After 8 nights with the family in Vail, Marla and I returned later in the week for the opening night performance of the Vail Dance Festival. It was simply fabulous! The photo above is Marla at one of our favorite new restaurants, La Brasserie Vail.

We had dinner at the the Slope Room at Gravity Haus which was new for us. I love the photograph of the bear at the bar.

The dinner and service were very nice!

We walked across the Gore Creek bridge to our hotel after dinner.

We’ve been listening to the talented Joel Wenhardt and his band play at the Dance Festival for a number of years.

The group is doing a riff from Nirvana.

The dancer’s warm up before the performances.

Superb video showing the diversity of the evening performances.

The opening number for the Opening Night was a “Jam Session” with a super group of dancer’s from around the country. Lil Buck, in the white shirt above, was doing his signature freestyle moves.

Adji Cissoko is doing the high kick during the “Jam Session” opening number. She is an exciting principal dancer with Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet Company in San Francisco.

Adji Cissoko is joined by American Ballet Theatre’s Calvin Royal III in the “SINGLE EYE Epilogue Pas de Deaux by Alonzo King.

Their performance was magnificent!

Ryan Tomash from the New York City Ballet and Catharine Hurlin from American Ballet Theatre dance the Pas de Deaux to Swan Lake Act 3.

Chun Wai Chan and Sara Mearns from the New York Cirty Ballet perform “Elegie”, an excerpt from Tschaikovsky’s suite No. 3.

Chun Wai Chan performs an amazingly high leap. The dancers in the background were all from Colorado Ballet.

From “Nuttin’ But A Word” (Excerpt) by Rennie Harris Puremovement American Dance Theater.

Mira Nadon from New York City Ballet dances with Preston Chamblee from New York City Ballet, dance the Rose Adagio from Sleeping Beauty.

This was a truly fabulous evening of dance. Marla who is a true lover of dance loved all the performances! I cannot say I am an afionado, but the Opening Night at the 2026 Vail Dance Festival blew me away! We will do our best to return for opening night in 2027!

We stayed for the dance weekend at the Tivoli Lodge. It was nice, but next year we will return to Manor Vail.

Vail does a great job in planting gorgeous flowers all over town!

We had lunch at Big Bear Bistro, one of our very favorite places! We heard talk of redevelopment and they may have to move. We hope they will able to stay where they are!

Walking into town for our final dinner.

I adore Marla’s smile!

We were given a table on the terrace at La Brasserie Vail. Alejandro Ortiz, originally from Mexico City, and his partner recently opened the restaurant and we love it! We reserved a table for 12 a week earlier when the family was here. Everyone had a wonderful evening!

We will definitely return to Vail next summer for dance and music performances…and hopefully a little cycling & hiking!

Photos: Dick Gentry (Not to be shared without permission. Professional photos of the dance performances by Christopher Duggan.