Deborah Brockus, producer of the Los Angeles Dance Fringe Festival, feasted the Southern California dance audience’s on some of the best contemporary work in L.A. Held at the Diavolo Studio’s Black Box Theatre, there were three nights, (April 26, 27, and 28) of a full run of dance companies that thrilled the audience with works that ranged from masterful to works-in-progress. The evening of dance on April 27, 2019 at 7:00 included Bodies in Play, Ken Morris Project, Brockus Red, The Assembly, Bernard Brown/bbmoves, J.D.A.C.I.O, Nanette Brodie Dance Theater and Project 21Dance. Because of the layout of the Diavolo Studio, it allows the audience to see and experience up-close the artistic efforts of each group.

Nannette Brodie’s “Every Soldier Has a Story” was one of the most important and beautifully conceived statements of the evening.  We saw excerpts from a longer piece, but the impact was clear.  Beginning with a Soldier Recruitment Office, and moving through to the reality of war, it affected the audience enough to audibly hear gasps.  It was a subtle and brilliant overview of a piece that needs to be seen in full. The dancers Priya Chisti, Evyn Davis, AJ Dirickson, Julisa Figueroa, Dennzyl Green, Jennie Sustaita, and Erica Villalpando were so focused, and so clearly technically committed to the piece that one could only come along for the journey, as powerful and heartbreaking as it was. Nannette Brodie is the founder and artistic director of Nannette Brodie Dance Theater.

There were several companies and individuals that were technically superb and need to be mentioned for their exciting expertise and élon.  Ken Morris Project danced by Zenmarah Duruisseau, AvaMarie Easter, Duron Fisher and David Michael, so splendidly performed was exciting to watch, beautifully and intricately paired and had the spirit so important in creating excellent future work.  J.D.A.C.I.O, a sensual pas de deux choreographed by Joy Antoinette was gorgeous, yet at times a bit over the top, with the long amazing limbed Daniel Moore, and curvaceous Latrice Postell.  As the piece went into high gear, so did the dancers push for more and more passion and emotion.  This may have been due to nerves and the closeness of the audience and may have been better served with a tad more subtlety.

Project 21Dance, was another wonderful dance piece by the lovely talented Maura Townsend.  The dancers, Jamie Carr, Sara Hartless Jessica Sanmarti, Rali Salleems, Keri Prokopidis, Simone Knowelle, and Habeel Husain were technically lovely, with one dancer in particular, Oliva Perez, who appeared to be a seasoned performer, loved what she was doing and was able to interpret Townsend’s work with intelligence and heart.  Bernard Brown/bbmoves, with his “sugar cravings” (performed by Christopher Salango) mesmerized all of us.  Sprinkling sugar packets on the perimeter of the stage, then dancing, in only the way he can do, Salango thrilled the audience with his facile and terrific technique, his artistry and ability to hold the audience captive.  Thus ending the piece by rubbing the packets over his face, almost as though an addict to the sweetness.  How sweet it was.

Bodies in Play Soldier 4 Ken Morris Project photo Ginger Sole The Assembly Photo Ginger Sole Christopher Salango Bernard Brown bbmoves Photo Ginger Sole J D A C I O Photo Ginger Sole Project21Dance photo2
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Christopher Salango in Bernard Brown's "Processing Sugar Notes" - Photo by Ginger Sole Photography

BrockusRED’s “Edges, Lines, Corners,” concept by Deborah Brockus and created with her first cast Luciana Johnson, Luke Zender, Cersha Burn, Moises Michel, and Julienne MacKey explored shapes with the use of dowels and intricate body configurations.  The executing dancers Burns and MacKey (originals), Daniel Moore, Blair Pope, and Robert Gomez were geometric tools of this exploration that countered the straight with the curve and was a contemporary movement piece for the intellect.

Andrew Pearson, founder of Bodies in Play, and Tiffany Sweat started the evening off with a lovely playful piece titled ii that examined relationships (friendship) in play.  It was set to music that enlivened the choreography and so delightfully combined the piece with humor and subtle signals, a kind of language that familiarity and friendship breeds. This was the lightest piece in spirit of the night and the placement would have added a glow to the more serious pieces had it been placed midway in the program.

The Assembly performed How To Draw an Outline” that appeared to be a dance version of the “Handmaid’s Tale.”  It was a work-in-progress, with some possible good ideas to explore; there was a Pas de deux, some canons, unison, but much of it looked like puppies falling together, scrambling and rolling over each other, then attempting to get out of each other’s way.  The exploration could be endless, since this piece was more in the head than on the floor as a performance.

In conclusion, this was valuable for all L.A. Dance fans.  A veritable feast of dance experiences and art that has been difficult to find and celebrate in the early years.  It is this inclusive exposure to our L.A. dance talent that helps it thrive and grow here in the roots of modern dance.  Congratulations to Ms. Brockus, her staff, the companies and all who made it possible to nurture a ground swell of excellent Los Angeles talent.

Featured image: BrockusRED in “Edges, Lines, Corners” by Deborah Brockus – Photo by Ginger Sole Photography.