DanceAspen Premieres Two Nights of ELEVATED Performances at the Wheeler Opera House Mar. 4, Mar. 5 

Aspen’s Resident Dance Company to Present All-female Choreographed Performances

ASPEN, Colo. - Feb. 24, 2022 - The Roaring Fork Valley’s newly formed and only local dance company, DanceAspen is returning to the Wheeler Opera House stage next week in two premieres of ELEVATED presented on Friday, March 4, and Saturday, March 5 at 7:30 PM. Tickets range from $35-$65 with reserved seating and are currently on sale through the Wheeler Opera House box office: 970.920.5770, aspenshowtix.com ELEVATED tickets at the Wheeler Opera House

With an all-female choreographed show, DanceAspen brings innovative dance inspired by artistry and athleticism. ELEVATED will feature two world premiere performances by renowned choreographers Ana Maria Lucaciu and Danielle Rowe. In addition, DanceAspen will present the Aspen premiere of ‘Press Play’ choreographed by Caili Quan, and return with a crowd favorite ‘For Pixie’ by Danielle Rowe. The local dancers in the performance are Anthony Tiedeman, Matthew Gilmore, Sammy Altenau, Madeleine Scott, Kaya Wolsey, and Katherine Bolanos. The performance will also feature a short film of a dancer shot on Aspen Mountain as the backdrop to a live cello musical performance by Julliard graduate Erica Ogihara. DanceAspen Executive Director Laurel Jenny Winton states, “It has been an incredible experience watching these premieres come together. A new era of dance is upon us and this production is setting the stage for a golden age of artistry and creation.”

DanceAspen’s vision of building a year-round, high-caliber, local dance company in the Roaring Fork Valley is fast becoming a reality. Their inaugural performance of ‘The Pieces Fall’ in September 2021 was a sold-out success at the Wheeler. “The Wheeler is proud to welcome back DanceAspen with these important works celebrating women artists” commented Wheeler Executive Director Lisa Rigsby Peterson. “The Wheeler team is thrilled to work with the creative talents of DanceAspen and support their vision of sustaining a year-round dance company in our community. The Wheeler shares the same passion for bringing relevant and authentic performances to our stage and our community.” 

In celebration of International Women's Month and to kick-off the two-night performance, a ticketed VIP opening night will be held at Hotel Jerome on Friday, March 4th at 6 PM. The evening will begin at Bad Harriet with a cocktail reception where guests can meet the new female-led choreographers Danielle Rowe and Ana Maria Lucaciu. Following the cocktail reception, guests will head over to the Wheeler for the premiere of ELEVATED. Following the show, guests will return to the Jerome where the artists of DanceAspen will join the guests for a three-course wine-paired dinner in the Aspen Times room. The price is $295 and includes a ticket to the performance as well as cocktails and a wine-paired dinner. The VIP event has limited availability: Link to purchase: Exclusive Evening with the Artists at the Jerome

For more information about DanceAspen, visit www.danceaspen.org. For more information about upcoming events and happenings at the Wheeler, visit www.wheeleroperahouse.com.