Ballet Arizona returns to the Desert Botanical Garden with two contemporary pieces, 'Stillness' by Nayon Iovino and 'Gnawa' by Nacho Duato, set against the desert sunset.
Ballet Arizona brings Desert Lines back to the Desert Botanical Garden from May 12 to May 29, 2027, with performances at 8 PM. It's a contemporary ballet set against the desert landscape, with the setting sun as the backdrop.
The evening pairs two resident works. The first is Stillness, choreographed by Resident Choreographer Nayon Iovino and set to Christel Veraart's Polar Suite. Iovino and Veraart first collaborated at last year's Sedona Choreography Retreat on Santa Fe & Esmeralda, which used tracks from Veraart's album Nostalgia: Reflections on Argentina. The second piece is Gnawa, an ensemble work by Nacho Duato inspired by the spiritual traditions and rhythms of North Africa and the Mediterranean.
There's a bit of a story behind the music for Stillness. Veraart wrote Polar Suite while living in Alaska, drawing on the vastness of the Arctic and a flight over Greenland, with support from the Rasmuson Foundation. The piece features the Armenian duduk and non-literal vocal textures, and the pairing with Iovino's choreography is meant to bridge Arctic quiet and desert energy.
Every week we pick 🏆 the 5 best 🏆 things to do in Phoenix and send them to your inbox. Just one weekly email, no spam.
By submitting your email, you accept our Privacy Policy
If you want a look at how these come together before the main run, the company is holding a Studio Spotlight rehearsal on April 23, 2027, at 7 PM—an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at the productions. Otherwise, the full performances run May 12 through May 29 at the Garden, starting at 8 PM.
