First dance festival of the year opens in West LA, a post modern icon performed downtown, another icon honored in Hollywood, a chamber ballet onstage in Irvine, a quartet parsed in Lincoln Heights, a peek at next week, dance news notes, and more SoCal dance this week.
Live This Week
Post-Modern History, Live
Several of the notable figures who emerged from the Post Modern dance era centered at New York City’s Judson Church in the 1960’s left and came to SoCal. Rudy Perez and Simone Forti are among those NY transfers who became forces on the LA dance scene and now have éminence grise status here. Forti’s oeuvre and the materials that fueled them are the focus of Simone Forti, the first museum exhibit to survey what she produced. The three-month exhibit includes live performances of Dance Constructions, one of her landmark works from 1961. Sarah Swenson, a known LA choreographer and long-time associate of Forti, acted as Performance Coordinator for this project and Forti’s Dance Constructions presented throughout the exhibition were staged by Carmela Hermann Dietrich. The exhibit also includes Forti’s sculptures, videos, drawings, and notebooks. Dance Constructions at MOCA Grand Avenue (Museum of Contemporary Art), 250 S. Grand Ave., downtown; Exhibit runs Sun., Jan. 15 to Sun., April 2. Performances of Dance Constructions performed Thurs., 3:30, 4:45, 6:00, & 7:15 pm, Sat. & Sun., 12:30, 1:45, 3:00, & 4:15 pm, throughout the exhibit run, free with timed museum admission. https://www.moca.org/
Simone Forti. Photo by Carol Peters.
Six by six
Six short works by six choreographers kick off this year’s Odyssey Dance Festival. The festival runs through mid-February with a different line up each week. This opening weekend belongs No)one. Art House presenting choreographers Rebekah “Beks” Denegal, Marcella Lewis, Jordan Slaffey, Alejandro Perez, Qwenga, and Friidom, working in genres ranging from contemporary to hip hop to experimental. Because of the stage configuration there is no late seating. Details and complete list of festival performances at https://odysseytheatre.com/. No)One Art House at Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., West LA; Fri.-Sat., Jan. 13-14, 8 pm, Sun., Jan. 15, 2 pm, $25, $15 student. https://ci.ovationtix.com/34367/production/1143418
Dance at the Odyssey – No)one.Art House – Photo by Matthew Brush
Four by eight
Olivier Messier’s Quartet for the End of Time provides the music and the title for choreographer Rosanna Gamson’s latest Quartet. This work in progress showing presents the dancers of Rosanna Gamson/World Wide in the newest segment of the eight quartets that will be in the final work. A Q&A follows the dancing. Brockus Project Studios, 618B Moulton Ave., Lincoln Heights; Sat., Jan. 14, 5:30 pm, $5 (plus donations welcome). rgww@gmail.com.
Rosanna Gamson/World Wide. Photo courtesy of the artist
Opening Bella
Recognized as the West Coast’s premiere dance film festival and now in its 21st edition, Dance Camera West has lined up more than 60 dance films for this year’s fest. Opening night has the premiere of Bridget Murnane’s Bella, celebrating LA’s revered Bella Lewitzky who went from Lester Horton’s lead dancer and muse to her revered status as teacher, choreographer, and mentor for many of those leading their own companies now. Closing night includes the premiere of Sheila and other films by special guest Gabri Christa. In between, lots of dance films. Complete info on films and related events at http://www.dancecamerawest.org/ Historic Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; Thurs.-Sat., Jan. 19-21, various times & prices. https://www.eventbrite.com/o/dance-camera-west-27567403411
Bella Lewitzky. Photo courtesy of the artist.
New ballets
Performance of two new contemporary ballets is followed by a chance to chat with the choreographers and an optional fundraising gala for this contemporary chamber ballet company. Ballet Project OC. The Irvine Barclay Theater, 4242 Campus Dr., Irvine; Sat., Jan. 14, 7 pm, $50-$225, post event gala reception at 8:30 pm, $75. https://www.thebarclay.org/
Ballet Project OC. Photo courtesy of the artists.
A Peek at Next Week
Roya Carreras and Assaf Salhov – Odyssey Dance Festival (Week 2) at Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., West LA; Fri.-Sat., Jan. 20-21, 8 pm, Sun., Jan. 22, 2 pm, $25, $15 student. Complete list of festival performances and tickets at https://odysseytheatre.com/
Israel Galván at UCLA Royce Hall, 10745 Dickson Ct., Westwood; Sat., Jan. 21, 8 pm, $39-$59. https://cap.ucla.edu/event/israel-galvan-nino-de-elche
Israel Galván. Photo by Cosimo Trimboli
Leah Zeiger You Live in My Spine at G-Son Studios, 3218 Glendale Blvd., Atwater Village; Fri.-Sat., Jan. 20-21, 8 pm, Sun., Jan. 22, 2 pm, $10-$25. https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/5661653
Gibney Company at USC Board Auditorium, 3551 Trousdale Pkwy, University Park; Fri., Jan 20, 7:30 pm, free w/reservation at https://visionsandvoices.usc.edu/eventdetails/?event_id=40254377396587
Ballet X. Photo courtesy of the artists.
Ballet X at Irvine Barclay Theater, 4242 Campus Dr., Irvine; Tues., Jan. 24, 8 pm, $30-$130. https://ci.ovationtix.com/35720/pr/1127763/pe/11102992 Also at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd, Thousand Oaks, Thurs., Jan. 26, 7:30 pm, $35-$65. https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0B005CD28F521016
MashUp Choreography Open Mic Night at Genesis Studios, 2861 W Avenue 35, Glassell, Park; Sat., Jan. 21, 7 pm, free w/reservation at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/choreography-open-mic-night-tickets-479570356847
SoCal Dance Notes
The namesake choreographer and her band of dancers, musicians, actors, and more are known for their ability to bring audiences to performances throughout LA’s far-flung geography, always offering a new perspective and often a first look at sites throughout this patchwork quilt of a metropolis. In something of a family album, still photos from a five year period captures have been assembled by book designer James Robie. Heidi Duckler Dance and this event Book Launch: Heidi Duckler Dancer: 2016-2021 takes a traditional book launch into atypical territory combining the signing with a bit of site specific performance by Edgar Aguirre along with a conversation between Duckler and Robie. Event is free with reservation. Book is $35 at https://shop.heididuckler.org/products/heidi-duckler-dance-2016-2021. Institute of Contemporary Art/Los Angeles, 1717 E. 7th St., downtown; Sat., Jan. 14, 3-5 pm, free with RSVP at https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=20752905&appointmentType=39771650
Featured image: Our Planet Destiny by Chen Li, China
Ann Haskins Blog appears at CulturalDaily.com
