Vail Friends of Dance

05/13/2026

Celebrating our Senior’s in today’s Vail Daily! We are so proud of all that you’ve accomplished and wish you the best in your next chapter! We can’t wait to watch you all dance at this weekend’s recital and Wizard of Oz performances! Congratulations!

05/13/2026

Celebrating our Senior's in today's Vail Daily! We are so proud of all that you've accomplished and wish you the best in your next chapter! We can't wait to watch you all dance at this weekend's recital and Wizard of Oz performances! Congratulations!

05/12/2026

Just 3 more sleeps before we’re off to see the Wizard!! Follow the yellow brick road to the Vilar center this weekend! https://vilarpac.org/event/vvad-wizard-of-oz-may-16/?fbclid=IwZnRzaARvgXZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeUKZGCIyRH3gmZNJpo3jTp0f3xRIrc00rZJvp0VjBWCeBCkAQ1yuaMrgSZWo_aem_gxG7JgpkjG-e2rcLNqg4sA

Vail Valley Academy of Dance Spring Recital “Over the Rainbow” and VVAD presents “Wizard of Oz” May 15-17, 2026

05/03/2026

We’re off to see the Wizard! Make plans to join us! https://vilarpac.org/event/vvad-wizard-of-oz-may-16/?fbclid=IwZnRzaARkSHVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe1gjND5WsLGpCMhGW3OIwkdJ1vf3ZUVxsNJN3i7qAlaiS10sj0yi79zRet4M_aem_Wdi4KCWgUrgF9NncmOEJig

Vail Valley Academy of Dance Spring Recital “Over the Rainbow” and VVAD presents “Wizard of Oz” May 15-17, 2026

04/30/2026

Love these darling dancers!!

Happy International Dance Day from our Division 1's!! We are so fortunate to share our passion for dance with the next generation of stars!
If you would like to see our dancers, tickets are available for our end of the year performances!

www.vvad.net

04/28/2026

Congratulations VYBC dancers on your well deserved awards!!

04/17/2026

We celebrate Lily Danzoll, Vail Youth Ballet Company senior dancer! Dance has been important for Lily because it is where she found calmness and stress release, without focusing on worries. With VYBC she found community and closeness with a group that loves dance – a sisterhood. Lily’s most memorable moment was during Nutcracker 2025 when the seniors were warming up to Rasputin, and bonding on opening night just before the curtain went up. Her advice to younger dancers is to not let emotions affect class work. Use your emotions during performances, but in class focus on the work and leave your emotions at the door. Lily will dance as the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz this spring. Lily will be attending the University of Puget Sound majoring in Sports Physical Therapy & Exercise and possibly minoring in German Films. She plans to dance in some capacity. Congratulations and we will miss you!!

04/17/2026

We congratulate Willow Uzdavinis, senior Vail Youth Ballet Company dancer! Willow recalls dance being her first safe place; a place where she could move without judgement, surrounded by a family, offering “movement in a community”. Her most memorable role was in Coppelia at 2025 Showcase; she remembers it being so fun and she was so grateful for the opportunity to prove herself as a dancer. Her advice to younger dancers is to take every day in! You’re only here for a short time; the bonds and love dance provides is a gift – take it in and enjoy! Willow unfortunately injured her foot late in the season, but will be dancing in the Wizard of Oz in some capacity - we know she will shine no matter what!
Willow is headed to the University of Oklahoma to study Cellular & Molecular Biology with the goal of attending Med school for Genetics. She plans to minor in Dance. We will miss you and wish you the very best!!

04/16/2026

Congratulations to Mikaela Gifford, Vail Youth Ballet Company senior dancer! Mikeala reflects on her time with company explaining that dance has made her a better communicator, friend, more mature in dealing with hard things, learning to not give up and having the mindset that anything is possible. Dance has also given her an appreciation of art and human connection. VYBC has provided the opportunity to meet new people that she might not have met otherwise. Her most memorable role was dancing as Sugar Plum Fairy in this past year’s Nutcracker - a fun and awesome challenge! She also remembers her very first Nutcracker role on pointe and how amazing it was to finally have made it to an “older dancers” part! Mikaela’s advice it to never stop trying even when things get hard – it will pay off! Push yourself – you will change and build strength. Mikeala will grace the stage as Glinda in the spring production of Wizard of Oz. This fall, Mikaela will attend the University of Montana majoring in Theater Design & Technology, with a possible emphasis on Business and Production, and plans to dance either as a Minor or Club program. We will miss you. Congratulations!!

04/14/2026

Today, we celebrate Senior Vail Youth Ballet Company dancer, Jamison Dixon! Jamison explains how VYBC has had a huge impact on her, especially when she switched from Rep company, where she struggled to fit in and was not enjoying the competitiveness. VYBC has been welcoming, less stressful, more fun – just a better vibe personally! Dance is all Jamison has ever done/known! She’s treated dance as a gift to herself vs. something she “had to do”, allowing her to find joy in expressing herself through movement. Her most memorable role was being cast in Arabian (Nutcracker 2024); something she never expected but ended up loving and being grateful for. Her advice to younger dancers is to be yourself within dance and movements. Jamison plays The Wizard in the upcoming Wizard of Oz production! Find and focus on the movements that work for you! Jamison is headed to the University of Vermont, majoring in Environmental Science. She plans to become involved with the Theater and Dance Clubs. Congratulations to Jamo!!