FENIX adds a visual layer and an immersive environment to composer Polina Nazaykinskaya’s epic symphonic poem, of the same name.

The geological forces that produced the landscapes of Sedona over thousands of years (including the erosion by wind, rain and snow-melt), have created a dazzling array of site conditions. These include caves, sculptural buttes, stratified layering, extremely uneven surfaces, towering outlooks, and a primary site material that is covered in iron oxide, giving it a distinctive red glow. Fenix showcases the dramatic landscapes of Sedona, while hoping to impart a sense of great reverence for our precious natural world, its epic scale, and its dynamic geological processes.

Phillips worked with a local cast of dancers from Sedona Chamber Ballet, Ballet Theater of Phoenix, and Convergence Ballet. After a series of studio workshops in Phoenix, the performances were staged during a period of intense site immersion, which included braving the weather and extreme rock-climbing.

The immersive staging of Fenix took place on Apri 6, 2023 at the Paul Taylor Studios in New York. The concert hall staging of Fenix with video took place on December 10, 2023 at the Strathmore Center Bethesda MD, where Fenix was performed by the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras.

Fenix was filmed in December 2020 and was made possible with the generous support of Tauck Ritzau Innovative Philanthropy and ArtBridge.

INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM:

VISUAL / PERFORMANCE CONCEPT: Michael Spencer Phillips + Dino Kiratzidis DIRECTOR / CHOREOGRAPHER: Michael Spencer Phillips ORIGINAL SCORE: “Fenix” by Polina Nazaykinskaya EDITING AND VDEOGRAPHY: Emma Kazaryan EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Michael Spencer Phillips + Dino Kiratzidis