Dance leaps outside during the summer, seizing the warm weather to leave its usual theatrical confines for open-air shows and productions that span the state.
It’s the perfect time to take a new look at shows that premiered during the fall-to- spring cycle and a chance to revisit old favorites.
Here are a few of the best visiting the Front Range and beyond in the coming months.
“Art,” 7Dancers, today, Ricketson Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 1101 13th St. The choreographers’ pedigree should hint at the contemporary flavor of this wide-ranging piece, with work from Mandy Moore (“So You Think You Can Dance”), Chantal Robson (various MTV, Grammy and Billboard awards shows) and Stephanie Prosenjak (ex-Nuggets and Broncos dancer, owner of Cherry Creek Dance). $17-$27. 303- 399-8087 or .
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” International Youth Ballet, Friday-Saturday, Newman Center for the Performing Arts, 2344 E. Iliff Ave. Don’t let the name fool you — this Centennial company brings in heavy hitters from the Colorado Ballet, New Jersey Ballet and others to augment its cast. $21. 720-283-6323 or .
“Dependence Upon Initial Conditions,” Louder Than Words Dancetheatre, Friday-June 12, Byron Theatre, Newman Center for the Performing Arts, 2344 E. Iliff Ave. Artistic director/choreographer Chris Harris pushes color, music and fabric out front for this textured three-act, which draws on modern and jazz dance techniques. $17-$22. 303- 871-7720 or .
Hannah Kahn Dance Company, June 15, Hudson Gardens and Event Center, 6115 S. Santa Fe Drive in Littleton; July 22, Washington Park Recreation Center, 701 S. Franklin St. These kid-friendly, 45-minute performances feature founder/ artistic director Kahn and five other dancers leading audiences through the structure, discipline and process of choreography with fully staged, costumed pieces. Free. 303-789- 4181 or .
“Best of BNC,” Ballet Nouveau Colorado, June 17, Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd. As part of the Arvada Center’s ambitious, open-air CenterFest series, which blends live dance, music and theater in its Thursday night programs, Ballet Nouveau Colorado will offer its sampler of recent works by artistic director Garrett Ammon and company favorite Alex Ketley. $15-$30. 720-898-7200 or .
Vail International Dance Festival, July 27-Aug. 10, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, 530 S. Frontage Road, Vail. The two biggest weeks of dance in the high-country summer live up to their name with performances from visiting companies in Buenos Aires, Beijing and elsewhere, plus the best homegrown shows in breakdancing, ballet, Broadway and more. Various prices and packages. 888-920-2787 or .
“Bach 260,” Lemon Sponge Cake Contemporary Ballet, July 31. Chautauqua Auditorium, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder. Choreographer Robert Sher-Machherndl’s latest premiere commemorates the 260th anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach’s death, set to a selection of Bach’s fugues and compositions — with the help of Finnish National Ballet dancer and frequent collaborator Minna Tervamaki. $28.75- $43.75. or .
“Aerial Dance Festival,” Frequent Flyers Productions, Aug. 1-14, various Boulder locations. It’s been 12 years since Nancy Smith’s Boulder company debuted this unique celebration of aerial dance, and it’s only grown in popularity since then. The 2010 installment features classes and performances from guest artists at the Dairy Center for the Arts and other locations. Various prices. 303-245-8272, .
Apex Contemporary Dance Theatre and Zoë Keating, Aug. 3, Chautauqua Auditorium, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder. Presented by the Colorado Music Festival, this program continues the seemingly ubiquitous (of late, anyway) pairing of live music and dance with avant-garde cellist Keating and Parker’s Apex Contemporary Dance. $12-$42. 303-442-3282 or comusic.frontgate .
John Wenzel: 303-954-1642 or jwenzel@denverpost.com
