Thank you for another great year! Surveys going out soon!
Join us for a live music festival September 13th-15th 2024!
Three nights of social dancing and performances!
Tickets are on sale now via AXS links below, and all options will also be available at the box office during the events.
Full Weekend Pass
Includes all 4 events Friday Night, Saturday Night,
Sunday Twilight, and Sunday Night!
Friday Night Only
7:30-Midnight - 8p Swing Dance Lesson
9p Eyal Vilner & His Hot 5
The Studio Loft
Social dancing to band and DJs
Solo Jazz Contest
Theme Costume Contest: Garden Party
(Cash bar and snacks available.)
Saturday Night Only
7:30-Midnight - 8p Interactive Musical Lesson w/Eyal
9p Eyal Vilner Swing Band
The Studio Loft
Social dancing to band and DJs
Lindy Hop Couples Contest
Performances by The Denver Diamond Dolls, Elaine & Stefan, and the CMDance Team!
Theme Costume Contest: 20th Anniversary Emerald Green
(Cash bar and snacks available.)
Sunday Twilight Only
$20 - Tickets Only Available @ the Door!
4:30-7:30p - Jeremy Mohney & His Band
The Curtis Hotel, 3rd Floor Four Square Ballroom
Social dancing to band and DJs
(Cash bar and food available.)
Sunday Night Only
9p-Midnight - Ian Hutchison’s Colorado Band feat. Sweet B
The Studio Loft
Two Mix & Match Dance Contests
Theme Costume Contest: Wild Things
After Hours Dance Party
The Denver Jazz Festival is three nights of world-class live music held in the Mile High City, Denver Colorado, and hosted by CMDance and the Denver Arts Venues.
Our one-of-a-kind vintage music festival focuses primarily on vintage jazz and blues of the 1920’s, 1930’s & 1940’s. Social dancing, performances, theme nights, contests, and more!
This year’s bands are: Eyal Vilner & His Hot 5, The Eyal Vilner Swing Band, Jeremy Mohney & His Band, and Ian Hutchison’s Colorado Band featuring Sweet B
The venue features a spacious dance floor, full cash bar w/snacks, and there are workshops and lectures available from internationally renowned instructors during the daytime hours through our sister events Lindy on the Rocks & Hot Night Fusion Weekend. (NOTE: To attend the daytime dance classes, you must purchase an All Access Pass via the Lindy on the Rocks ticketing!)
RSVP to our Facebook event for updates!
Like our Facebook page for all event details: CLICK HERE
CLICK ON THIS LINK TO BUY TICKETS!
Full Weekend Pass includes:
- 4 different events over 3 nights of live music and social dancing at Denver Jazz Festival.
- Intro to Swing Dance class Friday night before the band.
- Interactive musicality lesson with Eyal himself Saturday night before the band.
- Performances by local and national swing dancers every night, including a show on Saturday night!
Individual Tickets for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday events are also be available!
Thursday Night Unofficial Pre-Event Party at the Mercury Cafe featuring live music by MJ & the Side Gig!
CLICK HERE for more info. Note: this is not included in event passes and has a separate admission fee.
Friday Night:
Ellie Caulkins Studio Loft (Bar Available)
8-9p Swing Dance Lesson
9p-Midnight Social Dance to Live Music with Eyal Vilner & His Hot 5
Contests & Performances during band breaks!
Saturday Night:
Ellie Caulkins Studio Loft (Bar Available)
8-9p Interactive Musicality Lesson with Eyal Vilner
9p-Midnight Social Dance to Live Music with the Eyal Vilner Swing Band
Contests & Performances during band breaks!
Sunday Night:
TWO social dances with live music!
4:30-7:30p Twilight dance @ the Curtis Hotel Four Square Ballroom (3rd floor) with Jeremy Mohney & His Band (venue is across the street from the Loft, park in the same spot!)
9p-Midnight Main Social dance @ the Studio Loft with Ian Hutchison’s Colorado Band featuring Sweet B
Contests & Performances during band breaks!
2024 Featured Bands and All-Star Artists:
eyal vilner & his hot 5
and
the eyal vilner swing band
Eyal Vilner has become one of the leading new voices in the New York swing and big band scene. Born in Tel Aviv, saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist, composer and bandleader Eyal Vilner moved to New York in 2007 and started his big band the following year.
The Eyal Vilner Big Band has been performing widely at some of New York’s landmarks such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, Midsummer Night Swing, Birdland, Dizzy's Club, Smalls Jazz Club, Minton’s Playhouse, The Django, Battle of the Big Bands on the Intrepid, Swing ReMix, Swing 46 and Central Park SummerStage.
Internationally, Eyal has performed on Israel's most prestigious stages such as the Red Sea Jazz Festival, Tel Aviv Museum, Jerusalem Theater, The Tel Aviv Jazz Festival as well as the historical La Bellevilloise, Caveau des Oubliettes and Caveau de la Huchette in Paris.
The big band performs Eyal’s new arrangements of jazz and swing tunes as well as his original compositions. Their music, which derives from the tradition of jazz, swing and the blues, strives to bring a unique voice to this beautiful art form. The big band’s first four albums: Introducing the Eyal Vilner Big Band, Almost Sunrise, Hanukkah and Swing Out! received rave reviews and made it to the Top Jazz Radio Charts of the US and Canada.
