On February 24, at 7:30 Deborah Brockus presented “BrockusRED’s Blue.” The City of Culver City and its Cultural Affairs Commission made this entertaining evening of dance possible with support from Sony Pictures Entertainment, the Culver City Arts Foundation and LA County’s Creative Recovery LA Initiative.
Tables were generously set with snacks and smiling fans. It was an honoring of Jazz music and dance and the choreographers from that era. Brockus is bridging ballet and modern together with Jazz (music and dance) from the innovative days of 1930-1980’s. The young performers are being introduced to such great Jazz choreographers as Jack Cole (the father of Jazz Dance), Bob Fosse, Gus Giordano, Luigi, Matt Mattox, Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire encouraging the energy of pure dance with actual beats and syncopation as opposed to white noise and minimalism.
BrockusRED’s BLUE – Marahancock in “The Night Begins” – Photo by Denise Leitner.
The program began with the dancers doing brief sets around a club like atmosphere of fans sitting at large tables. Lights low, spots ready, the music “Meeting at the Water” showed each dancer’s own feel for the jazz movement and music, up close. Solos, duets, trios and groups allowed the audience to feel and see the energy of each dancer’s musicality and abilities. Since most were born after Jazz, just at, or before, Hip Hop and Contemporary, it was fun to see their interpretations that Brockus inspired, just to understand Jazz movement.
BrockusRED’s BLUE – Mara Hancock, Denali Huff, Joyln Lambey, Arturo Gonzalez in “Take 5” – Photo by Denise Leitner.
“Take 5” Dave Brubeck’s wonderfully recognizable 5/count Jazz piece got us right into it. Five female dancers: the fiery Mara Hancock, Denali Huff, Rebecca Lee, Anne Lee Rohovec, the leggy lyrical Joylin Lambey, with two male dancers Bryan Burns, and Arturo Gonzales, who gave us a taste of the energy of Luigi, Claude Thompson and Jaime Rogers with syncopation and rhythms of the 50’s. Then a pas de deux by Rebecca Lee and Bryan Burns in “Unsquared Affair” which followed after Apartment 5 with Lee and Raven Smith. “Apt 5” was a definite throwback to the New York Strip clubs of the 1970’s confined to two boxed-in females doing a selection of improvised undulations and performed on different sides of the room to music by Benoit & Thackery.
BrockusRED’s BLUE – Rebecca Lee “Apartment #5” – Photo by Denise Leitner.
One of the highlights of the evening was “Through Mountains” choreographed and performed by Chris Smith with Latrice Postel. Both were technically and musically “on the money” with a wonderful choice of cool jazz by Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. Lovely work with nuances of the best of jazz dance and well placed in the program.
It was then followed by “Odd Branches” a Beat 50’s number with music by Green Street. It Luxuriated in the Beat Black cat-like movements if Claude Thompson and Jack Cole.
BrockusRED’s BLUE – Mara Hancock, Denali Huff, Rebecca Lee, Anne Lee Rohovec, Joyln Lambey in “Ascention” – Photo by Denise Leitner.
The energetic…and at times over-the-top Beatles throwback in “Hello/Goodbye I love you” music by MacRae and Beatles with two couples, women in yellow, guys in blue and purple, was an up-tempo remembrance of Yellow Submarine.
BrockusRED’s BLUE – Rebecca Lee Bryan Burns, Arturo Gonzalez in “Odd Branches” – Photo by Denise Leitner.
The sultry Evil Gals with Hancock, Lee Rohocec, and Lambey in heels satisfied the feel with Rhythm and Blues by Franklin’s always memorable music.
Ain’t no Sunshine When She’s Gone was an over-the-top number with Burns and Gonzalez. One only needed to close ones eyes to hear Bill Withers poignant strains and to remember his subtle musicality playing on the record player in DR studios to feel the beauty of that music again.
BrockusRED’s BLUE – Dancer Celest Launza – Photo courtesy of the artist.
And to end the evening, was Latin Jazz Choreography by Cleste Lanuza with music by Freddy Lanuza, and vocal sand Lyrics by Celeste Lanuza. Dancers were on fire with skirts flying, hips swaying to the rhythms of the music. A very an apt ending to this Jazz evening. It was particularly wonderful to see a young Sofia Martinez shining through the crowd of dancers to see that dance-with-a-beat is not dead but an inspiration for the future!
Thank you Deborah Brockus for always challenging young people, giving them a place to perform, and remembering that there is joy in dancing. There is a lot of history that can act as fodder for brilliance in the future of the movement…keep going!
For more information about BrockusRED, please visit their website.
Written by Joanne DiVito for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: BrockusRED’s Blue – Chris Smith and Terese Latrice Postel in “Through Mountains” – Photo by Denise Leitner.
