Old and new Taiwan collide in Costa Mesa, beach dancing in Venice, flamenco in Topanga Canyon, a movable dance fest from Frogtown to downtown, migrant workers remembered in Historic Filipinotown, choose danceable Burt Bacharach or Dean Martin and Peggy Lee’s songbooks in Santa Monica or Beverly Hills, more SoCal dance in a busy week, and a peek at next week.
Live This Week
Butterfly trafficking
Two premieres and two audience favorites mark the return of BODYTRAFFIC to what has become something of a home venue for this contemporary dance company. After the company’s success with her 2019 Snap, Micaela Taylor returns as the company’s first artist-in-residence with a world premiere described as a modern reconfiguration of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly. The second premiere,The One to Stay With, was choreographed by Baye & Asa and debuted in the troupe’s well received shows at New York’s Joyce Theater this past summer. Two legendary pop singers provide the soundtrack for the other two works: Dean Martin for Alejandro Cerrudo’s male trio Pacopepepluto and classic Peggy Lee for Matthew Neenan’s A Million Voices. Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills; Fri., Oct. 21, 7:30pm, Sat., Oct. 22, 2 & 7:30pm, $29-$99. https://thewallis.org/
BODYTRAFFIC – Photo courtesy of the artists
Kitchen Table at the Beach
Bring quarters for the parking meters, enjoy the boats along the marina channel on the way to this beachside dance event. The southernmost end of Venice Beach becomes a performance area for Invertigo Dance Theatre’s latest installment of its Kitchen Table Project. Dancers Chelsea Roquero, Jessica Emmanuel, Corina Kinnear, Camila Arana, Luke Dakota Zender and Jessica Dunn navigate the sand and the choreography by Laura Karlin and Haylee Nichele with help from Diana Wallace’s music. Charlie Beach, Venice; Sun., Oct. 23, 3pm to 5pm. Free. Info at https://www.invertigodance.org/event/ktp-beach-edition Map: https://goo.gl/maps/etvv6GacAGDFWVwE6
Invertigo Dance Theatre – Photo courtesy of the artists
On the tip of which tongue?
Ancient Chinese superstitions and religious rites collide with today’s urban Taiwan culture as the contemporary Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan returns. Superb dance is the starting point for 13 Tongues, then projections and elaborate costumes create a fantastical world that the company promises will be simultaneously exotic and familiar. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa; Wed., Oct. 26, 7:30pm, $39-$109. https://scfta.org/
Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan – Photo courtesy of the artists
Flamenco Trio
Celebrated dancer Fanny Ara brings vocalist/guitarist Ethan Margolis and pianist Vardan Ovsepian for an evening of flamenco. Corazón Performing Arts, 125 S. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga; Sun., Oct. 23, 8:30pm, $25-$40. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fanny-ara-trio-featuring-emaginario-and-vardan-ovsepian-tickets-431499024197
Forever Flamenco by Fanny Ara. Photo courtesy of Fanny Ara.
