Jazz dance in a Hollywood nightclub, Japanese dance downtown and in Gardena; two days hosts 22 companies in Mid-City; flamenco meets bellydance in Venice; contemporary dance in a Beverly Hills art gallery, more SoCal dance this week, plus a peek at next week.
Live This Week
Coming to life
Anyone looking for a window into where SoCal dance is at this moment, should hie to Dance for Life. Conceived as a West Coast complement to the NY effort to raise funds to fight AIDS/HIV, LA’s one day event includes 22 companies and 80 dancers divided between a matinee and an evening show, each with a mostly different line up. The matinee includes AIM by Kyle Abraham, Ashley x Grady, Castagna and Dancers, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Elements by Victor Adeniran, Ian Schwaner, The Ido Tadmor Project, Klein Collective, Kybele Dance Theater, Pacifico Dance Company, Peridance Contemporary Dance Company, and Risqué. The evening includes Backhausdance, BalletRed, Blue 13 Dance Company, Hollywood Ballet, Laurie Sefton Creates, Luminario Ballet, Motus The Company, Sara Silkin, Stas Tsoy, plus encores from AIM by Kyle Abraham, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and Peridance Contemporary Dance Company. Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, 4718 W. Washington Blvd., Mid-City; Sat., July 20, 2 & 7 pm, $50-$150. https://www.itsmyseat.com/ert/
Hollywood Ballet, part of “Dance for Life.” Photo courtesy of the artists
Bowling
Established in 1952 as Ballet Folklórico de Mexico, the company became a lodestar for traditional Mexican dance. Eventually, the name was expanded to Ballet Folklórico de Mexico de Amália Hernández to capture the role of its founder as much as to distinguish itself from the wealth of folkloric ensembles its popularity help spawn in Mexico and the U.S. Seven decades on, the company is now led by artistic director Viviana Basanta and comes to LA for a Hollywood Bowl program celebrating Mexico’s music and culture with the LA Phil conducted by Maestro Carlos Miguel Prieto. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood; Thurs., July 18, 8 pm, $15-$150. https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/events/performances
Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández. Courtesy of the artists.
All that jazz
Led by Jackie Sleight, the LA Jazz Company presents a benefit for Dancers Against Cancer. The line up of choreographers includes Al Blackstone, Chase Benz, Christian Vincent, Eric Sanchez, Michael Rooney, Sienna Lyons, and Tyce Diorio. The Avalon, 1735 Vine St., Hollywood; Tues., July 23, 7:30 pm, https://www.losangelesjazzcompany.com/
Los Angeles Jazz Company or LA Jazz Company – photo by Denise Leitner
Mix and match
Capturing the heat of flamenco and bellydancing, FlamencoArabe, led by Señora Corina Del Sol and guest artists bring both to the stage. Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Ave., Venice; Sun., July 21, 3 pm, $30. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/flamencoarabe-tickets-877577908147
Señora Corina Del Sol. Photo by Sari Makki
Almost 60
Traditional Japanese dance, music and song are featured as Matsumoto Kai celebrates its 59th Anniversary Onshukai. Special guest artists include Madame O-Sho Yamato and Madame Tayafumi Mochizuki. Kan Nakaoka Community Center, 1670 W. 162nd St., Gardena; Sun., June 21, noon. $18 presale, $20 at door. https://matsutoyokai.org/
Japanese folk dancers. Photo courtesy of the artists
Obon dance
Japanese folk dance is a feature of the summer Obon festivals popping up all over SoCal. Check the websites for specific performance times. 66th Annual Obon Festival at Zenshuji Soto Mission, 123 S. Hewitt St., downtown; Sat-Sun., July 20-21, noon – 7pm, https://www.zenshuji.org/ Also the Mini-Obon Festival at Pasadena Buddhist Temple, 1993 Glen Ave., Pasadena; Sat., July 20, 4 pm -7 pm, free. https://www.pasadenabuddhisttemple.org/2024-obon-home.html
Summer dancing
Part performance, part participatory event, the free, al fresco summer series Dance DTLA continues this week with Columbian Cumbia. A beginner/refresher lesson at 7 pm is followed by a chance to dance or just watch and enjoy until 11 pm. If this week is not your style, the full line up of upcoming dance options is at the website. Music Center, Jerry Moss Plaza, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Fri., July 19, 7 pm, free. Music Center | Dance DTLA
Dance DTLA. Photo courtesy of the artists.
Moving art
In conjunction with Social Abstraction, an exhibition of Black artists curated by Antwaun Sargent, choreographer Kyle Abraham and his contemporary company A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham perform several works including a preview of his newest 2 x 4 (working title). The exhibition runs July 18 to August 30 and includes art work by the multi-talented Abraham. The dancing is only the one night. Gargosian Beverly Hills, 456 N. Camden Dr., Beverly Hills, Fri., July 19, 6 pm, free. Upcoming Exhibitions
A.I.M by Kyle Abraham. Photo courtesy of the artists
A line up
Student performers aged ten to 85 are joined by Lineage Dance Company in the second annual A Chorus Lineage. Lineage Performing Arts Center, 920 E. Mountain St., Pasadena; Fri., July 19, 6 pm, $25, $15 students & seniors. https://www.lineagepac.org/
A Peek at Next Week (07-26 to 08-01)
Herman Cornejo with Muse/ique –The Making of Oklahoma! at The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills; Fri.-Sat., 7:30 pm, Sun., 2:30 & 7:30 pm, $50-$75. https://thewallis.org/show-details/muse/ique-plenty-of-heart-plenty-of-hope
Akomi Dance – Peace(is): a movement art installation at Surf City Still Works, 16561 Gemini Lane, Huntington Beach; Sat., July 27, 6 pm, $60-$75. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/akomidance-presents-peaceis-tickets-938009972077
National Choreographers Initiative (NCI) 2024 at the Irvine Barclay, UC Irvine, 4242 Campus Dr., Irvine; Sat., July 27, 8 pm, $23-$64. https://www.thebarclay.org/Online/mapSelect.asp
National Choreographers Initiative. Photo by Dave Friedman
Dance DTLA – Line Dance at the Music Center, Jerry Moss Plaza, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Fri., July 26, 7 pm, free. Music Center | Dance DTLA
Ballet Project OC – Eras of Dance III at Bank of America Performing Arts Center, Sat., July 26, 7 pm, $36-$66. https://www.ticketmaster.com/ballet-project-oc-presents-eras-of-thousand-oaks-california-07-26-2024/event/0B0060CDE89B2B39, balletprojectoc.org/store/p/eras-of-dance-erasii
Featured photo Complexions Contemporary Ballet – photo by Rachel Neville
Ann Haskins Blog appears at CulturalDaily.com
