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UPDATE: The full documentary is no longer available, but you can still watch several minutes of the actual performance at the Desert Botanical Garden here: Ballet Arizona presents TOPIA at Desert Botanical Garden Topia is a site-specific ballet set in the lush springtime Sonoran Desert, spanning a mammoth 80-foot-wide stage, and performed to Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony (Pastorale). Topia – Desert Ballet (a Documentary) Arianni Martin & Helio Lima in Ib Andersen’s Topia, on a breezy evening. Photo by Alexander Iziliaev. This documentary is an hour long, and runs the gamut from artists’ pastimes to bulldozing the Desert Botanical Garden site, and everything in between. The very best parts are 1) about 4 minutes of snippets of the ballet itself - at night in the DBG, and 2) watching Mr. Andersen at work in the studio, along with his commentary. For those who may not want to invest an entire hour, here are some links to guide you: Opening Night Performance Snippets (50:36) Pre-Show class at Sunset and First Nighttime Dress Rehearsals (44:16) Choreographing 1st Movement (2:20) Choreographing 2nd Movement (14:44) Choreographing 3rd Movement (20:46) Choreographing 4th Movement (27:22) Choreographing 5th Movement (35:28) Topia has been performed more than 45 times, in the springs of 2012, 2013, and 2017. The audience experience is sublime – come early, have diner and wine at your table, watch the dancers warm up as the sun sets behind the Papago Buttes, enjoy the cooling desert breeze, and, once the sun has set, enjoy the ballet. Personally, every time I hear the opening notes of the Pastorale, I am immediately transported to this happy place. Nayon Iovino in Ib Andersen’s Topia, photo by Alexander Iziliaev 2012 Topia Original Cast 1st Movement Joseph Cavanaugh, Myles Lavallee, Elye Olson, Michal Wozniak, Slawomir Wozniak, Gleidson Vasconcelos Kenna Draxton, Kara Hanretty, Jessica Phillips Paola Hartley, Zherlin Ndudi Amanda Eddleman, Erica Felsch, Kendra Mitchell-Dahl 2nd Movement Natalia Magnicaballi and Atrit Zejnati Jillian Barrell and Shea Johnson Tzu-Chia Huang and Ilir Shtylla Beau Campbell, Sarah Chisholm, Amanda Eddleman, Erica Felsch, Kara Hanretty, Kanako Imayoshi, Kendra Mitchell-Dahl, Breanne Starke 3rd Movement Roman Zavarov Beau Campbell, Sarah Chisholm, Kenna Draxton, Amanda Eddleman, Erica Felsh, Kara Hanretty, Kanako Imayosh, Kendra Mitchell-Dahl, Jessica Phillips, Breanne Stark 4th Movement Joseph Cavanaugh, Shea Johnson, Myles Lavallee, Zherlin Ndudi, Elye Olson, Michal Wozniak, Slawomir Wozniak, Gleidson Vasconcelos, Roman Zavarov 5th Movement Entire Cast Other productions at the Desert Botanical Garden have included: · Round (2016) – Ballet with a circular stage and audience on all sides, to various music, including portions of Afternoon of a Faun and Daphnis and Chloe. Studio Trailer Here · Eroica (2018, 2019) – To Beethoven’s 3rd Symphony Performance Snippets Here · The Four Seasons (2021?? Originally scheduled for2020) – Vivaldi, of course.

Ib Andersen’s Topia Documentary – Streaming Sun & Mon, May 24-25, 2020 Topia, an al fresco, site-specific work, choreographed to Beethoven’s 6th Symphony (Pastorale), was Ib Andersen’s first work to be performed at Phoenix’s Desert Botanical Garden. This documentary (if it’s the one I’m thinking of), has everything from soup to nuts - starts with site planning at the DBG, through rehearsals, dancer interviews, etc. It only contains about 5 minutes of actual performance (towards the end), but the performance video really does give you a very good feel for what it was like to experience this ballet - outdoors, at night, in the desert. Ballet Arizona will stream it for 48 hours, starting at 9AM PDT, Sunday May 24: Topia - Desert Ballet (a Documentary) See full details on the Ballet Arizona Forum. Mimi Tompkins, Randy Pacheco, Rochelle Anvik, Riccardo Santos, Sasha Vincett, Helio Lima, and Arianni Martin in Ib Andersen’s Topia, Spring 2016.

