On September 13 and 14, 2024, Brockus Dance Project will present Women in Concrete – making dance in LA at the Fiesta Hall located in Plummer Park in West Hollywood. The Los Angeles based choreographers whose work will be featured include Andrea Burr, Mallory Fabian, Maura Townsend, Janelle Burgess, Deborah Brockus, Charlotte Katherine Smith, Celeste Lanuza, Sarah Stanley, Alondra Perez, and Nannette Brodie. Tickets are on sale now through Venmo@brockusprojectstudios (please note day and time you are attending) – cash at the door is welcomed.
“Women making art in this crazy, exciting hard town. Inspirations / visions/ truths/ passions. Art blooming in the concrete jungle that can be LA. This showcase produced by Brockus, features the work of multiple women identifying choreographers that call the LA region home.” Deborah Brockus, Producer.
Deborah Brockus – Photo: LA Dance Chronicle.
Deborah Brockus has been labeled ‘the single most important person in Southland dance” an “impresario,” ‘ the mother superior of LA dance” and ”tireless” by the Los Angeles Times for her involvement in establishing the local dance scene as a producer, choreographer, teacher. “Followers of L.A.’s modern-dance scene know that, when it comes to talent Deborah Brockus is a big name, with a great company (Brockus Project Dance Company) and a keen eye for talent” City Beat.
She is the artistic director of Brockus Project Dance Company founded in 1991.The Company rebranded as BrockusRED in 2013. Her choreographic style blurs the line between modern and jazz techniques, reflecting both European influences and East and West Coast training. The Dances are high energy and emotional reflections of the humanity.
Andrea Burr – Photo courtesy of the artist.
Andrea Burr is a dancer, choreographer, and educator who lives in Los Angeles and is represented by Go 2 Talent Agency. She has performed with artists such as Rihanna, Skrillex, Diplo, Julia Michaels, Meghan Trainor, Ellaeyre, Lawrence Rothman, and Sheryl Crow. She has appeared on popular TV and awards shows including The X-Factor, The Voice, Radio Disney Music Awards, and Dancing With The Stars – Bulgaria.
Mallory Fabian in Playlist – Photo by Denise Leitner
Mallory Fabian (https://www.malloryfabe.com/bio), a Las Vegas native, received her BFA in Choreography & Performance at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). A Los Angeles and occasionally Philadelphia based freelance artist has had the opportunity to perform for RGWW, My Barbarian, Szalt, visual artist Matt Savitsky, Gob Squad from Berlin, guest artist Zoe Scofield, a music video for Malynda Hale and AJ Lambert, No1 Arthouse at the 14th Factory, among many others.
Maura Townsend Dance Project (formally Project21 Dance) is a bi-city Modern Dance Company based in Los Angeles, CA and the Inland Empire. Maura Townsend’s choreography is a blend of Modern (contemporary and Horton based), ballet, Jazz and urban dance styles and ranges from socially consciences pieces to dances that are musically tantalizing. As a “Performing Arts Consortium” one focus’ of Project21 is to incorporate several genres such spoken word, multimedia and live musical artists and to experience various forms of movement and practices such as martial arts and capoeira.”
Janell Burgess – Jazz Spectrum Dance Company – Photo by Tony Mierzwicki – Tony M. Photography.
Janell Burgess’ passion for the arts began at a very young age with her commitment to the study of dance guiding her to professional training with focused studies in the Ballet Pacifica School, DeFore Foundation of the Arts, and Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, Giordano Dance Chicago, and Limon School. She is the recipient of the Tremaine Scholarship, Giordano Merit Scholarship, and the American Legion Award for her advocacy and commitment to arts education in the Southern California schools districts. She has been a professional choreographer and performing artist for over 20 years, teaching, choreographing, and performing worldwide.
Charlotte Katherine Smith in her solo “Sixth Sense” – Screen captured created by LADC
Charlotte/Charlie Katherine Smith is a Los Angeles and New York City based award-winning choreographer and filmmaker, dance artist, educator, and casting director. Director and Resident Choreographer of Charlotte Katherine and Co., her emotionally charged choreography about the human experience showcases internationally on stages, film festivals, and viral music videos including Seoul International Dance Festival in TANK (Seoul, South Korea), The Ford Amphitheater (Los Angeles), Los Angeles Dance Festival, Noah Cyrus, Teddy Swims, Casey Abrams, The Regrettes, Seattle, San Diego, New York, Carmel By-The-Sea, and more.
