New commissions, from Justin Peck, Lauren Lovette, Michelle Dorrance, Lil Buck, Claudia Schreier, Silas Riener and Rashaun Mitchell, as well as a choreographic debut by the New York City Ballet principal Tiler Peck, are among the highlights of this year’s Vail International Dance Festival, which will run from July 28 through Aug. 11. The program, announced Friday, celebrates the festival’s 30th anniversary with an emphasis on collaborative creative relationships.
“Breathing the Rocky Mountain air, we seem to let go of rules,” said Damian Woetzel, the former New York City Ballet principal dancer who has directed the Vail festival since 2007. “Bringing together so many distinct voices sets the scene for some highly creative craziness.”
It’s a first Vail commission for Justin Peck, New York City Ballet’s resident choreographer, whose work will be set to a new composition by Caroline Shaw, currently the festival’s Leonard Bernstein composer in residence. Ms. Schreier’s piece, created for Ballet Hispánico, will have a commissioned score by Gabriela Lena Frank, and be performed by the string quartet Brooklyn Rider.
Ballet Hispánico’s appearance will be its first time at the festival. The same is true for American Ballet Theater and Alonzo King LINES Ballet. Ballet Theater will present Alexei Ratmansky’s “Souvenir d’un Lieu Cher” and his “Serenade After Plato’s Symposium.” Returning companies include the tap ensemble Dorrance Dance, performing alongside Toshi Reagon and BIGLovely in “The Blues Project,” and Ballet X, with the new piece by the jookin artist Lil Buck, as part of the festival’s closing evening.
Mr. Woetzel has established the festival as a place to see both major dance stars and up-and-comers perform. This year’s list also includes Misty Copeland, Herman Cornejo, Alban Lendorf, Alicia Graf Mack, Roman Mejia and Calvin Royal III. Choreographers will be performing, too, among them Ms. Dorrance, Ms. Peck, Ms. Lovette and Lil Buck.
Vail is also the place to see these dancers up close. As he does every year, Mr. Woetzel will present a rehearsal-style performance that features new works at the festival, focusing on the collaboration between Ms. Shaw and Mr. Peck.
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