Green Mountain Falls, CO, April 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Green Box is thrilled to announce the much anticipated 16th Annual Green Box Arts Festival, scheduled to take place from July 1 to July 14, 2024, in Green Mountain Falls, Colorado. 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 throughout the Festival's two week duration. This celebration not only commemorates 16 years of delivering exceptional visual and performing arts encounters but also underscores Green Mountain Falls, Colorado, 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, Executive Director of Green Box. “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 & wellness offerings, along with a comprehensive array of exciting classes, we eagerly anticipate celebrating the pinnacle of contemporary arts this summer." 

Each day of the Festival offers diverse opportunities to engage with world-class artistic experiences, including: 

DANCE! Green Box is proud to present five acclaimed dance companies, showcasing a rich tapestry of styles including tap, flamenco, kathak, modern, and Latinx street & social dances. Under the banner of A World of Dance: A Variety of Rhythms 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 (EAD), is rooted in various African American and Latine vernacular dances, including Breaking, Hip-Hop, House and Vogue. EAD is dedicated to exploring the inherently complex and dynamic qualities of these forms.  
• -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 Dance artist, performer, 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 be performing 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, founded in 2010 in Albuquerque, has developed a physical, visual and sonic vocabulary that intersects Flamenco with Latin, Jazz and Hip-Hop, reflecting the experiences and backgrounds of company artists and audiences. 
• -Barkha Patel is a Kathak dancer, choreographer, educator, and the Artistic Director of Barkha Dance Company based in New York City. Barkha has performed solo and ensemble works at dance festivals in India and the U.S.  Barkha was recently awarded the 2023 juried Bessie Award for "elegantly and magnificently creating, educating, and sharing work that elevates classical Indian and Kathak dance.”  

VISUAL ARTS! 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. These three works join Green Box’s existing collection including, Brian Wall's monumental sculpture Skye and the Green Mountain Falls Skyspace by James Turrell, which offers sunrise, sunset, and closed roof shows throughout the entire year. 

MUSIC! Headlining Green Box’s annual 4th of July Block Party, Stillhouse Junkies returns to Green Mountain Falls following their artist residency in 2023.  A crowd-thrilling trio, this band offers up a hypnotic and high-energy form of roots music anchored in the free-flowing interplay among the three lifelong 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 Chamber Music America's Ensemble of the Year, the Dalí Quartet, 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! 

THEATRE & 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 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. 

EVENTS! 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 National Book Award finalist in fiction, Andrew Krivak. Don't miss these engaging opportunities to connect with acclaimed artists and thought leaders. 

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 & WELLNESS! Embrace health and well-being at this year's Green Box Arts Festival, where offerings catering to mind, body, and spirit have been expanded. 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 led by Friends of Ute Pass Trails, immersing yourself in the natural splendor of the surrounding landscape. Find inner peace and balance through rejuvenating yoga sessions led by long time Festival instructor, 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. While some events are free, all require registration. The Green Box Arts Festival Box Office opens in-person and online on Wednesday, May 15th. 

ONLINE: greenboxarts.org 
PHONE: 719-465-3065 
IN PERSON: 6990 Lake Street, Green Mountain Falls (Mon-Fri, 9AM-5PM) 

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About Green Box: 
Green Box was launched in 2009 in Green Mountain Falls, Colorado, and has grown into a year-round incubator of multidisciplinary visual and performing arts. The organization provides residents and visitors from Colorado and around the world the opportunity to participate in the creative arts in the natural beauty that awaits at the foothills of Pikes Peak. Anchored by an annual summer arts Festival, Green Box also engages with the community year-round through an active Artist-in-Residence program, arts education, and public art installations. 

About Green Mountain Falls and Ute Pass: 
At an altitude of 7,800 ft., Green Mountain Falls is home to various festivals and events year-round. Most notably, however, it is known for the nationally acclaimed Green Box Arts Festival. Surrounded by the Pike National Forest, the town is located near popular area attractions including the Cave of the Winds, Manitou Cliff Dwellings, Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, and the Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway. An extremely popular hiking destination, visitors also enjoy fishing, swimming, biking, tennis courts, and ice skating in winter, as well as the town’s unique restaurants, pubs, and shops. The town is just 20 minutes away from the center of Colorado Springs, and closer to Manitou Springs, Woodland Park, and other Ute Pass communities such as Cascade and Chipita Park. 

Anna Faye Hunter
Green Box
7194653065
af.hunter@greenboxarts.org