jerryb, I did hear it, and the line is priceless! Thanks - now I'll remember it!! vipa, I can only imagine that some of the lyrics might be a tad controversial, especially to today’s audiences. For example, after the girls are dancing by themselves, they run back to their partners to the lyrics “Fly back to your sanctuary”. Personally, I think it’s quaint and a endearing part of the milieu, but I’m sure some today would be offended (if not up in arms!). On an ever-so-slightly-related topic, I’m reminded of an interview with John Neumeier, who as a youngster growing up in Milwaukee, professes to have - from the beginning - loved movement and hated dialog - at first in movies... “It became, in a sense, crystalized because in Milwaukee (I was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin), there was no major ballet company, there was no major school at the time, but there were touring companies, which came through. Interestingly enough, one of the first ballet companies I ever saw in my life was the National Ballet of Canada, because in the late ‘50’s, they did do some tours in America, and did, in fact, pass through Milwaukee. So it was then, seeing ballet, that I finally understood what it was, and I remember very well seeing my first ballet. I didn’t know what it was, what it would be like, and I was way up in the balcony, looking from a great distance down from the stage. The curtain went up - it was Coppélia. A dancer came out in a pink tutu, she started to move, and it was absolutely glorious, and I was just praying, ‘Please..., PLEASE, God, don’t let her talk’. It’s true!” - John Neumeier, Podcast from CBC radio program Ideas, Feb 2017 It's clear that should Hamburg Ballet choose to present Square Dance, there will be NO caller! LOL! I always find it wonderfully ironic that Mr. Neumeier, who must be one of the most articulate AD’s in all of ballet, should express such sentiments!!

Has anyone ever watched (or perhaps even seen) the original version of Square Dance, with the “Caller” calling out the dance? It’s pretty fascinating, because you can see that the dancers really appear to be following the directions of the Caller (Elisha Keeler). In the video, the camera is in a raised position, looking down a bit on the dancers, and it’s quite fascinating to see the movements as they’re being called. Watching the modern version, it’s not clear to me that they’re actually doing a square dance, but watching the original, it’s perfectly obvious! Hat’s off to Mr. B and his obsession with all things Western! I’m trying a (probably hopeless) experiment of trying to watch the BAZ video alongside the old NYCB version. I suspect it will be a learning experience…

Helene, Amber is truly talented and amazingly versatile, with a big personality that simply exudes onto the stage. I remember after seeing Square Dance, remarking to others (and to her) that she simply knocked the ball out of the park with that performance. Other lead roles while she was at BAZ included The Sylph, Polyhymnia, and Lilac Fairy. And her Gamzatti, to my mind, set the standard for portraying a woman’s wrath. Amber is sorely missed!

Ballet Arizona is streaming its production of Square Dance for 24 hours only, starting 9AM PDT, Sunday May 17, 2020. Staged by Ben Huys Lighting Design Michael Korsch This was the lead off of the 2019 All Balanchine program; it was accompanied by Emeralds and Theme and Variations. Casting (all Company members; no Studio Company members): Amber Lewis, Nayon Iovino Rochelle Anvik, Colleen Buckley, Kaelyn Magee, Abby Philips Maginity, Alison Remmers, Ana Maria Spear Serafin Castro, Adrian Durham, Jackson Dwyer, Erick Garnica, Alberto Penalver, Ricardo Santos. Sadly, Square Dance was Amber, Jackson, and and Mimi Tompkins (not in this particular performance) final mainstage show for BAZ, although they all did subsequently appear in Ib Andersen’s Eroica at the Desert Botanical Garden. Amber and Jackson left for Hong Kong Ballet, and Mimi left to continue her academic career. Also upcoming: Topia: Desert Dance (A Documentary) – May 24, 2020 Danced on a custom-crafted, 80-foot-wide panoramic stage with the Desert Botanical Garden serving as the ultimate backdrop, Ballet Arizona performed Topia to sold-out crowds and became the most presented work from Ballet Arizona at the Garden. Don’t miss ‘Topia: Desert Dance‘ – a documentary on the creation of this innovative outdoor ballet, choreographed specifically for the Garden and inspired by the natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert landscape. Symphony in Three Movements – May 31, 2020

