Seasonal celebrating in Crenshaw/Baldwin Hills, a once-a-year free concert and free parking downtown, Afro-Brazilian dance in Anaheim, a folkloric Christmas celebration in Orange, last call for the Nutcrackers, a peek at next week, and more SoCal dance to close out 2022.
Live This Week
An LA tradition
Seven dance companies join musicians and choral groups from all over LA County for the 63rd LA County Holiday Celebration. Sponsored by the County Board of Supervisors, the annual event is free (including parking!), and for those busy with last minute gift wrapping or shopping, the show streams live with rebroadcast on local PBS stations. The dance offerings this year include street dance from Temper Tantrum, a fusion of India’s traditional kathak fused with Spanish flamenco by Shiva Arts Dance Company, jazz tap from Reverb Tap Company, Mexican folkloric dance from Pacifico Dance Company, a Nutcracker excerpt from Pacific Ballet Dance Theatre, Philippine folk dance by Kayamanan Ng Lahi, and Hālau Hula Keali’i o Nālani’s dancers team with Grammy® award-winner Daniel Ho for a Hawaiian hula take on Drummer Boy. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Sat., Dec. 24, 3 to 6 pm, free (admission & parking). Also live streaming on https://www.kcet.org/ and https://www.pbssocal.org/ and later rebroadcast. Info on dance and other performers at https://www.musiccenter.org/tickets-free-events/mc-arts/l-a-county-holiday-celebration/.
Kayamanan Ng Lahi. Photo by Timotny Norris
One more celebration
Christmas, Chanukah and all those Nutcracker ballets may be drawing to an end, but Lula Washington Dance Theatre shares one more winter celebration, Kwanzaa 2022! Kwanzaa began in L.A’s African American community and its attention to values of children, family, and community are cause for all to celebrate. These three days of performance find company dancers joined by alumni, students, and guest artists. The opening night is a fundraiser, an Umoja Circle Celebration, with LWDT, traditional African drumming ,and Marcus L. Miller’s Freedom Jazz Movement Band. Each show includes Washington’s newest, Master Plan, paying tribute to the late Pharoah Sanders, plus more from the high-energy LWDT repertoire. Lula Washington Dance Studio Theatre, 3773 Crenshaw Blvd., Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw; Wed.-Fri., Dec. 28-30, 7:30 pm, $15-$75, (Wed. fundraiser $500). Performance details at https://www.lulawashington.org/performances-tickets/events/. Tickets at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/5635168
“Ignite at The Ford” – Lula Washington Dance Theatre – Photo courtesy of The Ford Theatres.
Dancing in the street
The Rockettes’ stamina in their multi-performance show days has met its match in the Afro-Brazilian dancers of Viver Brasil. For the 9th year, the LA-based troupe is performing as part of Disneyland’s ¡Viva Navidad! street fiesta. That means six performances a day until early next year. If Disneyland is in the holiday plans, find time to enjoy the always exuberant dancing and cheer on this home team. Disneyland, California Adventure Park, 1313 Disneyland Park Dr., Anaheim; daily to Jan. 8, 12:05, 1:15, 2:15, 3:50, 4:45, & 5:45 pm, free with park admission. . Info on Viver Brasil at https://www.viverbrasil.com/. Park ticket info at https://disneyland.disney.go.com/destinations/disneyland/
Viver Brasil. Photo courtesy of the artists.
Finishing the season
Dance, music and song mark the season as Ballet Folklórico de Los Ángeles and Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar take the stage in Nochebuena: Christmas Eve in Mexico. Musco Center for the Arts, Chapman University, 415 N. Glassell, Orange; Wed.-Thurs., Dec. 21-22, 7:30 pm, $21.50-$83. https://muscocenter.org/Online/default.asp
Ballet Folklórico de Los Ángeles. Photo courtesy of the artists
Nutcracker 2022 Finale
(See full 2022 Nutcracker round-up at https://w3.ladancechronicle.com/nuts-and-more-nuts/)
Los Angeles Ballet At Dolby Theatre, Hollywood & Highland, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; Thurs., Dec. 22, 2 pm, Fri., Dec. 23, 2 & 8 pm, Sat., Dec. 24, noon, Mon., Dec. 26, 2 pm, $44-$144, discounts for seniors, students, children under 12 years, & military. http://www.LosAngelesBallet.org.
Los Angeles Ballet. Photo by Reed Hutchinson
American Contemporary Ballet –The Nutcracker Suite At ACB Studios, ACB Studios, Two California Plaza, 350 S. Grand Ave., 28th Floor, downtown; Thurs.-Fri., Dec. 22-23, 8 pm, Sat. Dec. 24, 1 pm $65-$140. acbdances.com
Long Beach Ballet At Terrace Theatre, 300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach; Thurs.-Fri., Dec. 22-23, 7:30 pm, $34-$125. www.LongBeachNutcracker.com
Long Beach Ballet. Photo courtesy of the artists.
World Ballet Series At Oxnard Performing Arts Center, Fri., Dec. 23, 7pm, $35-$89. Also at the Alex Theater, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, Sat., Dec. 24, 2pm. $30-$185. https://worldballetseries.com/tickets/
A Peek at Next Week
Salute to Vienna At Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa; Sun., Dec. 1, 3 pm, $49-$129 https://seats.scfta.org/single?id=26440 Also at Music Center, Disney Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown; Mon., Dec. 2, 2:30pm, $45-$150. https://www.musiccenter.org/tickets-free-events/lease-events/salute-to-vienna/ Info at https://www.salutetovienna.com/concerts/los-angeles
Salute to Vienna. Photo courtesy of the artists
SoCal Dance Notes
Applications open now
London’s Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance comes to town holding free auditions and workshops for itscontemporary dance degree, masters, and post graduate programs. More details at the application link. Colburn School, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown; Sun., Jan. 22, 10 am to 7 pm. free. . https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/trinity-laban-dance-workshop-and-audition-los-angeles-tickets-476613703417
Featured Image: Lula Washington Dance Theatre. Photo courtesy of the artists
Ann Haskins Blog appears at CulturalDaily.com
