A lifelong fan of movie musicals, Ballet Arizona’s resident choreographer, Nayon Iovino, fondly recalls the overwhelming joy he felt when his mother bought him a copy of “Singin’ in the Rain” on DVD when he was a child.
“I would watch it over and over again,” says Iovino, who cites “The Artist,” “Isle of Dogs,” “Life is Beautiful,” “City of God” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel” as being among his other favorite films. “Movies catch the spirit of our imagination. They can take us to ideas beyond our reality, tell our stories and offer an escape or a mood boost. Ballet does the same thing.”
This month, Ballet Arizona will celebrate cinematic classics with its world premiere production of “Moving Movies.” Written and choreographed by Iovino, the show will transport audiences back in time to Hollywood’s Golden Age with a unique dance experience that takes ballet from the stage to the big screen.