Ballet Arizona will stream George Balanchine’s Square Dance on Sunday, May 17, 2020, starting at 9AM PDT, lasting for 24 hours only: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mXs2t6YQvI I’ll post casting and commentary on BAZ’s forum, once the video becomes available. Also upcoming: · Topia: Desert Dance (A Documentary) – May 24, 2020 o Danced on a custom-crafted, 80-foot-wide panoramic stage with the Desert Botanical Garden serving as the ultimate backdrop, Ballet Arizona performed Topia to sold-out crowds and became the most presented work from Ballet Arizona at the Garden. Don’t miss ‘Topia: Desert Dance‘ – a documentary on the creation of this innovative outdoor ballet, choreographed specifically for the Garden and inspired by the natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert landscape. · Symphony in Three Movements – May 31, 2020

They are apparently showing it right now (Tues, May12, 2020 at 5PM). This is unexpected, so don't know how long it will remain up... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIoSHT7-L8U

Aarrghh! It was Eric White who left BAZ for Dusseldorf (and is still there). Thanks, Helene. Too many dancers to keep track of!!! ☺️

Sandik, FYI, Eric departed Ballet Arizona about the same time period as this La Sonnambula video.. You can catch some close-ups of him in this BAZ video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M36L6Bhgy_I

From the Free Streaming Topic: Jack, just to underscore what you said here: In addition to La Sonnambula, this program from 2018 also included Prodigal Son, and it actually started with Symphony in Three Movements!! A challenging program for any company, much less one with about 30 dancers. The not-so-secret secret lies in the liberal use of very talented Studio Company - "for students of the highest rank with the potential and desire to become professional dancers." Typically, the program indicates which dancers are from the Studio Company (and sometimes even from the School), but they appear not to have done so this time.

Jack, isn't this a magnificent cast? And a surprisingly great video recording!! FYI, the cast list has one inaccuracy - the Harlequin was actually danced by Alejandro Mendez. It's a little hard to tell during the dance because he's wearing a mask, but it's clearly Alejandro when they're taking their bows. Not sure why they switched...

Ballet Arizona will stream George Balanchine’s La Sonnambula for 24 hours on Sunday, May 10, beginning at 9AM PDT. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIoSHT7-L8U This La Sonnambula is indeed a special treat – featuring Natalia Magnicaballi’s May 2018 farewell performance with Ballet Arizona. Complete with final wild applause, flowers, confetti from the heavens, and even an onstage hug from Ib Andersen. Here’s the top-notch cast from the posted video, which is very nice quality: The Coquette Mimi Tompkins The Baron Brian Leonard The Poet Helio Lima The Sleepwalker Natalai Magnicaballi Pastorale Kaelyn Magee, Alison Remmers, Annier Navarro, Erick Garnica Pas de Deux Arianni Marin, Eric Hipolito Jr. Harlequin Alejandro Mendez

This La Sonnambula is indeed a special treat – featuring Natalia Magnicaballi’s May 2018 farewell performance with Ballet Arizona. Complete with final wild applause, flowers, confetti from the heavens, and even an onstage hug from Ib Andersen. Here’s the top-notch cast from the posted video, which is very nice quality: The Coquette Mimi Tompkins The Baron Brian Leonard The Poet Helio Lima The Sleepwalker Natalai Magnicaballi Pastorale Kaelyn Magee, Alison Remmers, Annier Navarro, Erick Garnica Pas de Deux Arianni Marin, Eric Hipolito Jr. Harlequin Alejandro Mendez

Ballet Arizona will stream George Balanchine’s La Sonnambula for 24 hours on Sunday, May 10, beginning at 9AM. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIoSHT7-L8U Seems like the Balanchine Trust must be loosening up its grip on videos – especially for (presumably) allowing less-frequently-seen ballets like Sonnambula to be shown… The email announcement didn’t indicate the casting, but included a photo with Jillian Barrell as the Sleepwalker, and Nayon Iovino as the Poet, so it seems they will be the likely cast, in which case the video would be from May, 2018. (Sorry, photo not readily available.) The photo below is of Natalia Magnicaballi from a past performance. This was one of her favorite roles, and one that she requested to be able to dance for her final performance with Ballet Arizona, also in May 2018.

Ib Andersen’s Rio, an audience favorite from 2017, will be streaming for 24 hours, starting at 9am on Sunday, April 26, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1izGpd7_kfA Philip Glass’s Days and Nights in Rocinha provides the sultry slow-boil underpinnings of Mr. Andersen’s choreography. Of the work, Mr. Glass has said: “Rocinha is a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro famous for its lively cultural life and especially its “samba school” (whose appearance is the highpoint of the “Carnival” every year). I often visited Rocinha during the weeks before “Carnival” and have always been moved and delighted by its unique environment. Days and Nights in Rocinha is my musical impression and tribute to this place.” Here's an insightful review of the piece from the Phoenix New Times: https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/arts/ballet-arizona-todays-masters-2017-dance-review-9189487 Bottom line: A Dane’s take on a Brazilian theme by a Jewish composer – How can you resist!!

