Javanese dance in Westwood; storybook ballet in Hollywood; a quartet of solos in Venice; the Great Gatsby conjured up in Beverly Hills; contemporary ballet in Beverly-Fairfax, site specific fest in Echo Park; contemporary dance in Westwood, Hollywood, and downtown Arts District, more SoCal dance this week, plus a peek at next week.
Live This Week
Unblended family
Expect a shoeless heroine as Los Angeles Ballet unveils Edwaard Liang’s Cinderella, backed by a live orchestra. Liang, the incoming artistic director of DC’s Washington Ballet, created his version of the storybook ballet in 2015, during his time as artistic director of Columbus, Ohio’s BalletMet. Liang and LAB’s artistic director Melissa Barak danced together at New York City Ballet before launching their careers as choreographers and artistic directors. Dolby Theater, Hollywood & Highland, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; Thurs.- Sat., June 12-14, 7:30 pm, Sat.-Sun., June 14-15, 2 pm, $62-$161 (w/fees but wo/taxes) LAB Cinderella
Los Angeles Ballet “Cinderella.” Photo by Cheryl Mann
Seasonality
Under the title Dewflower (つゆくさ(tsu yu ku sa), Body Weather Laboratory presents four solos with two familiar faces and two visitors, performance artist Dan Kwong and Bessie award winning Butoh dancer Kota Yamazak. Completing the foursome are Morleigh Steinberg and Roxanne Steinberg. Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Ave., Venice; Fri.-Sat., June 6-7, 8 pm, Sun., June 8, 3 pm, $21.99. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/flower-of-the-season-2025-dewflower-tickets-1325861791309
Kota Yamazaki. Photo by Ian Douglas
On Gatsby’s centenary
Once an LA oil magnate’s estate, the elegant Greystone Mansion provides a pitch-perfect, luxe setting for Gatsby Redux, Janet Rosten’s site specific consideration of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Roston and her Mixed eMotion Theatrix lead audiences through the mansion and grounds with music, text, and dancing that conjures up Gatsby’s world of jazz- age privilege, poverty, and tragic romantic entanglements. Appropriate dress and footwear are recommended for the mostly outside performance that involves walking and stairs. Greystone Mansion & Gardens, 905 Loma Vista Dr., Beverly Hills; Thurs.- Sun., June 5-8 & Wed.-Sat. June 12-14, 7 pm, $30. https://beverlyhills.org/1327/Gatsby-Redux
Mixed eMotion Theatrix – “Gatsby Redux” for Los Angeles Music Center, Moves After Dark. Performed in the Blue Ribbon Garden of Disney Hall – Photo Credit: Barry Weiss
Ancient reflections
Indonesian choreographer and dancer Rianto is known for his mastery of Lengger, a traditional cross-gender Central Javanese dance. In Medium, he explores how the ancient form reflects on contemporary issues exploring the spaces between genders and customs. The UCLA Nimoy, 1262 Westwood Blvd., Westwood; Sat., June 7, 8 pm, $38.08. https://cap.ucla.edu/event/rianto
Rianto. Photo by Joe Benguigui.
Preview time
In advance of the full concert next week, LA Dance Project offers a Studio Preview of two works on that upcoming program. The free, informal setting is an unparalleled opportunity to watch these incredible dancers up close, to get a feel for the choreography, and participate in a Q&A with the choreographer. At 3 pm, the offering is Sleepwalker’s Encyclopedia by former New York City Ballet principal Janie Taylor. At 4 pm, it is Benjamin Millepied’s Triade, a tribute to his mentor, choreographer Jerome Robbins along with Quartet for Five from LADP artists in residence Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber. LA Dance Project Studios, 2245 E. Washington Blvd., Downtown Arts District; Sat., June 7, 3 & 4 pm, free w/reservation at LA Dance Project.
LA Dance Project’s “LA Dances.” Photo by Josh Rose.
