57493_10151953137994110_225099710_o.jpg

Dance & Music For All People.

For over 50 years, through three generations, The Vanaver Caravan Dance and Music Company has been an integral and beloved part of the Hudson Valley community: promoting peace, celebrating our shared humanity, and transforming young lives through the magic of music and dance. 

Events & Performances

Featured
The Hudson Valley Beltane Festival
May 17
The Hudson Valley Beltane Festival

One of the best kept secrets in the Hudson Valley! The Beltane Pageant is a performance of myth, magic, and puppetry which fuses the pomp and whimsy of a Renaissance fair with the delights of a springtime picnic gala. Don your best fairy wings and join us!

All dancers in our institute are invited to perform in this year’s Pageant. TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW

Classes & Workshops

Featured
SpringDance Class Series
Mar 17
SpringDance Class Series

Register now for Spring classes! LEARN MORE & REGISTER

Spring: Adult Modern with Talli Jackson (Mar-May)
Mar 20
Spring: Adult Modern with Talli Jackson (Mar-May)

📅 Dates: Thursdays March 20 - May 22⏰ Time: 6:15 PM – 8:15 PM 📍 Location: Stackhouse Studio, 65 Cereus Way, New Paltz, NY 12561

Join Talli Jackson for a rigorous intermediate/advanced adult class which welcomes you to come as you are, play for pleasure, and reach into a deeper experience of your body in space.

Drop-ins welcome!

LEARN MORE & REGISTER

CaravanKids: Week One (Ages 4-8)
Jul 7
CaravanKids: Week One (Ages 4-8)

CaravanKids workshops are two weeks bursting with dance, music, creativity, and adventure. Each day, we go to a new country, meeting with different teachers from around the world. Little ones receive secret missions from fairies, embark on creative projects, and stamp their special passport journal. LEARN MORE & REGISTER

CaravanKids: Week Two (Ages 4-8)
Jul 14
CaravanKids: Week Two (Ages 4-8)

CaravanKids workshops are two weeks bursting with dance, music, creativity, and adventure. Each day, we go to a new country, meeting with different teachers from around the world. Little ones receive secret missions from fairies, embark on creative projects, and stamp their special passport journal. LEARN MORE & REGISTER

SummerDance: Immersion Week (Ages 9-18)
Jul 28
SummerDance: Immersion Week (Ages 9-18)

SummerDance: Immersion Week is dedicated to the pure joy and community connection created by The Vanaver Caravan’s dance & music program. Whether you are looking to improve your dance technique, relieve stress, or get inspired to choreograph, strum, or sing--Immersion Week provides a full introduction to a myriad of dance and music styles from a stellar group of teachers. LEARN MORE & REGISTER

SummerDance: Performance Week (Ages 9-18)
Aug 4
SummerDance: Performance Week (Ages 9-18)

SummerDance: Performance Week culminates at a public performance at the Rosendale Theatre on the evening of August 8th. All Summer-Dancers take the skills they learned during the previous week and bring their dance to life, choreographed by the SummerDance Faculty. LEARN MORE & REGISTER

The Caravan Connection (our blog)

News & Events
New Works: America in Motion
New Works: America in Motion

The Vanaver Caravan is thrilled to announce its newest production, a dynamic exploration of America’s cultural and social heritage, directed by Brian T. Lawton. This groundbreaking project weaves together the music, stories, and movements that have shaped the nation. Guided by our newly-formed Artistic Re-Visioning Committee—a collective of next-generation Caravan dancers and musicians working in close collaboration with our founding members, Livia and Bill Vanaver—this performance breathes fresh perspectives and renewed energy into our creative legacy. READ ON . . .

Read More →
Shakti Caravan 2025
Shakti Caravan 2025

This month, The Vanaver Caravan is in India! Livia, Bill, Andy Teirstein, Jill Ann Schwartz, and Chelsea Needham are part of the Shakti Caravan, sharing dance and music in the streets and schools of Udaipur and Pondicherry.

Read More →
Celebrating Our 2024 Season: A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Sponsors
Celebrating Our 2024 Season: A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Sponsors

This year, our journey was supported by our sponsors. Below, we celebrate their contributions and share a glimpse into their inspiring work. . .

Read More →
One Dance, One Song, One Community: Join Us in Uplifting the Arts
One Dance, One Song, One Community: Join Us in Uplifting the Arts

Becoming a mother has had me reflecting on what I value most dearly in this life. As I make the slow return to my role as executive director at The Vanaver Caravan, I’ve been thinking about how to strike that healthy balance between work and family, while facing a future overshadowed by daunting uncertainty. But I’m not here to dwell—this is a . . .

Read More →

Give the Gift of Dance

Follow us on Instagram @VanaverCaravan

Vanaver Caravan Presents: House Fire Benefit Concert for LouAnne Kirkwood and Mark Murphy Fri, Jun 23, 7:30 pm By Donation, Friday, June 23, 7:30 PM What happens when Tom Chapin, Guy Davis, Professor Louie & Miss Marie, Walt Michael &amp
Gnome Spotting! #Beltane2023