Nine arrows pierce the body of a bleeding deer, but Frida Kahlo’s face bears a painless expression. “The Wounded Deer” is a self-portrait in which the artist transforms herself — part woman, part animal. This enigmatic painting comes to life on stage in “Frida,” the ambitious dance production by Ballet Arizona.
Annabelle Lopez Ochoa has turned the canvas into movement. “Just as Frida used herself and her life as a canvas,” she said, “I reversed the process, bringing her canvas to life.”
Lopez Ochoa is the choreographer behind “Frida,” a production that captures fragments of the life of the iconic Mexican painter (1907-1954), renowned for her self-portraits and individual style, a symbol of Mexican identity.
“Frida” will take the stage at Symphony Hall for its U.S. premiere in Phoenix from Feb. 13-16, accompanied by an original score by Peter Salem, performed live by the Phoenix Symphony. Musical pieces like “La Llorona,” “Que te vaya bonito” and “Adoro” will give voice to the story.
Of Colombian and Belgian heritage, Lopez Ochoa saw the deer as “her alter ego, coming to her rescue every time she felt alone.”
That solitude, dwelling in the body and soul of a wounded woman, Lopez Ochoa softened to the flutter of a bird. In dance, the bird becomes a symbol of hope, “representing the belief that pain one day will go away.”
Attend Frida
With live music by the Phoenix Symphony
When: Feb. 13-16
Where: Symphony Hall, in Phoenix
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Frida’s quote, “Feet, what do I need them for if I have wings to fly?” is more than just a statement — it is a guiding principle for Lopez Ochoa. Perhaps, on stage, she sought to express more than movement — a reminder that even in pain, the possibility of rising always exists.
“Frida” arrives in Arizona at a time of uncertainty. Many Latino community members feel fear and tension in light of President Donald Trump’s new immigration policies. The production brings with it a powerful reminder that there is beauty in resistance and that art itself can be a form of struggle.
Frida herself is proof of this.
“Frida’s political and social activism truly shows how she fought to reclaim authority over her Mexican identity from the oppressor,” Lopez Ochoa told Arizona Luminaria, evoking a time when México had been colonized by the Spaniards.
A tribute
For Daniela Cardim, artistic director of Ballet Arizona, “Frida” is more than just a stage production — it is a tribute to Latino communities.
True to her vision of “ballet for everyone,” she told Arizona Luminaria that “it is important for all stories to be told on stage, especially those that reflect the communities in which we live.”
Cardim added: “It’s a way to acknowledge Latino” identities.
The artworks The Two Fridas and The Broken Column also came to life on stage, transformed into characters and scenes embodied by the dancers. Other works, she said, such as self-portraits and brushstrokes from the painter, become props, costume elements and monumental backdrops that envelop the story aiming for an atmosphere as intense as the artist’s life.
“Nothing is an exact replica or reproduction, but rather a tribute to Frida’s work,” Cardim said.
With her style and Mexicanidad, Frida captivated
Mathew Sandoval, professor at Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University, defines Frida as a symbol of perseverance in the face of pain, mistreatment and injustice. His research focuses on Mexican and Chicano art and culture.
“Frida has become a symbol of Mexican identity,” he said, comparing her image to powerful icons “like the Virgin of Guadalupe or the Mexican flag.”
He noted that during her lifetime, Frida’s image captivated audiences across Latin America, the United States and Europe.
Sandoval puts it simply: “Frida created a persona that people admired because she was deeply individualistic.”
That same individuality has become universal. Sandoval sees the “Frida” ballet as a symbol of multicultural strength.
“We have a Colombian choreographer, a Brazilian artistic director, and a company of Latino, Black, Asian, and White dancers, who have come together to tell the story of a disabled, queer Mexican woman,” he said. “And I believe the show will attract an equally multicultural audience.”
A universal icon with a unique style
Carmen Guerrero, a Brazilian-born artisan and cultural promoter, has made Frida’s aesthetics a part of her own identity. She wears flowers in her hair, braids it, paints her unibrow, and adorns herself with bold earrings.
“I draw inspiration from her,” she said, her voice carrying a soft Brazilian accent.
Guerrero is a founding member of Phoenix Fridas, an artist collective that paid tribute to Frida every July 6, on her birthday. She now leads The Fabulous Fridas, where she showcases her handcrafted jewelry.
Although she is excited about the “Frida” ballet production, she also senses the unease within Latino communities, many are afraid to attend public events.
“This extraordinary ballet arrives at a very difficult time for the Latino community,” she said. Guerrero teaches art at a school in Tempe, where she says more than half of her students — children ages 5 to 12 — have stopped attending due to “fear of immigration raids.”
“Frida will bring the universal beauty of her art,” she said. “Our greatest gift to the community is to showcase the richness, depth, and beauty of Mexican culture.”
An explosion of color and a message of resilience
Luis Javier Corrales, a dancer in the production, expressed his joy that performances like “Frida” are being staged in Arizona, ensuring that Latinos continue to have representation — “to speak our truth and do so loudly.”
The Cuban dancer, who performs in “Frida” as one of the traditional skeleton figures in the ballet, emphasized that Ballet Arizona aims to produce more works that represent Latino culture, a mission that has already seen great success with productions like “Juan Gabriel.“
He encouraged the community to attend the national premiere of “Frida,” calling it “a great opportunity to feel proud of who we are.”
Sandoval, the Mexican Studies professor, underscored the significance of bringing Latino stories to historically White spaces like Ballet Arizona and Symphony Hall.
“Because our stories are every bit as powerful, poignant, and worthy of attention as stories like “Swan Lake,” “Nutcracker,” “Giselle,” or “Romeo & Juliet,” he said.
He hopes Latino/a/x communities will feel represented and empowered experiencing the “Frida” performance.
“The sad reality is that President Trump’s deportation strategies are trying to dismantle our communities and make us feel invisible and silenced,” Sandoval said.
Given this political climate, he stressed the importance of Latinos coming together to show that “we refuse to be invisible, to be silenced, or to shrink away.”
“Frida” is arriving in Phoenix at a historic and meaningful moment, making it a platform to remind the entire Valley, he said, that “this is a Latino city.”
One “Frida” scene is set against a somber black cube, symbolizing the artist’s fate.
However, choreographer Lopez Ochoa explains, each time the dark cube opens, an explosion of colors bursts forth, representing Frida’s “resilience, her creativity … and the enduring spirit of her artistry.”
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