Thank you for considering a donation to DESERTRADE.

Your support enables DESERTRADE to advance the restoration of our four artist bungalows—spaces designed for both living and working. It also fuels the development of our seasonal workshops, public presentations, while sustaining the essential, and day-to-day operations that make this work possible. We couldn’t be more grateful for your support.

Ryan Heffington (owner and Artistic Director) acquired the property in 2020 and has since rebuilt the 2200sq ft one bedroom house. This house has served as ground zero for all events and artist housing thus far. The 6 other structures including 2 workshops and 4 bungalows require updated electrical and plumbing, insulation, lighting, etc. We’ll work in phases starting with bungalow updates, workshops renovations, then move to other outdoor spaces for education and community gatherings.

DESERTRADE sits on a 12-acre property just northeast of Indian Cove, 29 Palms, CA. The property we believe was erected as early as the late 1920’s, was owned for decades by Verle and Gene Ludwig. Verle, a sergeant in the Marines and Gene, enamored with Chinese food and culture. Gene taught cooking classes in her humble outdoor kitchen and at nearby Copper Mountain College, and Verle wrote fiction in his private bungalow “The Dirty Shame.” The pool, remnants of a badminton court, and wine cellar proved its inhabitants enjoyed life. DESERTRADE will continue this legacy of exercising enjoyment, education, celebration with our local and worldwide community.

www.desertrade.com

DESERTRADE’S Artistic Director: Ryan Heffington

Ryan Heffington is a community builder.

In 2020, when the world stood still, his free online class SWEATFEST became a beacon—hundreds of thousands moved together in living rooms across the globe, raising over $300k for charities serving marginalized communities. His 2022 TED Talk carried the same pulse: happiness is not chased, but unlocked, through movement.

Beyond teaching, Heffington has reshaped contemporary dance for mainstream audiences. His choreography for Sia’s “Chandelier” (MTV’s Best Choreography Award) launched him into global recognition, followed by acclaimed works like HBO’s Euphoria (Emmy), Spike Jonze’s Kenzo World (Cannes Grand Prix), Apple’s “Welcome Homepod” (Cannes Titanium Lion), Netflix’s The OA, and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tick, Tick…Boom! His work has landed everywhere from the hushed halls of The Broad and MOCA to the sweat-soaked floors of LA’s grittiest clubs.

From 2010–2020, his Silver Lake (LA) studio The Sweat Spot thrived as more than a dance space—it was a heartbeat of community. Classes, recitals, workshops, and benefit shows drew both seasoned dancers and curious first-timers into one orbit, blurring the line between art and gathering.

Today, that ethos deepens at DESERTRADE (est. 2023), Heffington’s artist residency and legacy project in the hi-desert. Here, choreographers, chefs, poets, and political thinkers converge—a sanctuary where ideas move as bodies do, and where collective dreaming is as vital as breath.

www.ryanheffington.com

DESERTRADE

Team Members