GOODYEAR, Ariz. (September 10, 2024) – Ballet Arizona’s annual Ballet Under the Stars performance returns to the West Valley’s picturesque Estrella Lakeside Amphitheater, 10300 Estrella Parkway, on Sept. 21.
The performance begins at 7 p.m. and is free of charge, with free parking clearly marked nearby. Guests may bring chairs, blankets and picnics as they experience the beauty of dance. Ballet Arizona and Estrella invite all to delight in a spectacular evening showcasing excerpts from a range of ballets, offering a vibrant portrayal of the art form’s diversity.
Ballet Under the Stars is the perfect show for the entire family and a great way to introduce ballet to young people for the first time. This year’s performances will include excerpts from both contemporary and classic ballets. Audiences will experience the tango-inspired Piazzolla Caldera by celebrated choreographer Paul Taylor, a striking duet from Christopher Wheeldon’s Within the Golden Hour, as well as an excerpt from Ib Andersen’s Swan Lake – which will grace Ballet Arizona’s stage in full later this fall.
Ballet Under the Stars also showcases performances by local school students through the Class Act program, which is provided to students tuition-free. Ballet Arizona’s professional dancers and teaching artists each year provide a three-week dance training class for students in four different elementary schools across the Valley. Estrella Mountain Elementary School students will take the stage as part of the pre-performance activities at 5 p.m.
“We are thrilled to open the 2024-2025 season with an extraordinary program like Ballet Under the Stars,” said Artistic Director, Daniela Cardim. “This is a wonderful opportunity for Arizonans to discover the magic of ballet under the open sky together with their loved ones – right in their own neighborhood. Ballet Under the Stars is a favorite for thousands of Arizonans each year, and I am very much looking forward to experiencing it for the first time myself in my new community.”
To learn more about this year’s Ballet Under the Stars performances, please visit balletaz.org.