Tidal terpsichore
Tucked downtown where westbound 1st Street evolves into Glendale Blvd., Vista Hermosa Park provides the venue for this year’s edition of Ebb & Flow from the masterful site-specific performers at Heidi Duckler Dance. This free, family-friendly installment marks the first edition curated by incoming artistic director Raymond Ejiofor who selected this year’s movers, musicians and artists Tomoko Ozawa, Jeff Morical, Stephanie Kim and Zach Gold. Dress code is Park Casual. Vista Hermosa Park, 100 N. Toluca St., downtown; Sat., June 14, 2-4 pm, free w/reservation at Ebb & Flow
Heidi Duckler Dance’s “Ebb & Flow.” Photo courtesy of Heidi Duckler Dance
Sizzling finale
Artistic director Tina Finkelman Burkett and the masterful dancers of BODYTRAFFIC close the season with This Reminds Me of You, a triptych reflecting the troupe’s highly regarded emphasis on new choreography. Internationally recognized choreographer Trey McIntyre, now the company’s creative consultant, reprises Mayday, his first work created on the company’s dancers. Premiered earlier this season, Mayday is set to Buddy Holly’s music and pays homage to Holly’s life, music and death in a plane crash while on tour. Following up on last year’s highly praised, Cuban Missile Crisis-inspired Bloquea’o, company dancer and rehearsal director Joan Rodriguez has a new work evoking an Afro-Cuban nightclub and exploring performers’ offstage doubts behind those onstage smiles. The third work from company dancer Jordyn Santiago, marks her professional debut as a choreographer and provides the first company work with only female company members. Avalon Hollywood, 1735 N. Vine St., Hollywood; Thurs., June 5, 7 pm, $60. Upcoming Shows
BODYTRAFFIC in Joan Rodriguez’ new work – Photo by Guzman Rosado.
Into the spotlight
A kinder, gentler version of the competitions proliferating in the performing arts, the Music Center Spotlight Grand Finale focuses on SoCal high school students in dance and ballet, as well as classical and non-classical voice, instrumental music, with the recent addition of acting. Over many months, applicants are winnowed down to a group of semi-finalists who participate in workshops, feedback, and master classes, before two are selected in each category to perform on the Music Center stage. This year’s final young dancers in ballet are Liam Geoffroy from Huntington Beach High School and Kiera Sun from Cabrillo Point Academy. The finalists in the dance category are River Novin and Emma Donnelly from The Bishop’s School. Ahmanson Theatre, Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Fri., June 6, 8 pm, free w/reservation https://www.musiccenter.org/tickets-free-events/tmc-arts/spotlight-grand-finale/
Music Center Spotlight Awards. Photo courtesy of the artist.
All electric
Scheduled to coincide with First Friday‘s open galleries and shops along nearby Abbot Kinney Blvd., the usually eclectic High Voltage series spotlights dance for its June show. Announced performers include Dalya Modlin, Sadie Crystal, Livya Howard-Yashar, and Elizabeth Yochim. Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Ave., Venice; Fri., June 6, 8 pm, $15 pre-sale, $20 at door. High Voltage
Two for the toe shoes
The latest from American Contemporary Ballet is a shared bill with George Balanchine’s luminous Serenade and the premiere of The Euterpides with choreography by artistic director Lincoln Jones to music composed by 20-year old Alma Deutscher. Both works have live music. American Contemporary Ballet at Television City, 7800 Beverly Blvd., Stage 33, Beverly-Fairfax District; Fri.-Sat., 8 pm, thru Sat., June 28, $65-$140. https://www.acbdances.com/sxiii-balanchine
American Contemporary Ballet. Photo by Will Davidson.