BAZ just posted an interview with AD Ib Andersen, on the many-faceted challenges of casting a ballet. Here's a snippet: "Sometimes they might not be ready for the role but they are still going to do it because you have to push them to become ready. They don’t have to be perfect, but at least good enough to go out on the stage. It’s all about building. Dance is such a short career. Full article here: https://blog.balletaz.org/behind-the-scenes-of-casting-a-ballet-qa-with-artistic-director/

To help us all cope with a shortened season and ballet withdrawal, Ballet Arizona has posted (for 24 hours only, starting 9AM on Sunday, April 5, 2020) a new work by dancer/choreographer Nayon Iovino. In celebration of Artistic Director Ib Andersen’s 20th anniversary with BAZ, Mr. Iovino decided to throw a party (complete with live band) on stage. The work is called Mambaz, and is from Sept 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuqJaOBXHkI Note that this is an archival video – not initially intended for sharing with the public, but rather for documenting the work for future reference. Nevertheless, the party atmosphere (of the both the dancing and the audience) come through loud and clear.

Here's an interesting blog post about costume designer Fabio Toblini, and how he worked with AD Ib Andersen in creating MSND costumes: https://blog.balletaz.org/designing-shakespeare-meet-fabio-toblini/ And an interesting excerpt on minor character Hippolyta: "I mentioned Hippolyta, well who is she? She is a queen, she is a slave, she has been captured, and now she is going to get married. If you look at the first few verses of the play, you have Theseus saying, and I am paraphrasing, “Oh don’t worry Hippolyta, I’ve killed all your family and all your people, but don’t worry because in a couple of weeks, I am going to marry you with great pomp, so be happy.” Um okay, so how’s that working for her? I think the Hippolyta I created is quite strange, but I wanted to show that because her background and circumstances are strange. For Act I, I made her exotic but without really knowing where she came from because I didn’t want her to fit, I wanted her to have her own strong look. And then in Act II, she is getting married and going to be the queen, so she needs a beautiful dress. For that, I was inspired by Queen Elizabeth II and a dress she had worn in the 1950’s. But those are the things you have to think about as you create and design characters and you do it for every single one." - Fabio Toblini More costume sketches here: https://blog.balletaz.org/designing-shakespeare-a-midsummer-nights-dream-costumes/ The show is February 13-16, 2020 at Phoenix Symphony Hall.

The problem with new productions is that they, well, don’t exist yet. The visuals – costumes, sets, performances – all live (to varying degrees) within the creators’ minds – places generally difficult to access. (Just ask any marketing department!). In this case, Artistic Director Ib Andersen has already choreographed and presented A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the past, but this time around, it will feature completely new costumes and sets. Tidbits are starting to trickle out… If you’re very quick with your mouse, you can pause the promo video below, and see some photos of designer Fabio Toblini’s captivating costume sketches. It’s easy to spot Titania and Oberon, the Indian changeling, jaguar-spotted Hippolyta and the Duke, a couple of rude mechanicals, and lots of appropriately pint-sized fairies. YouTube MSND Promo Featured in the promo video is lithe, spare, and nimble Ricardo Santos, who seems a natural to portray Puck, although he’ll need to look slightly less gleeful, and a bit more devious in the actual show. (There can be little doubt that Mr. Andersen, the master of character portrayal, will see to this.) Here’s a promo photo of Ricardo/Puck in action, alongside Titania/Jill Barrell: Also new, and obviously a source of pride, is that costumes and sets will be produced in-house at Ballet Arizona’s Center for Dance. Mr. Andersen is quoted from the PV Independent: “We have never undertaken a project this massive in our own shops before, and it is something of which I am very proud.” “To witness what we are able to do and build here is beyond anything I ever thought possible. In our home studios each day, I coach our talented and beautiful dancers in rehearsals, work alongside our costume shop team made up of local artisans who are building more than 80 costumes from scratch, and work in our scene shop with the designers and production team to build the sets for this new production. To be able to create all of this within our very own walls is a ‘dream’ unto itself.” You can catch a Studio Spotlight preview of portions of MSND on January 31, 2020 at Ballet Arizona’s Dorrance Theatre. (Typically no costumes or sets, but almost always interviews and Q&A sessions.) Performances with the Phoenix Symphony are scheduled February 13-16, 2020 at Phoenix Symphony Hall.

