Yvonne Montoya
Choreographer. Writer. Speaker. Mother.

🌵 #WaybackWednesday takes us to October 2022, when I choreographed "Wishes, Longing, & Heartbreak, "a dance commissioned by Dr. Jacqueline Barrios for the Book of the City exhibition at the Tucson Humanities Festival. This piece reimagined the novel "David Copperfield" through contemporary dance, blending Dickensian storytelling with Southwest cultural narratives. It was part of an interdisciplinary exhibition at Tucson MOCA where scholars, artists, designers, and dancers al

Thank you to the 2025 Dance in the Desert Research team! Our binational research, made up of 10 researchers, community liaisons, and administrators, did the incredible work that made this research possible. None of this would be possible without our dedicated research team that spanned 3 U.S. states and Mexico. Thank you for making this vital work happen! Stay tuned for the full research report with comprehensive findings reflective of the experience of dance artists across t

🌵 Dance in the Desert: Spotlight Community Liaisons ☀️ In 2025, the Dance in the Desert research team had 4 community liaisons assist in the collection of the research data. Community Liaisons were integral to the research team bringing deep local roots and authentic connections to the research. As dancers themselves, they understand the communities they serve from the inside out. In Arizona, the research team had two community liaisons, one focusing on Southern Arizona and

During the 2025 research initiative, Dance in the Desert had a community interest form where any dancer from any location could take a survey and share the strengths, challenges, and experiences of their dance communities. The form was available online on our website, as a link in our quarterly newsletters, and on social media as a link in bio. We received 32 responses. Learn more about their experiences. 🌟 Community Interest Form Biggest Takeaway 🌟 Community Belonging and

Dance in the Desert Research Report: Spotlighting New Mexico dance artists ☀️ We asked the Dance in the Desert NM dance artists cohort if they had any strategic recommendations for funders, foundations, policy makers, and arts agencies to better support working dance artists in New Mexico. Here is their response: Infrastructure Grants – Fund the creation or renovation of affordable, safe studio and performance spaces to address the dual challenges of space scarcity and geogr

Dance in the Desert Research Report: Spotlighting New Mexico dance artists ☀️ During the 2025 Dance in the Desert Research Initiative, we asked New Mexico Latine dance artists: What are the strengths of the NM dance community? Here is what they have to say: ☀️The NM dance ecosystem is culturally rich, intergenerational, and eager for collaborative growth. ☀️ NM dancers cohort identified these community strengths and resiliences: Dance artists see themselves primarily as edu

Dance in the Desert Research Report: The New Mexico Interviews ☀️ We interviewed 41 Latine dance artists from 8 different communities throughout New Mexico to understand what makes this dance landscape so unique. The Dance in the Desert NM interviewees spans genres from Mexican Folklórico to Hip-hop, Breaking to Danza Azteca, Modern to Pom, Heels to Flamenco, from Aerial to New Mexico Folk Dance and more with many dancers trained in multiple genres of dance. New Mexico commun

Dance in the Desert Research Report: Spotlighting the Arizona cohort 🌵 We asked the Dance in the Desert AZ cohort if they had any strategic recommendations for funders, foundations, policy makers, and arts agencies to better support working dance artists in Arizona. Here is their response: • Invest in Sustainable Careers: Prioritize flexible, multi-year funding to provide artists with consistent salaries and long-term stability. • Fund Physical Infrastructure: Support capita

Dance in the Desert Research Report: Spotlighting the Arizona cohort 🌵 We asked the Dance in the Desert AZ cohort: What are the strengths of the AZ dance community in 2025? Here is what they have to say: 🌵 The AZ dance ecosystem is welcoming, collaborative, and culturally expansive. 🌵 •T he AZ cohort identified these community strengths and resiliencies: • Interdisciplinary collaboration •“Small‑town vibes in a big city” • A culture of mutual support that persists despite

Dance in the Desert Research Report: The Arizona Cohort 🌵 What does it take to sustain a thriving dance community in the Arizona deserts? We interviewed 17 of the 21 Latine dance artists from the original Dance in the Desert AZ. Here is an overview of the original Dance in the Desert AZ community: • 3 communities represented: Tucson, Douglas/Agua Prieta, and the Phoenix-metro area • The original Dance in the Desert AZ cohort spans genres from Mexican Folklórico to Hip-hop, B