Coming from the fringe
From June 12 to 29, Hollywood Fringe Festival 2025 takes to various venues within a short radius, with performances that include dance and dance-influenced physical theater. Many of the performers are scheduled for different times on different days. The long list of performers, venues, days and times are at the website, and allows for a search that links to “dance/physical theater.” Various venues in Hollywood; Thurs., June 12 -Sun., June 29, various times. Hollywood Fringe Dance & Physical Theater
Shakespeare moves
Adapter, director and choreographer John Farmanesh–Bocca returns with Lear Redux: A Quantum Fantasia, the latest in his “Redux” series boldly reconsidering the classics. The event also reunites him with choreographic collaborators Not Man Apart-Physical Theatre Ensemble along with New American Theatre and the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble. Jack Stehlin tackles the part of King Lear, surrounded by Eve Danzeisen, Dennis Gersten, Dash Pepin, Jade Sealey, Ahkei Togun, and Emily Yetter. The Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., WLA; Fri.-Sat., 8 pm, Sun., 2 pm, Wed. June 11 & 25, 8 pm, thru Sun., July 13, $20-$43. Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
LA Opera’s “Rigoletto” – Photo by Kyle Flubacker.
An opera with dancers and clowns
When the LA Opera opened Verdi’s Rigoletto last week for six Music Center performances, it more closely resembled the 2023 Atlanta Opera production than the original 2019 and 2022 performances in Houston and Dallas, Texas, all directed by Tomer Zvulun. After the Texas shows, the director Zvulun tasked Atlanta-based choreographer Ricardo Aponte with lightening the dark tale of lust, revenge, and privileged cruelty with dancers and clowns. In addition to the dance moves, Aponte’s assignment included choreographing banana juggling into the opera. Music Center, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Sun., June 8 & 15, 2 pm, Thurs., June 12, Wed., June 18, & Sat., June 21, 7:30 pm. $37.50-$450. https://laopera.org/performances/2025/rigoletto
Life of Pi. Photo courtesy of the artists
Who needs CGI?
Jaw-dropping puppetry anchors The Life of Pi, the award-winning theatrical retelling of Yann Martel’s best-selling novel about a 16-year old shipwreck survivor adrift in a lifeboat with four animals, notably a Bengal tiger. Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell created the puppetry for the original, Olivier award-winning British production that went on to Broadway and won several Tony awards. Anyone who sniffs that puppetry isn’t dance or choreography should watch the multiple actors’ tightly orchestrated manipulations as well as the puppet’s choreographed moves, and then just shush up. Everyone else can sit back and marvel. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa; Tues.-Fri., June 3-6, & 10-13, 7:30 pm, Sat., June 8 & 14, 2 & 7:30 pm, Sun., June 9 & 15, 1 & 6:30 pm, $44.07-$157.07. https://www.scfta.org/events/2025/life-of-pi
A Peek at Next Week (June 13-19)
LA Dance Project – Gatherings at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills; Fri., June 13, 7:30 pm, Sat., June 14, 2 & 7:30 pm, $53-86.90. LA Dance Project
Miguel Gutierrez – Super Nothing at UCLA Freud Playhouse, McGowan Hall, 245 Charles E. Young Dr. East, Westwood; Fri.-St., June 13-14, 8 pm, $38.08. Miguel Gutierrez
Miguel Gutierrez. Photo courtesy of the artist
Kenneth Walker Dance Project – Boundless at PDA Black Box, 4322 Katella Ave., 2nd Floor, Los Alamitos; Sun., June 15, $24.60 (w/fees). Kenneth Walker Dance Project
Tsiambwom M. Akuchu – Market Demographics at Highways Performance Space, 1651 18th St., Santa Monica; Fri.-Sat., June 13-14, 8 pm, $30.75 (w/fees) Performance | Highways |
Kenneth Walker Dance Project. Photo by Scott Edwards
Zoe Rappaport – A/VOID at Chromasonic Field, 677 Imperial St., downtown Arts District; Fri.-Sat., June 13-14, 7:30 & 9:30 pm, $35-$55. Zoe Rappaport
Pacifico Dance at Sierra Madre Playhouse, 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre; Sat., June 14, 11 am, $12. Pacifico Dance Company
Featured image: Roxanne Steinberg – photo by Denise Leitner
Ann Haskins’ Blog appears at CulturalDaily.com