Sadly, four of Ballet Arizona’s dancers will not be returning next year – all moving on in different directions. Mimi Tompkins, who rose so quickly from neophyte to dance so many principal roles including Juliet, Aurora, and the Sylph, will be returning to school at Columbia in the fall. Amber Lewis and Jackson Dwyer are going to Hong Kong Ballet. We will dearly miss Amber’s on-stage (and off-stage) personality (especially as Gamzatti), and will always remember Jackson’s revealing portrayal of Apollo. Anna Grunewald will be moving to Miami City Ballet. Although Anna was with BAZ for only one season, she danced solo roles such as Songbird Fairy and Princess Florine in Sleeping Beauty. Read fascinating farewell interviews with all of these dancers at: https://blog.balletaz.org/a-bittersweet-goodbye/

Napoli seems to be having a West Coast resurgence. BAZ did it in 2015, and Oregon Ballet just did it in October 2018. And now BAZ again in the fall of 2019. In 2015, BAZ used sets and costumes from Denmark. While these were the ultimate in authenticity, they almost led to disaster – at least for the sets. Coming by slow boat from Denmark, they got hung up in a longshoreman’s slowdown in Long Beach, and just barely arrived in time; the US premiere of Napoli was almost a disaster! (Costumes came by air, and so were not delayed.) Now, there are apparently sets and costumes in Oregon, which would undoubtedly be less expensive and more reliable to transport, albeit perhaps less authentic…

Studio Spotlight attendees were given a peek at portions of Ballet Arizona’s upcoming premiere of Emeralds tonight. I have to say that I’ve watched the POB BluRay version and enjoyed it, but seeing it live and up-close in the Dorrance black box theatre really sent chills down my spine. Despite the lack of costumes or set, watching the elaborate pointe work of the corps and hearing the lushness of Faure’s Pelleas and Melisande during the Prelude was captivating. Arianni Martin and newcomer Luis Javier Corrales (both originally from Cuba) danced the lead roles. (It seems that AD Ib Andersen often gives leading roles to new arrivals – perhaps as something of a ‘sink or swim’ tactic?) The Nocturne was danced by a wonderfully ethereal Mimi Tompkins, who was partnered by a most attentive Randy Pacheco – I always find it engaging when the guy looks like his only reason for existence is ensuring that everything goes perfectly for his partner. To me, these two were perfectly matched for this very reserved section of the ballet. Also performed were sections of Theme and Variations, with Jillian Barrell and Nayon Iovino in the lead roles. In a post-performance interview, Ms. Martin pointed out that she had exposure to Theme and Variations at Ballet Nacional de Cuba, this being the only Balanchine ballet that was performed there - apparently because Alicia Alonso had danced it for Ballet Theatre during her time in New York. Ms. Martin will also dance the lead role in T&V. Also on the All-Balanchine program will be Square Dance. May 2-5, 2019 at Phoenix Symphony Hall.

