Sedona Choreography Retreat to Take Place in June

In a landmark fusion of dance, music, innovation, and immersive experience, the inaugural Sedona Choreography Retreat will transform the red rock beauty of Sedona into a vibrant creative hub from June 11-13 and June 16-20, 2025. Over ten days, world-renowned choreographers and professional dancers will collaborate to develop original works, culminating in a dazzling Final Showcase Performance on Friday, June 20 at 7:00 PM.

At the helm is Nayon Iovino, retreat Artistic Director and acclaimed choreographer with Ballet Arizona. Known for emotionally layered, visually stunning work, Iovino will debut a new ballet inspired by Christel Veraart's evocative album Nostalgia and her audiovisual meditation Santa Fe & Esmeralda - Nostalgia. This new piece is a poetic exploration of longing, memory, and the terrain of the human heart.

Joining him is the magnetic LaTasha Barnes, an award-winning dancer, choreographer, and scholar celebrated for her work bridging African American vernacular dance forms with technology, neuroscience, and cultural storytelling. At the retreat, Barnes will premiere her Flow State-a groundbreaking interdisciplinary work that uses real-time brainwave and movement tracking to translate live dance into sonic landscapes. The performance immerses audiences in the subconscious processes of creativity, memory, and identity, making the invisible inner world of the dancer audible and emotionally resonant.

The retreat, presented in collaboration with Ballet Arizona and Arizona State University's highly regarded dance program, offers an experience typically reserved for major metropolitan centers-right here in Sedona. It is a celebration of process, innovation, and artistic excellence.

Events Open to the Public

All events below are open to the public and held at the Sedona Performing Arts Center.
Tickets and full schedule available at: sedonaballet.org/retreats

• June 13, 2025
  Master Class (Intermediate to Pre-Professional Students)
  2:00 PM PST
• June 16, 2025
  Conversations with Nathan: Life of a Dance Artist
  11:00 AM PST
• June 17, 2025
  Conversations with Nathan: The Art of Choreography
  11:00 AM PST
• June 18, 2025
  Conversations with Nathan: Collaborative Creation
  11:00 AM PST
• June 19, 2025
  Conversations with Nathan: George Balanchine and Dorothea Tanning
  10:00 AM PST
• June 20, 2025
  Final Showcase Performance
  Friday, June 20 at 7:00 PM PST

Open General Rehearsals

Witness the creative process up close as choreographers and dancers fine-tune their work in the studio:

• June 16, 2025
  Open General Rehearsal
  1:30 PM PST
• June 17, 2025
  Open General Rehearsal
  1:30 PM PST

Final Showcase Performance - Program Highlights

World Premieres:

• New Ballet by Nayon Iovino - A lyrical and emotionally charged new work inspired by Christel Veraart's sonic and visual storytelling
• Flow State Project by LaTasha Barnes - Where brainwaves, movement, and rhythm converge in a transformative live performance experience

Repertory Highlights:

• Serenade (excerpt) by George Balanchine - A Tchaikovsky-scored neoclassical gem presented with permission from The George Balanchine Trust
• Take Me With You by Robert Bondara - A powerful, intimate duet originally performed by Roberto Bolle and Melissa Hamilton
• Vastwave by Natasha Adorlee - A dynamic blend of contemporary dance and original sound design performed by Ballet Arizona's Studio Company dancers

The Sedona Choreography Retreat is more than a performance-it's an incubator for the next generation of dance. This visionary initiative places Sedona at the forefront of artistic creation and cultural innovation, offering a unique opportunity for both artists and audiences to engage with the future of movement in one of America's most inspiring settings.

This project is made possible through the generous support of our partners. We extend heartfelt thanks to the Arizona Community Foundation for their lead grant, Mary Byrd for her visionary sponsorship of the Artistic Director and dancer housing, and Eye Boutique of Sedona for their meaningful contribution. We are also deeply grateful to Chuck Marr, Betty Williams, and Winifred Muench, whose commitment and belief in this vision ensure that Sedona continues to flourish as a haven for artistic excellence and bold new creation.

Phoenix Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. TOOTSIE (Arizona Broadway Theatre)

23.5% of votes

2. ANASTASIA: THE MUSICAL (Don Bluth Front Row Theatre)

8.5% of votes

3. WE ARE THE TIGERS (Velvet Curtain Productions)

7.3% of votes

Vote Now!