Kwanzaa celebrations in Crenshaw; a cirque closes in Santa Monica; a star dancer and friends alight in Riverside; New Year’s ballet and champagne served up in Costa Mesa and downtown; 2024’s last Nutcracker onstage in Hollywood; and in the wings, a new year of dance awaits its cue.
Live This Week
One more celebration
As Christmas, Chanukah and all those Nutcracker ballets wind down, Kwanzaa takes its turn, led by Lula Washington Dance Theatre. L.A’s African American community was where Kwanzaa began and its attention to values of children, family, and community are cause for all to celebrate. LWDT’s annual Kwanzaa performances have the company’s high energy dancers, joined by alumni, students, and guest artists. The opening noon event, an Umoja Circle Celebration, is also a fundraiser. All performances are family friendly, just like Kwanzaa. Lula Washington Dance Theatre, 3773 Crenshaw Blvd., Crenshaw; Sat., Dec. 28, 1, 4 & 5 pm, $35, $20 students/seniors, $10 children under five years, Sat., Dec. 28, noon, $250. https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/6500423
Lula Washington Dance Theatre – Photo by Clay.
The last Nutcracker Standing
As the curtain closes on the Nutcracker for the season, the final performances belong to Los Angeles Ballet. Set in 1912 Los Angeles, LAB concludes the season accompanied by the Los Angeles Ballet Orchestra. Dolby Theatre, Hollywood & Highland, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; Fri. Dec. 27, 7:30 pm, Sat., Dec. 28, 2 pm, $58-$161. https://www.losangelesballet.org/the-nutcracker
Los Angeles Ballet – Photo by Reed Hutchinson.
Star dancing
A popular and established presence on Dancing With the Stars, Derek Hough and his wife Hayley Erbert Hough had just begun a 2023 holiday tour when her sudden, life-threatening health issues led to the tour’s cancellation. This year the tour is back on, with both Hough’s and a cadre of dancers taking on genres including flamenco, hip hop, jazz, modern, and all sorts of ballroom dance in Dance for the Holidays. Fox Performing Arts Center, 3801 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside; Fri., Dec. 27, 7 pm, $64-$332. https://www.derekhough.com/
Derek Hough – Photo courtesy of the artist.
Empire envy
Vienna’s famous Neujahrskonzert (New Year’s Concert) with dancers performing in one of Vienna’s elaborate palaces evoke an era when the Hapsburgs ruled the Austro-Hungarian empire and set a European standard for celebratory concerts. Even today, the dancing along with music and opera selections are performed for a live (and presumably shivering) Viennese audience and also broadcast nationally, easily vying with New York City’s crystal-ball countdown. Recreating the Neujahrskonzert, Salute to Vienna New Year’s Concert tours annually 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 season 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. 28, 3 pm, $55.37-$157.07. https://www.scfta.org/ Also at Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown; Sun., Dec. 29, 2:30 pm, $65-$155. https://my.laphil.com/en/syos2/performance/9986
Salute to Vienna – Photo courtesy of the artists.
New year, last chance
After a two month fun, the granddaddy of all the cirques, Cirque du Soleil, prepares to take down its signature giant tent after the closing performances of its acrobat and clown-filled Koozå Under the Big Top at Santa Monica Pier, 1550 Pacific Coast Hwy., Santa Monica; thru Sun., Jan. 5, $58-$344. Details on the many dates and times at the website. https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/kooza
Featured image: Cirque du Soleil – Koozå – Photo courtesy of the artists.
Ann Haskins’ Blog appears at CulturalDaily.com