His Burt Bacharach moves
With costumes by Isaac Mizrahi and the music of Burt Bacharach arranged by frequent musical collaborator Ethan Iverson, choreographer Mark Morris and his Mark Morris Dance Group return with The Look of Love. The familiar Bacharach songbook won’t have the inimitable voice of Dionne Warwick, but singer/actress Marcy Harriell will lend her considerable skills to the iconic tunes, perhaps tempting an audience sing-along? The BroadStage, 1310 11th St., Santa Monica; Thurs.-Fri., Oct. 20-21, 7:30pm, Sat., Oct. 22, 2 & 7:30pm, $60-$120. https://broadstage.org/performances
Mark Morris Dance Group Photo by Christopher Duggan
Forces that comfort
Structured around the elemental forces of earth, water, fire, and air, Ananya Dance Theatre offers Dastak: I Wish You Me. In the Farsi language, the word dastak translates as “knockings”, forces that comfort and sustain in the face of injustice as this work takes a feminist exploration of the world facing BIPOC women. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Brentwood; Fri., Oct. 21, 8pm, $25, $15 students. https://www.skirball.org/
Ananya Dance Theatre – Photo courtesy of the artists
Spooky ballet
Pairing Halloween and Burly Q, American Contemporary Ballet continues three weekends of performances. Now in a new home, the company sends its accomplished dancers into creepy-time with Inferno and into the tease with Burlesque, and promising a surprise coda. ACB Studios, Two California Plaza, 350 S. Grand Ave., Suite 2850, downtown; Fri.-Sat., Oct. 21-22 & 28-29, 8pm, $60-$140. https://us.patronbase.com/_ACBDances/Productions/10/Performances
American Contemporary Ballet’s “Inferno.” Photo by Jared Zagha
Like planes off LAX
Presented by Los Angeles Performance Practice, LAX Festival (Live Arts Exchange Festival) winds up a week of dance and performance downtown at MOCA Grand Avenue and in the Little Tokyo warehouse known as Frankie. At MOCA for Jasmine Orpilla, Mark Golamco, and Jobel Medina (Thurs., Oct. 20, 7:30pm). Then to Frankie for the rest of the fest Mireya Lucio (Fri., Oct. 21, 8pm)., Ajani Brannum, Vanessa Hernandez Cruz, and Jennifer Jonassen (Sat., Oct. 22, 1pm), Tova Katz and Diana Wynn (Sat., Oct. 22, 8pm), and the finale with Cassia Streb (Sun., Oct. 23, 8pm). Frankie, Mission Road Studio, 300 S. Mission Rd., downtown; Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), 250 S. Grand Ave., downtown; Info and ticket prices at https://performancepractice.la/festival/.
Remembering the migrant
The interconnection between Mexican migrant workers and Filipino migrant workers is on the mind of choreographers Jay Carlon, Micaela Tobin, and Carlo Maghirang. The trio explore that interrelationship in this performance aptly timed for October which is Filipino American History Month. FilAm Arts Teatro, 2220 Beverly Blvd, Historic Filipinotown; Sun., Oct. 23, 2pm, $15. https://www.jaycarlon.com/
Jay Carlon. Photo by Nyah Rodriguez
And when we were five
Andrew Pearson and his dancers offer a performance and celebration for the 5th anniversary of bodies in play. Diavalo Studios, 616 Moulton Ave., Lincoln Heights; Fri., Oct. 21, happy hour at 7pm, performance at 8pm, free with reservation at https://www.bodiesinplay.com/events.html
Andrew Pearson. Photo courtesy of the artist.
What emerged
Director Megan Pulfer and her contemporary Emergent Dance Company offer a gala performance with special guests Laurie Sefton Creates. The dancers reprise Sefton’s highly praised Mythology of Self considering the impact of social media during the pandemic lockdown. Rose Center Theater, 14140 All American Way, Westminster; Sat., Oct. 22, 7pm, $30-$45. https://rosetheater.booktix.com/view/40/673cf7dfe3eee661/
Laurie Sefton Creates. Photo by Denise Leitner
What the architect found
The latest from choreographer Heidi Duckler, The Body of the People, is also the theme of the 37th celebration of Heidi Duckler Dance. Known for architecture-inspired site specific work drawing on dance, music, song, text, film and any other medium that strike’s her fancy, Duckler here draws inspiration from this church designed by architect Paul R. Williams. The company sited prior performances at the legendary Ambassador Hotel and equally famous Perino’s Restaurant, both designed by Williams. The evening includes performance, awards, and other benefit activities surrounded by Williams’ architecture. Founder’s Church of Religious Science, 3281 W 6th St, Koreatown; Sat., Oct. 22, 5pm, $250. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/heidi-duckler-dances-37th-annual-celebration-the-body-of-the-people-tickets-347546429727
