Record-setting emmy-nominated dancemaker moves onstage in Inglewood, Costa Mesa hosts New Year’s dance from Austria, Japanese folk dance summons the new year in Little Tokyo, new contemporary ballets downtown, more SoCal dance this week, and a peek at next week.
Dual dancing
Out of the gate, LA’s newest ballet company, Hollywood Ballet, aims to show it has both classical and contemporary chops. Its full-length Nutcracker in early December marked an auspicious arrival on the local dance scene. The quick follows up is a program of contemporary ballets with live music from the company’s Dream Orchestra led by Daniel Suk. Co-artistic directors Petra Conti and Eris Nezha bring experience as principal dancers with Italy’s La Scala Ballet, Boston Ballet, and most recently Los Angeles Ballet where HB principal Tigran Sargsyan also was a principal. The trio’s resumes include full-length classics and contemporary works from Balanchine to Aszure Barton and Christopher Wheeldon. This program features choreography by Sargsyan, Jennifer Deckert, and André Megerdichian, who also directs. The Orpheum Theatre, 842 S. Broadway, downtown; Thurs., Dec. 28, 7:30 pm, $47-$105. Hollywood Ballet.
Hollywood Ballet. Photo courtesy of the artists
Channeling stardom
Moving from Dancing With the Stars to the concert stage, Derek Hough arrives with his tour, Symphony of Dance. With his most recent Emmy nomination, Hough has surpassed Debbie Allen for most Emmy nominations for television choreography. YouTube Theater, 1011 Stadium Dr., Inglewood; Fri., Dec. 29, 7 pm, $20-$149. [Ed. NOTE: These performances have been postponed as Mr. Hough’s wife has experienced a serious health issue – latest information is available at the website, https://derekhough.com/]
Derek Hough. Photo courtesy of the artist
Austrian new year
Vienna’s famous Neujahrskonzert sets a European standard for New Year’s concerts as ballet dancers perform in one of Vienna’s elaborate palaces evoking the era when the Hapsburgs ruled the Austro-Hungarian empire. Dance, along with music and opera, is performed for a live (and presumably shivering) audience and also broadcast, easily vying with New York City’s crystal-ball countdown. Recreating the Neujahrskonzert, Salute to Vienna tours with waltzes, polka, ballet, singing and lots of music provided by the Strauss Symphony of America. Like Vienna pastry it is definitely mit schlag, but a fun way to stretch the holiday celebrating with a post concert glass of champagne before committing to those resolutions. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa, Sat., Dec. 30, 3 pm, $49-$129. https://www.scfta.org/
Salute to Vienna. Photo courtesy of the artists
Japanese new year
The day-long Japanese New Year’s Celebration, Oshogatsu features dance including folk dance from Team Kawachi Ondo at the Weller Court stage (123 Astronaut Ellison S. Onizuka St.) at 2 & 3 pm. Other performances occur at Japanese Village Plaza (335 E. 2nd St.) in Little Tokyo; Mon., Jan. 1, 11 am – 4 pm, free. Full schedule at http://jccsc.com/
Team Kawachi Ondo. Photo by Steve Escarcega
Salsa into the new year
Among the New Year’s Eve line up of music groups and vocal performers at multiple stages, look for Stephanie “The Princess of Salsa” Stevenson – Gloria Molina Grand Park’s NYELA at Grand Park,200 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Sun., Dec. 31, 8 pm, free. https://www.musiccenter.org/
A Peek at Next Week
(01-05 to 01-11, 2024)
Joseph Wiggan. Photo courtesy of the artist
Joseph Wiggan at the Jazz Bakery Performance Space, the Nimoy, 1262 Westwood Blvd., Westwood; Sat., Jan 6, 8 pm, $35, $25 students. https://www.jazzbakery.org/
Featured Image: Hollywood Ballet – by Reed Hutchinson
Ann Haskins Blog appears at CulturalDaily.com