The Eyal Vilner Big Band has collaborated with some of the top jazz legends of our time including NEA Jazz Masters Frank Wess, Jimmy Heath and Jimmy Owens, and pianist Junior Mance.
Ian hutchison’s colorado band featuring sweet b
Ian Hutchison knows how to play swing music for swing dancers. His propulsive bass playing has made toes tap all over the world for the last 15 years. He has led bands at dances throughout New York City and Colorado. A consummate sideman, Ian has played swing events in North America, Europe, and South Korea with such band leaders as Gordon Webster, Naomi Uyama, Jonathan Stout, Glenn Crytzer, and Eyal Vilner. Ian is also the bass player in the hit touring lindy hop show SW!NG OUT. When he's not playing, Ian enjoys social dancing and DJing. Ian spent 10 years as an in-demand bass player in Colorado before moving to New York City in 2014.
Sweet B
Sweet B (and Her Moonshine Gang) is a new band that features some of Denver's finest Jazz musicians. Taking inspiration from swing greats, we love to play for dancers and keep you on the dance floor. As a veteran Lindy Hopper, bandleader and vocalist Brittney knows what dancers are looking for. Having such a fine collaboration of talented musicians, Sweet B and Her Moonshine Gang knows how to entertain the non-dance audience. Enjoy being transported back into the swing era and don't be shy if the rhythm makes you want to move your feet.
Jeremy Mohney & His Band
For over a decade, Jeremy Mohney has lead one of Colorado’s most popular swing bands. His spirited renditions of Jazz classics as well as original compositions in the Swing style give him and his group a unique and authentic dimension. Whether playing a jam-packed ballroom for dancers, or playing for lovers of music an intimate club, Mohney has the charm to capture the attention of any audience.
Interactive Workshop w/Eyal Vilner
In this 1 hour interactive workshop, Eyal will teach a method of communication and share exercises between dancers and musicians. This workshop will explore the two languages of dance and music, helping you to better express sound with movement and movement with sound.
Studio Loft at Ellie Caulkins Opera House
1400 CURTIS STREET, DENVER, CO 80202
The Studio Loft is an 8,000 sq ft performance, rehearsal and event space with a cathedral ceiling, exposed brick, warm-colored walls, a 3,000sf wood dance floor. The Studio Loft is located in the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Venue has ample dance space, limited seating, and a bar for you to enjoy the music each evening.
PARKING: There is metered street parking surrounding the building, and the DCPA has their own parking garage. CLICK HERE for info. The Curtis Hotel is across the street.
The Curtis Hotel
1405 CURTIS STREET DENVER, COLORADO 80202 USA
Sunday Twilight Dance Venue!
3rd Floor: Four Square Ballroom
**Across the street from the Loft venue!
Attending the whole weekend and want to stay downtown?
Click HERE for the discounted hotel room rate through CMDance at the Curtis Hotel right across the street!
The Mercury Cafe Denver
Thursday Pre-Party
Live music with MJ & the Side Gig
2199 California St
Denver, CO
The Denver Jazz Festival is brought to you by Community-Minded Dance, aka CMDance.
We rely on our loyal sponsors, partners and our incredible dancers from all over the world to keep our organization intact. With your support we are able to fulfill our mission of building healthy, thriving communities through world-class arts education programs that bring the global culture of both solo and partnered vernacular dancing to Colorado youth and adults.
We encourage your support of CMDance through The Denver Jazz Festival. We sincerely hope you will make a commitment to partner with us in sponsorship of this event which not only strengthens our relationship but will surely add the success of your organization.
Thank you to our loyal sponsors for over 15 years!
Denver Arts & Venues
National Endowment for the Arts
Bonfils Stanton Foundation
Hawley Family Foundation
Ann Ehli
Lynn Herrington
Colorado Creative Industries
Colorado Gives Day Donors
This list is not all-inclusive, as we have numerous anonymous sponsors!
Full Schedule for all three festivals that run in conjunction with each other.
(Schedule Subject to Change)
Thursday
Unofficial pre-party at the Mercury Cafe
Live Music by MJ and the Side Gig!
Blues dance lesson.
Not included in weekend pass.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO
Friday
7:30pm Doors Open to General Admission
8:00pm Intro to Lindy Hop Dance Class
9:00 pm Eyal Vilner and His Hot 5
12:00am Event Ends
**Special dance performances throughout the night
Saturday
7:30pm Doors Open at the Studio Loft
8:00pm Interactive Musicality Lesson w/Eyal
9-12pm The Eyal Vilner Big Band
12:00am Event Ends
**Special dance performances throughout the night
Sunday
4:30-7:30 Twilight Dance @ The Curtis Hotel Four Square Ballroom (3rd Floor) with Jeremy Mohney & His Band (across the street from the Loft venue)
8:30pm Doors Open at the Studio Loft
9-12pm Ian Hutchison’s Colorado Band featuring Sweet B
12:00am Event Ends
**Special dance performances throughout the night