Editor’s note: Sedona Chamber Ballet’s “Elevé” has been canceled. Please see sedonachamberballet.org for more.
Sedona Chamber Ballet’s “Elevé” performance will showcase a smattering of different styles of ballet. Audience members will see classical ballet, neoclassical work and contemporary pieces too. They’ll hear music from “Sleeping Beauty.” The show’s dancers will range in age from around nine to their mid-30s. “It’s a more enticing production that way,” says Ilir Shtylla, a co-artistic director for “Elevé.” “I think it’s a better way to introduce ourselves to the community. I think it’s something to hopefully make people want more in the future.”
“Elevé” is a first-of-its-kind collaboration among three different organizations: Sedona Chamber Ballet – a nonprofit dedicated to showcasing world-class performing arts – Scottsdale’s Plumb Performing Artist Center and about 28 dancers from The Artist Relief Fund of Phoenix-based Ballet Arizona, a nonprofit that provides the professional dancers of Ballet Arizona with financial support for health, education and career transition. Most of the contemporary work will be brand new and created by the dancers themselves. Besides giving audiences a taste of different styles of ballet, “Elevé” seeks to give the dancers another artistic outlet. “So the idea of this production is also to give dancers the opportunity to choreograph and express themselves by not only dancing, but also by creating work,” says Ilir. Many of the rehearsals will be held in metro Phoenix – making the logistics of getting everyone together a bit complicated.
“It’s not easy. And especially when you’re when you have young dancers, they have to go to school. They have other activities to do. And the coordination of those things can become challenging,” he says. But the effort will be worth it. “I think it’s very exciting for Sedona and even for us, as creators, as artistic directors and for the dancers to work, collaborate with one another, the production crew and everything coming together. It’s just I think it’s going to be magical to just put it all together,” says Ilir. – Teresa K. Traverse
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