Long flowing skirts, sweat and anticipation enveloped Union Chapel Monday night as dancers rehearsed for the 28th annual Built on Stilts Dance Festival. Opening night is August 8.

Built on Stilts dance festival opened its 27th year with shows last weekend at Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs. Each night has a different lineup — Saturday night’s show included 12 pieces.

Synchronized swimmers, Bavarian gypsies, rowdy sleepover attendees, neon ballerinas, and a wide variety of other colorful characters took the stage this past Saturday at the 26th season of Built on Stilts .

There's only one Island event that annually brings drum circles, stilt walkers and more than 100 dancers to one of the Island's most historic houses of worship: Built on Stilts..

Built on Stilts turns 25 years old this summer as it returned to Union Chapel for three nights this past weekend and continues next weekend from August 21 to 23.

Built on Stilts founder Abby Bender is planning a different kind of dance celebration this month.

Built on Stilts, the long-running public dance festival held in August every year at the Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs, will be canceled this year.

Hundreds gathered at Union Chapel for the first nights of Built on Stilts, the free, all-ages performance festival that is staged on the Vineyard every August.

Built on Stilts begins today, August 8, at the historic Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs. The eclectic dance and performance festival is now in its 23rd year.