LA Dance Festival 2023 – Celeste Lanuza in her “¡Celebracion!” – Photo by Denise Leitner
Celeste Lanuza is the choreographer for the film ‘Huella’ premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival in NYC 2021, has choreographed for the Guthrie Theater, Lula Washington Dance Theater, has worked collaboratively to produce choreography for the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and premiered work for the Laguna Dance Festival. Ms. Lanuza has also produced a concept dance film with the Chicano Park Museum, premiered directorial and choreographic work at the NY and San Diego Fringe Festivals, as well as directed for the Fort Worth Opera. Highlights producing work in higher education include Washington & Lee University and the University of California Irvine.
Sarah Stanley – Photo by Robert Huerta.
Originally from Houston, Texas, Sarah Stanley is a dance artist and certified Reiki and Ilan Lev Method™ practitioner based in Stockholm, SE. She received her dance training from SUNY Purchase (USA) and Taipei National University for the Arts (Taiwan). Sarah has been based in New York, Berlin and Stockholm where she has worked with Jefta Van Dinther, Örjan Andersson, Punchdrunk’s Immersive production Sleep No More, Kat Válastur, Moritz Majce, Sigal Zouk, Gloria Höckner, Tiago Manquinho, John Heginbotham and Andrea Miller among others. As a teacher, Sarah has led workshops in Sweden, Germany, USA, Laos, Indonesia and the Philippines. She is a founding member of FRAME, an association interested in the intersection between dance and well-being, with whom she produces the annual research residencies, facilitates movement exploration workshops and creates artistic work for performance.
Alondra Perez – Photo courtesy of the artist.
Alonza Zitlaly Perez is a freelance artist, and Director of P[alo]mas, based in Los Ángeles. She is a first generation Chicana, growing up in East Los Angeles she has always had a deep connection with her brown community. Alondra continues to create work that helps her communicate with humanity and share her experience as a Mexican American woman. Alondra creates to connect with humanity and simply exist as a human bean. She creates her work through the power of improvisation, allowing her body to tell stories of her existence on earth and those who came before her. Alondra has danced with Síza, Maura Townsend, and Blue13. She has also performed work created by Santiago Rivera and Leah Zeiger. They recently got the opportunity to perform in New York for the Solo Duo festival. Alondra Zitlaly Perez creates to connect with humanity. Community and release is her mantra.
Nannette Brodie – Dancer, choreographer, Artistic Director of Nannette Brodie Dance Theatre – Photo courtesy of the artist
Nannette Brodie, Artistic Director, Distinguished Artist of the Year 2007 for Long Beach, performed and choreographed for the nationally acclaimed Los Angeles modern dance company, The Moving Company. Since that time she has choreographed independently in musical theatre, dance companies, television and film, while starting her own company and a nonprofit corporation, South Coast Dance Arts Alliance. Nannette became the director of dance at Golden West College, and in 1986 she started her own modern dance company, the Nannette Brodie Dance Theatre. Her choreography has been performed in New York, California, Nevada, Illinois, Utah, Mexico, Finland, Czech Republic and France.
***********
WHAT: Women in Concrete – making dance in LA
Features the choreography of Andrea Burr, Mallory Fabian, Maura Townsend, Janelle Burgess, Deborah Brockus, Charlotte Katherine Smith, Celeste Lanuza, Sarah Stanley, and Alondra Perez.
WHEN: Friday Sept 13th at 7:30 and Saturday Sept 14th at 2:30 pm & 7:30pm
Saturday 2:30 show features a longer work by Charlotte Katherine in first half, and a mix of works by choreographers Celeste Lanuza, Alondra Perez, Sarah Stanley, Nannette Brodie and more in the second half of the show.
WHERE: The Performances take place at Fiesta Hall located in Plummer Park in West Hollywood, 7377 Santa Monica Blvd (enter the theater on the west side of the park).
TICKETS: $15 general, $10 for residents of WeHo.
Reservations can be made through Venmo@brockusprojectstudios (please note day and time you are attending). Cash at the door is welcome.
For more Information, please click HERE or you may call 562- 412-7429 or Email: Brockus.danceinla@gmail.com.
Written by Jeff Slayton for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: Mallory Fabian in her solo “Unknown” – Photo by Denise Leitner.