The evening presents a juxtaposition of extremes, from Bournonville’s most classic of ballets, La Sylphide (from the 1830’s), to Ib Andersen’s re-imagined The Firebird, set millennia into the future. Nevertheless, the dance throughout is classical or neoclassical ballet. And, of course, the music under the baton of Timothy Russell is complete and authentic. Mr. Andersen's Firebird uses most of the themes, story elements, and characters of Diaghilev’s original, but transports them to a futuristic time in another galaxy. The mythical bird has been replaced with an Alien form – a golden pillar of energy, able to control the actions of others. This Prince has a “Crew” on his voyage of exploration, and it is this crew that manages to subdue the powerful Alien. Although they are labeled “Warrior Princesses”, we are relieved to see that these Princesses do not seem particularly threatening, wearing lovely flowing white garb. The traditional Kastchei and his monsters, have militaristic replacements – far more visually appealing that the traditional ones. Such an ambitious re-imagining could easily have come off as tacky. Fabio Toblini’s costume designs dispel that concern. This Alien/Firebird is a pillar of golden energy – tall and slim, with a spare use of sequins that seem to radiate sparks. Gone are the mangy, ragtag monsters of Firebirds past; they’ve been replaced by sleek, futuristic automatons, their high-tech components actually riveted to their bodices. And evil Kastchei looms as a towering, hulking lord - dark, threatening, and armored. But when conquered, his armor is stripped away, and he is reduced to a withering, skeletal shell (all superbly acted by Ethan Price). Here’s a very short promo video showing Alien, militaristic Monsters, Princess, Alien again, and finally the Prince. https://www.instagram.com/p/BtwRVnYgRh8/ The story gets off to a rather slow start – with the Prince and his Crew laboriously exploring some sort of mysterious meteorite that has landed nearby. Things liven up once the Alien (Rochelle Anvik) materializes. Rochelle masters some devilishly frenetic choreography – mostly on pointe – portraying the Alien’s energy. The Princesses do perform the traditional game – this time tossing crystals. This is a delightful scene –seemingly consisting of random motion and play, but of course highly choreographed. And when the Alien coerces monsters and princesses to dance feverishly, the combined effect of the music, choreography, and costumes are spellbinding to watch. In the closing moments, to the accompaniment of some of Stravinsky’s most magnificent music, the Prince (Helio Lima) and Princess (Arianni Martin) are garbed with spectacular long, flowing capes and headgear. This is pure theatrics, but it works, and serves as a final crowning moment to the ballet. Both Helio and Arianni seem to ooze royalty from every pore – exhibiting magnificent poise on stage, and showing exquisite attention to every step. A massive stage-sized wrap-around rear projection screen provides the scenery. I love it whenever the curtain flies up, and the audience gives a collective gasp at the grandeur of the opening scene (always happens in Rubies). Michael Korsch’s opening inter-galactic visual drew such a response from the opening night crowd, with a very brief video hinting that someone must be travelling to distant galaxies. He uses video motion sparingly, but to great effect, such as when portraying the Alien’s energy with electric effects. And the forest/garden backdrop was especially fascinating – definitely arboreal in nature, but not of this earth. (Think perhaps of being inside of a tangle of giant mangrove roots.) All in all, the concept, costumes, choreography, and visual design, blended with Stravinsky’s exceptional score, make this Firebird one of the most exciting, innovative, and visually stunning ballets I have seen. Bring us more, Mr. Andersen! Also on the bill is La Sylphide. With Mr. Andersen having been raised on such fare from a tender age at the Royal Danish, this is undoubtedly a very authentic presentation. Jillian Barrell danced a wonderfully ethereal Sylph, to Nayon Iovino’s suitably infatuated James. BAZ fans will be delighted (or perhaps horrified) to see retired principal dancer Tzu Chia Huang (Cinderella, Juliet, etc.) cast in the character role of Madge the witch. Ms. Huang, who offstage is the gentlest of ladies, gave us a deliciously malicious Madge, whose every motion dripped evil. In the second act, I was delighted to see the quaint, yet elegant poses and lovely classic tableau of the sylphs – something just not seen in today’s ballets. The Firebird and La Sylphide will be performed at Phoenix Symphony Hall on February 14 through 17, 2019 with the Phoenix Symphony.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7_7mmMzSb4 This 12 minute video documents many of the steps involved in creating a newly conceived The Firebird. It includes interviews with Ib Andersen (AD) and Maria Simonetti (Rehearsal Director), designers Fabio Toblini (Costumes) and Michael Korsch (Lighting), costume producer Eric Winterling, and dancers Helio Lima (Prince), Rochelle Anvik (Firebird/Alien), and Arianni Martin (Princess). There are some great sequences showing Mr. Andersen in his native environment (the studio) creating a new work and working with his dancers. Not much in the way of dancing here, but many costumes are modelled towards the end. There are a couple of great stills of the ‘monsters’ at about 7:30. (They go by very quickly – you’ll have to stop the video to appreciate them.) The video was created about 4 weeks prior to the scheduled premiere of the show, to show to a Ballet Arizona Gala audience. BTW, the sold-out Studio Spotlight mini-performance gave us a run through of roughly the first third of the choreography. Most interesting was the alien choreography – ultra high energy as danced by Rochelle, who makes for an appropriately tall, slim alien. No evidence of the birdlike movements of the Mariinsky's Firebird, which I enjoy, but would be out-of-place in this other-worldly environment. Compare Fabio's alien costume sketch to the real thing at 08:00 in the video: The Firebird and La Sylphide will be performed at Phoenix Symphony Hall on February 14 through 17, 2019 with the Phoenix Symphony.