Ballet Under the Stars returning to Goodyear

Ballet Arizona will bring its annual Ballet Under the Stars series to Goodyear on Friday, Sept. 25, with a free performance at Estrella Lakeside Amphitheater.

The 7 p.m. performance will feature selections from classical and contemporary works, including “Romeo & Juliet,” “Concerto Six Twenty-Two” and “Don Quixote.” The outdoor production includes a professional stage, lighting and costumes, with food trucks also available. Residents can bring lawn chairs, blankets and picnics.

The Goodyear performance is the second stop in Ballet Arizona’s six-city outdoor series, which runs Sept. 24 through Oct. 3. Other performances are scheduled in Fountain Hills, Phoenix, Glendale, Chandler and Peoria. All are free.

Launched in 1997, Ballet Under the Stars draws more than 9,000 people annually. The series is designed to bring professional ballet outside traditional theaters and introduce the art form to audiences in communities across the Valley. The program also includes performances created through Ballet Arizona’s Class Act program, in which teaching artists work with students at six Valley elementary schools for three weeks, guiding them through choreography and rehearsals before their work is performed onstage during the series.

“Ballet Under the Stars is a long-standing tradition and a special way we begin our season at Ballet Arizona,” Artistic Director Daniela Cardim shared in a press release. “It’s an opportunity for people of all ages to experience live ballet in a relaxed, welcoming outdoor setting.”

Ballet Arizona, founded in 1986, is marking its 40th season. Cardim leads the company, whose 2026-27 season includes “Romeo & Juliet,” “The Nutcracker,” “Don Quixote,” “Pulse” and “Desert Lines.”

Ballet Arizona and its school also provide community programs serving more than 26,000 children and families annually.