Haunted ballet in El Segundo and downtown; Philippine ballet in Westwood; contemporary ballet in Hollywood and downtown; South Asian dance in Santa Monica; contemporary dance in Lincoln Heights, Beverly Hills, Culver City, and Hollywood; jazz dance in Lake Forest; more SoCal dance this busy week, plus a peek at next week.
Live This Week
All that glitters
After its world premiere at Australia’s Brisbane Dance Festival last month, SoCal gets the U.S. premiere of LA Dance Project’s Gems Trilogy. Choreographer Benjamin Millepied combined three earlier ballets–Reflections (2013), Hearts & Arrows (2014), and On the Other Side (2016)–set to music by David Lang and Philip Glass, reworking aspects of each, particularly the last one. The endeavor pays homage to George Balanchine’s ballet Jewels which was inspired and underwritten by Van Cleef and Arpels, also a major sponsor of LADP. New York sees Gems next spring, but first continues this venue’s presentation to dance. Wallis Center for the Performing Arts, 390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills; Thurs.-Sat., Oct. 23-25. 7:30 pm, $42.90-$108.90. LA Dance Project – Gems
LA Dance Project in “Hearts & Arrows.” Photo by Laurent Phillippe
Dances with objects
Continuing its impressive work with military veterans, Diavolo offers performances of Escape. Vets and Diavolo’s dancer/gymnasts move inside, outside, over and through the often outsized architectural structures that are signature elements of Jacques Heim’s choreography. Amping up the excitement, everything and everyone is up close and personal in the intimate studio setting. Proceeds support ongoing military and educational programs. L’Espace Diavolo Studios, 616 Moulton Ave., Lincoln Heights; Fri.-Sat., 8 pm, Sun., 6 pm, thru Sun., Nov. 23, 6 pm, $51.74-$93.14. Diavolo – Escape
Diavolo Veterans Project. Photo by George Simian.
Devotion
The relationship between deity and devotee is the focus of Aparna Ramaswamy’s newest work Ananta, the Eternal, performed by the South Asian Bharatanatyam ensemble Ragamala Dance Company. The performance also brings her together with her sister Ashwini Ramaswamy, also a dancer and choreographer, for their first duet. Musicians from Chennai, India provide live accompaniment for this interplay of dance, music, and poetry. The Broad Stage, 1310 11th St., Santa Monica; Sat., Oct. 25, 7:30 pm, $45-$70. Ragamala Dance Company
Ragamala Dance Company – Photo by Steven Pisano
Marking 30
New York-based Complexions Contemporary Ballet brings artistic director Dwight Rhoden’s choreography and the company’s uber-athletic dancers led by Desmond Richardson. The announced program includes Retro Suite, a collection of works by Rhoden created over the company’s three decades, plus his 2023 For Crying Out Loud, set to U2’s music. The Music Center, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., Downtown LA; Fri.-Sat., Oct. 24-25, 7:30 pm, Sun., Oct. 26, 2 pm, $55-$163. Complexions-Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
Complexions Contemporary Ballet Photo courtesy of the artists
Amor
Piazzolla’s luscious Libertango and Stravinsky’s luminous Firebird are the music for new works for Luminario Ballet by Damien Diaz and company artistic director Judith FLEX Helle. With its distinctive blend of ballet and aerial, the company takes the stage and goes airborne for Siempré Amor – Love Always. The evening includes live music by the Thrillharmonic Orchestra, plus works from choreographers Dreya Weber and Jamal Story. Special performances and guests join the dancers for this event which offers an optional pre-show gala benefit. Avalon Hollywood; 1735 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; Sun., Oct. 26, 8 pm, $40-$125 (show only) $450-$650 (gala at 5:30 pm) Luminaro Ballet gala
Luminario Ballet – Photo by Ted Soqui
A fortunate bird
A radiant bird symbolizing good fortune and linking earthly and spiritual realms, the Sarimanok is also the title of the ballet being danced as the Philippine Ballet Theater stops off on its U.S. tour. Accompanying the company offstage, are an exhibition of Filipino crafts and a display of the island nation’s fashion designers. UCLA Royce Hall, 10745 Dickson Ct., Westwood; Sat. Oct. 25, 7 pm, $75-$200. UCLA Royce Hall | UCLA
Philippine Ballet Theater. Photo courtesy of the artists
Seasonal slayer
Returning as that toothy vampire, Eduard Sargsyan leads the cast of West Coast Ballet’s Dracula. As of press time, tickets are almost sold out, but there is a waitlist. El Segundo Performing Arts Center, 640 Main St., El Segundo; Fri.-Sat., Oct. 24-25, 8 pm, $20-$55 WestCoastBallet-Dracula
American Contemporary Ballet – Photo by Anastasia Petukhova.
