When you look at the sheer face of a cliff, you might notice the breathtaking height and see the rock it’s made of. However, there’s a one-of-a-kind dance troupe in Wyoming that would judge the same vertical wall of stone to be the perfect stage. Suspended on ropes and accompanied by live musicians, this Vertical Dance, as it’s called, is a daring and graceful exhibition you’ll never forget.
For nearly a century, drama and dance students from the University of Wyoming have been performing in the idyllic wilderness setting of Vedauwoo Recreation Area in the southeastern part of the state.
Brendan Bombaci/Flickr
It was in the 1920s when Maybell Land DeKay, a drama professor at the University of Wyoming, first had the idea of using the unique rock outcroppings in the area as a backdrop for the performing arts.
Vedauwoo Professor DeKay wrote and produced a play about the history of Wyoming that ran in 1926 and 1928 at Vedauwoo, as well as being performed numerous times indoors at the university.
In the late 1990s, the university’s Department of Theater and Dance took their performers back to the place it all began, with the idea of the stunning natural surroundings playing a bigger part in the production.
Duane Short/YouTube
With the intention of incorporating vertical dance techniques with technical rock climbing, a professor of geophysics devised a way to suspend the performers from the rocks above the audience.
Duane Short/YouTube
An entirely original new musical score was penned for the show. The ensemble sits on the ledge of a conveniently recessed part of the wall, providing live music for the dancers.
Duane Short/YouTube
The performers literally dance on the face of the mountain, jumping and pirouetting…
Duane Short/YouTube
…as gracefully as any dancer on a traditional stage.
Duane Short/YouTube
The ropes provide the ability to leap even higher than dancers on an ordinary stage, sending them flying high out over the audience.
Vedauwoo
The ease with which the dancers perform is mesmerizing…
Vedauwoo
…and more than a little thrilling…
Vedauwoo
…especially when you’re viewing it from the base of the cliff.
Duane Short/YouTube The performance has drawn crowds of up to 1.800 spectators at a time over the years.
The Vertical Dance is certainly an unforgettable experience.
University of Wyoming Want to take a peek at this amazing performance?
Have you experienced Vertical Dance at Vedauwoo? What did you enjoy about it most?
Brendan Bombaci/Flickr
Vedauwoo
Professor DeKay wrote and produced a play about the history of Wyoming that ran in 1926 and 1928 at Vedauwoo, as well as being performed numerous times indoors at the university.
Duane Short/YouTube
The performance has drawn crowds of up to 1.800 spectators at a time over the years.
University of Wyoming
Want to take a peek at this amazing performance?
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