Green Box is thrilled to announce the much anticipated 16th Annual Green Box Arts Festival, scheduled to take place July 1-14 in Green Mountain Falls.
Renowned for its commitment to artistic excellence, Green Box has meticulously curated an interdisciplinary lineup of performances, events, and classes, promising an enriching experience for attendees. This celebration not only commemorates 16 years of delivering exceptional visual and performing arts encounters, but also underscores Green Mountain Falls as a vibrant hub for the arts.
“The 16th Annual Green Box Arts Festival promises to be our most diverse and exhilarating yet,” says Scott RC Levy, Green Box executive director.
“With an impressive lineup featuring multiple dance companies, esteemed musicians, Pulitzer Prize-winning authors, captivating art installations and a wealth of community-minded events and health and wellness offerings along with a comprehensive array of exciting classes, we eagerly anticipate celebrating the pinnacle of contemporary arts this summer.”
Each day offers diverse opportunities to engage with world-class artistic experiences.
Dance
Five acclaimed dance companies will showcase a rich tapestry of styles including tap, flamenco, kathak, modern and Latinx street and social dances.
Each company or performer will take center stage during six spectacular performances. Dancers will also engage with audiences in an ArtDesk Conversation, and each company will host a unique masterclass, providing attendees with the opportunity to learn from these fabulous creatives:
● Ephrat “Bounce” Asherie is a 2016 Bessie Award winner for Innovative Achievement in Dance. Her company, Ephrat Asherie Dance, is rooted in various vernacular dances;
● GALLIM is a modern dance company founded in 2007 by groundbreaking choreographer Andrea Miller. GALLIM will present their acclaimed work, “Bruce.” Performed to the contagious music of Balkan Beat Box and Joanna Newsom, “Bruce” is an exuberant romp that plays with plurality, extravagance and imagination.
● Michela Marino Lerman, winner of the Hoofer and FloBert awards, is a world-renowned tap dancer, choreographer, band leader, educator and all-around creative spirit. The NY Times has called her both a “prodigy” and has described her dancing as “flashes of brilliance.” Michela will perform with Russell Hall, one of the most in-demand bass players in New York City.
● Jesús Muñoz Flamenco works to preserve and innovate the uniquely improvisational language of flamenco art while enriching communities through multi-generational participation in the arts. The company has developed a physical, visual and sonic vocabulary that intersects Flamenco with Latin, jazz and hip-hop.
● Barkha Patel is a Kathak dancer, choreographer, educator and the artistic director of Barkha Dance Company in New York City. Barkha won the 2023 juried Bessie Award for “elegantly and magnificently creating, educating, and sharing work that elevates classical Indian and Kathak dance.”
Visual Art
Green Box will unveil three captivating new outdoor installations on Monday, July 1, which will remain on view through the entire summer.
Renowned Australian installation artist James Tapscott will install “Arc ZERO: Nimbus on Gazebo Lake,” inviting viewers to engage directly through an ephemeral portal of mist.
Oregon-based photographer Kristina Barker’s art will grace the Lake Street Display through a unique, place-based visual exploration of the Green Mountain Falls landscape.
Inside Lakeview Terrace, Vietnamese artist Thu Kim Vu crafts an enchanting paper lantern display using Vietnamese Zo paper, Japanese washi, Chinese ink brush, and LED light.
Music
Headlining Green Box’s annual July 4th Block Party, Stillhouse Junkies returns to Green Mountain Falls after their artist residency in 2023. A crowd-thrilling trio, this band offers a hypnotic and high-energy form of roots music anchored in the free-flowing interplay among the three musicians.
Join in a family-friendly performance by 123 Andrés, the 2024 Grammy winner for best children’s album, or come groove at the Silent Disco Party with live DJ sets from Sounds of the Rockies.
Blues guitar and songwriting virtuoso Samuel James and the Dali Quartet, named Chamber Music America’s Ensemble of the Year, are also on tap. Plus, enjoy soprano Amy Maples and special guests in an afternoon of opera classics.
Experience the enchanting Manitou Chamber Music Festival and wrap up the festivities with the fun-loving Hot Toddies Jazz Band’s hot jazz and swing concert on Saturday, July 13.
Theater and film
Festival favorite Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra returns to Green Box, providing live accompaniment to Charlie Chaplin’s timeless classic, “The Kid.”
Theatreworks also returns to the festival with a free performance of “Two Gents,” adapted from Shakespeare’s delightful comedy “Two Gentlemen of Verona.” Explore expanded film options this year with an evening showcasing short films by Green Box-affiliated artists, followed by a screening of 2024’s Oscar-winning shorts.
Green Box welcomes back fan-favorites such as Astronomy & S’mores, the 4th of July Water Lantern Launch and the ever-popular ArtDesk Conversations. This year’s ArtDesk Conversations feature discussions with esteemed guests, including Pulitzer Prize-winning author Emily Nussbaum and Andrew Krivak, a National Book Award finalist in fiction.
Classes
Elevate your skills and creativity with an array of classes. Offerings include a Day of Dance, featuring masterclasses by each of the performing dance groups, and a special Dancing for Elders class by Ormao Dance Company.
Back by popular demand, plein air painting and silversmithing classes return, offering participants the chance to explore their artistic talents in scenic surroundings.
New classes debuting this year include floral arranging, charcuterie board crafting and a workshop on papermaking utilizing local invasive plants. Festival favorites including mixed media collage, piemaking and wine tasting classes are also available.
Health and wellness
Embrace health and well-being with offerings catering to mind, body and spirit. Join local athlete and instructor LaDonna Reed for inspiring fitness classes and presentations. Discover your strength with guided workouts at the Keith Haring Fitness Court and multiple hikes with Friends of Ute Pass Trails, immersing yourself in the natural splendor of the surrounding landscape. Find inner peace and balance through rejuvenating yoga sessions with Andrea Lodico. Aqua Zumba sessions in the Green Mountain Falls Pool are featured for the first time.
Discover peace of mind by stepping into the healing sanctuary of the Green Mountain Falls Skyspace, where music therapist and sound healer Judith Piazza will guide attendees through a transformative experience. Explore indigenous sound wisdoms from around the world as you’re enveloped in closed-roof light sequences and elevated vibrations, leaving you refreshed and renewed.
Visit greenboxarts.org for complete schedule and to purchase tickets and class registrations. Although some events are free, all require registration.