Heidi Duckler Dance. Photo courtesy of the artists
Next gen
They may not yet have quite the polish of the veterans, but Versa-Style Next Generation offers the high energy moves of some of the rising street dance stars in Live True Dance Free. Inner City Arts, 720 Kohler St., downtown; Sat., Oct. 22, 2 & 8pm, $15. https://versastyledance.org/events/
Versa Style Next Generation. Photo courtesy of the artist
Tangled tales
In Because You’re Worth It, choreographer Tokie Wang takes a swizzle stick with a female perspective to the tales of Cinderella, Narcissus, and the Emperor’s New Clothes, creating a mall-like shopping environment dubbed “Fairyland,” where she sends the audience “shopping” in the different stories/departments. Sharon Disney Lund Theater, CalArts, 24700 McBean Parkway, Valencia; Sat.-Sun., Oct. 22-23, 8pm, https://calarts.edu/about/news-and-events/events-calendar/event-details/thesis-concert-tokie-wang
Tokie Wong’s “Because You’re Worth It.” Photo courtesy of the artists
A gem of a setting
The jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels, LA’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), and LA Dance Project teamed up for Dance Reflections presenting a trio of works from Dimitri Chamblas, Gisèle Vienne, and Benjamin Millepied. Chamblas’ Slow Show assembles 50 amateur dancers for a work occupying the MOCA Geffen plaza. Vienne’s CROWD and Millipied’s Be Here Now at the LADP studios added an extra show, but as of press time, that too was sold out. Contact the venue regarding any waiting list. Vienne & Millepied at LA Dance Project, 2245 E. Washington Blvd., Arts District; Wed.-Thurs., Oct. 26-27, $45, $35 age 35 & under, $25 students. http://ladanceproject.org, https://ci.ovationtix.com/35353/production/1140509 As of press time, Chamblis still had reservations for the outdoor performance at MOCA Geffen, Aileen Getty Plaza, 152 N. Central Ave., Little Tokyo; Tues., Oct. 25, 6 & 7pm, free with ticket. https://www.moca.org/program/dance-reflections-by-van-cleef-arpels-with-la-dance-project-and-moca-presents-dimitri-chamblas-slow-show
Dimitri Chamblas’ “Slow Show.” Photo courtesy of the artists.
What’s on the card?
The Obie award-winning duo Abigail Browde and Michael Silverstone aka 600 Highwaymen arrive for several weekends of immersive performance under the distinctively unwieldy title A Thousand Ways (Part Three): An Assembly. Described as experimental theater creations, each roughly one hour event draws on elements of dance, performance, and civic engagement as each audience of 16 people read from assigned cards before being drawn in further, becoming part of each singular performance. UCLA Royce Hall Rehearsal Room, Royce Hall, Sat.-Sun., Oct. 22-23, Feb. 4-5 & 11-12, noon, 1:30, 3pm, 4:30, 6 & 7:30pm. $29.97. https://cap.ucla.edu/calendar/details/highwaymen
600 Highwaymen. Photo courtesy of the artists
So grand
Lots of music and dance plus other family-friendly activities as Grand Avenue Arts returns. Along Grand Ave., Temple to 6th St., downtown; Sat., Oct. 22, 11am – 4pm., free. https://www.grandavearts.org/
A Peek at Next Week
Bodyweather-Four Solo Dancers Dani Lunn, Hyoin Jun, DaEun Jung, Destefano DeLuise at Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Ave., Venice; Fri.-Sat., Oct. 28-29, 8pm, Sun., Oct. 30, 3pm, $15. Info at https://www.bodyweather.org/flower-of-the-season-22fall, tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/flower-of-the-season-2022-fall-tickets-420768960287
Kybele Dance Theater at Theatre Raymond Kabbaz, 10361 W. Pico Blvd., W.L.A.; Thurs., Nov. 3, 8pm, $25-$50. https://www.theatreraymondkabbaz.com/upcomingevents/2022/11/3/kybele-dance-theater
Laguna Beach Dance Festival, Kybele Dance Theater. Photo by Skye Schmidt
Marjani Forté-Saunders–Ever Present: Garden of Unicorns at Getty Museum, 1200 Getty Center Dr., Brentwood; Sat., Oct. 29, 6pm, free with timed admission. https://www.getty.edu/visit/cal/days/20221029.html
Featured Image: BODYTRAFFIC – courtesy of the artists
Ann Haskins Blog appears at CulturalDaily.com
