The timing could hardly be better.
Within weeks of the Miami City Ballet’s big splash in New York, the Vail International Dance Festival has announced the company will be a headliner during its 2009 season, which will run July 27 through Aug. 11.
The critics gushed when the troupe, founded in 1986 by former New York City Ballet legend Edward Villella, made its long-overdue Manhattan debut in late January.
“To watch it dance Balanchine is to see aspects of his choreography more clearly than with any other company today,” wrote Alastair Macaulay, dance critic for The New York Times.
The Miami City Ballet will make its Vail debut on Aug. 1, with a program that is tentatively scheduled to include two of choreographer George Balanchine’s most celebrated works — “The Four Temperaments” (1940) and “Serenade” (1934).
In addition, as part of its “UpClose” series, the festival will pay tribute Aug. 3 to Villella, generally acknowledged as the first great male ballet dancer born in the United States. He starred in the premieres of such famous Balanchine works as “Tarantella” and the “Rubies” section of “Jewels,” as well as the 1960 revival of the choreographer’s 1929 masterpiece, “Prodigal Son.”
“I remember in eighth grade science class, someone put up a slide show of great sports heroes,” said festival artistic director Damian Woetzel, who recently retired from the New York City Ballet. “There was Muhammad Ali and Pele, and suddenly there was Eddie Villella flying through the air.
“It changed the way kids in my class thought of ballet. They’d never seen anything like that. He’s a hero, and it’s going to be a great opportunity to have him out in Vail.”
In conjunction with the return of Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company, the festival is also devoting an UpClose program Aug. 6 to Wendy Whelan, one of the best known members of the New York City Ballet.
“She has had such a remarkable career in so many different ways,” Woetzel said. “I’ve been wanting to do this program for two years. It was one of the first things I remember writing on my back-of-napkin list of things you want to do.”
Acknowledging the continuing downturn in the economy, the festival is bringing back a low-cost program, which debuted last year as “Dance for $20.08.” This year, of course, it will be “Dance for $20.09,” with general-admission lawn seating for $9. This program will include appearances by Buckets and Tap Shoes, Todd Yannaconne and The Bakery.
The 2009 season will also feature a full program Aug. 7 with Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company, opportunities July 27 and 28 to experience tap sensation Savion Glover, and showcases of international dance stars on Aug. 8 and 9.
Tickets are on sale: 888-920-2787 or .
Kyle MacMillan: 303-954-1675 or kmacmillan@denverpost.com