Death and live music
Opening its fall season, American Contemporary Ballet offers choreographer Lincoln Jones’ Death and the Maiden and Burlesque: Variation IX. As always, the dances are accompanied by live music. ACB Studios, Bank of America Plaza, Co-150, 333 S. Hope St., Downtown; Fri.-Sat., 8 pm, to Sat., Nov. 1, $65-$140. ACB
Jazz Spectrum Dance Company – Janell Burgess in “Santana Suite” Photo by Tony Mierzwicki
Jazz hands
This intimate space offers Continuing the Legacy, a behind the scenes preview of Jazz Spectrum Dance Company‘s upcoming season. Artistic director Janell Burgess follows in the footsteps of founder Christine Baltes with choreography dedicated to the preservation and forward progress of jazz dance. Spectrum Dance Studio Theater, 22661 Lambert St., Suite 204-205, Lake Forest; Sun., Oct. 26, 6:30 pm, $40. Jazz Spectrum Dance Company
Jazz Spectrum Dance Company. Photo courtesy of the artists
Contagious?
In The Loneliness Triptych, choreographer Leilah Weinraub and the dancers of Volta Collective explore whether loneliness is an epidemic. Everyday objects, including a mattress, rug, and office chair, emerge as potential symbols of longing, sexuality, and power. New Theater Hollywood, 6500 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood; Fri. -Sun., Oct. 24-26 & Oct. 31-Nov. 2, 8 pm, $25-$35. Volta Collective
Volta Collective. Photo by Roger Martin Holman
Dance on the avenue
It’s Grand Ave Arts as the theaters, museums, and other arts institutions along downtown’s Grand Avenue take to the street with dance, music, arts and five hours of family fun. Look for dance from Colburn School along with the music and vocal events. Along Grand Ave., 1st St. thru 6th St., Downtown LA; Sat., Oct. 25, 11 am – 4 pm, free. https://grandavearts.org/
Processioning
Choreographer Holly Johnston joins forces with Ana Maria Alvarez and the dancers of Contra-Tiempo for Roots of Loving Us- A Ritual Procession. Part performance, part ritual, the procession is also a ceremony of adoption, turning formerly given-away clothes and items–one person’s orphaned belongings–into another’s chosen treasure. The event is a movement metaphor for turning what has been discarded into what is beloved through a ritual of adoption. Glorya Kaufman Community Center, Wende Museum, 10808 Culver Blvd., Culver City; Sat., Oct. 25, 7:15 pm, $0-$25. Contra-Tiempo
Directly
While Ana Maria Alvarez and Contra-Tiempo are partnering with Cornerstone Theater for Direct Address, as of press time no seats are available. No wait-list information is available. The Ford Theatre. 2850 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood; Fri., Oct. 24, 8 pm, $29-$44. Contra-Tiempo
CONTRA-TIEMPO. Photo courtesy of the artists
How little?
Choreographer turned playwright Rudi Goblen’s Little Boy/Little Man includes moves from choreographer Christopher Scott. Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Ave., Westwood; Wed.-Thurs., 7:30 pm, Fri., 8 pm, Sat., 3 & 8 pm, Sun., 2 pm, thru Sun., Nov. 2, $45-$139. Little Boy/Little Man
A Peek at Next Week (October 31 to November 6)
Pony Cam – Burnout Paradise at UCLA Nimoy, 1262 Westwood Blvd., Westwood; Sat.-Sun., Nov. 1-2, 8 pm, $38.08-$48.67. Pony Cam
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui -Sutra (with the Warrior Monks of the Shaolin Temple) at Luckman Fine Arts Complex, CalState LA, 5151 State University Dr., East LA: Sun., Nov. 2, 7 pm, $49-$98. Tickets at the Luckman
Warrior Monks of the Shaolin Temple. Photo courtesy of the artists
Sara Mearns – See the Music, Hear the Dance at Trudi Zipper Dance Institute, Colburn School, 200 S. Grand Ave., Downtown LA; Sat. Nov. 1, 7 pm, $35. Sara Mearns
CSUDH Faculty Dance Concert – Dreams and Diversity at University Theatre, Cal State University Dominguez Hills, 1000 E. Victoria St., Carson; Wed.-Sat., Nov. 5-8, 7 pm, Fri., Nov. 7, 1 pm, $20, $12 students/seniors. CSUDH Dreams & Diversity
MashUp Contemporary Dance Company – 15th Anniversary at the Stomping Ground, 5453 Alhambra Ave., El Sereno; Sat., Nov. 1, 7:30 pm, $35. MashUp Contemporary Dance Company
Will Rawls – Unmade at the Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood; Sat., Nov. 1, Sat., Dec. 6, Sat., Jan. 17, 2026, Sat., Feb. 7 & 28, 2026, noon to 4 pm, free. Hammer Museum
“Unmade” by Will Rawls – Installation view at Hammer Museum – (L to R) Tiara Jackson, Kensaku
Shinohara and Maya Billig – Photo by Sara Golonka.
LA Unbound at Glendale Community College, 1500 N. Verdugo Rd., Glendale; Sun., Nov. 2, 4 & 7:30 pm, $24-$30. LA Unbound
Works in Progress (WIP) Season 4 – Kirsten Schnittker + Jobel Medina at Wende Museum, Glorya Kaufman Community Center, 10808 Culver Blvd., Culver City; Mon., Nov. 3, 7:30 pm, free w/reservation at WIP
Max 10 at the Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Ave., Venice; Mon., Nov. 3, 8 pm, $15. Max10
Featured image: Luminario Ballet – photo courtesy of the artists
Ann Haskins’ Blog appears at CulturalDaily.com
