated on the amazing work being done up in the Colorado Rocky Mountains via Instagram. Here’s a roundup of some of our favorite posts so far.
Jennifer Garner is Back on the Ballet Scene
These days, it feels like no ballet performance is complete without a visit from well-known ballet lover Jennifer Garner, who joined her fellow Cindy, American Ballet Theatre principal Isabella Boylston, as well as New York City Ballet’s Lauren Lovette and Unity Phelan backstage after their performance of George Balanchine’s Serenade. Garner also had the chance to celebrate with her other beloved Cindy James Whiteside backstage during the world premiere of his new work, New American Romance.
Isabella Boylston is Fall-ing in Love with “Serenade”
Speaking of Boylston, the ABT star made her debut in Serenade on Friday, and posted a hilarious behind-the-scenes video of her attempt at the infamously hard promenade from the ballet’s pas de trois with Whiteside and Lovette. Bonus points to Boylston for managing to stay on pointe all the way until the end!
An Insider Look At “Apollo” Rehearsal
Phelan joined fellow Vail regular, ABT soloist Calvin Royal III, in rehearsal for another complicated Balanchine partnering maneuver. In this video, Royal and Phelan harness their inner ballet gods and goddesses during a rehearsal for Apollo while being coached by former NYCB principals Heather Watts and Vail artistic director Damian Woetzel.
Visit the Vail Stage with the Dancers of ABT
ABT corps dancer Isadora Loyola gives us another chance to go behind-the-scenes with her fellow company members in rehearsal for Antony Tudor’s Jardin Aux Lilac, Whitesides’ New American Romance, as well as a pre-barre glimpse at the perfectly picturesque Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater (can you say dream performance space?)
James Whiteside, Tap Phenom
Catch Whiteside back in his tap shoes in rehearsal for Michelle Dorrance‘s 1-2-3-4-5-6, which made its world premiere at Vail in 2016. Whiteside will tap-tap-tap alongside Dorrance herself, as well as Vail breakout star Lil Buck and Pam Tanowitz Dance’s Melissa Toogood.
Colorado Ballet + Isabella Boylston + “Serenade” = Perfection
Catch the lovely ladies of Colorado Ballet (feat. special guest star Boylston) in rehearsal for Serenade in this video. Nothing says Vail like an amazing collaboration, and we love watching Boylston bourrée alongside Colorado corps members Mackenzie Dessens, Emily Speed, Sarah Tryon and Fernanda Oliveira.
