This was a collaborative evening full of entertainment and varied styles of movement although all fell under the umbrella of Jazz. The dances were short and to the point moving along with no wasted time in between. The studio was decked out with cabaret tables set with a centerpiece of snacks in the form of chips, peanuts, chocolate and other sweets as well as a bar in the lobby serving beer and wine and water – all very speakeasy like and setting the atmosphere for what was to come.
BrockusRED – Rebecca Lee and Arturo Gonzales in Jazz Club – Photo by Sal Aridi Photography.
Producer and Artistic Director Deborah Brockus welcomed all in her opening speech and thanked the L.A. County Department of Arts & Culture as well as the L.A. City DCA for their grants. She had the help of Thomas Ng as Emcee for the evening. BrockusRed Dancers Bryan Burns, Arturo Gonzales, Beth Huelsenbeck, Denali Huff, Rebecca Lee, and Raven Smith were all put through their paces in this comprehensive Jazz show. Also present and accounted for were Janell Burgess and Kiara Kinghorn from Jazz Spectrum dancing choreography by Christine Baltes. The two companies complimented each other and even shared some risqué choreography in the number “Splish-Splash” by Bobby Darin 1958. Bryan Burns begins the number in a towel and when he gets going he is wearing dance togs underneath. It is Jazz after all and not a Burlesque show. The coquettish airs of the female dancers fit in well with the period of the music.
BrockusRED – Denali Huff in Jazz Club – Photo by Sal Aridi Photography.
And speaking of period music, there were a few numbers which captured their time period in costume as well as movement. Rebecca Lee wore a fantastic short dress in the number “Black Coffee” showing a lot of leg and highlighting her hair which was perfectly suited to the tone and epoch of the song. The party halter dresses in “Too Darn Hot” were also spot on and moved well with the choreography. The lighting here also caught the skin tones and made them pop against the black background curtains making a clear edged visual. The duet of Rebecca Lee and Denali Huff in “Moses Supposes” from “Singing in the Rain” was great fun. The costumes here were reminiscent of the old vaudeville duos such as Abbott and Costello or Laurel and Hardy. They were baggy brown pants with white button-down shirts and oversized plaid suit coats and brown fedoras. All that was missing was a pie in the face or a knock on the head with a pig bladder, Jimmy Durante notwithstanding.
Janell Burgess – Photo courtesy of the artist.
Janell Burgess and Kiara Kinghorn showed amazing unison skills in their duet “Syncopated Style”. It was syncopated to be sure; it was also rehearsed to a lasers’ edge. Sporting black tuxedo vests and black bowlers with red gloves, every move read like a line of dialogue. The two were very precise and moved as one. The choreography reminded me of Fosse however they remained true to their own style. Burgess performed two other solos on the program, “Toy Box” and “Samba Pa Ti” demonstrating very strong technique with her passion for acting shining through. Burgess has the power of a blonde Valkyrie and shows glimpses of it during her dancing, never giving it all away at any one time.
BrockusRED – (L-R) Arturo Gonzales and Bryan Burns in Jazz Club – Photo by Sal Aridi Photography.
This was an enjoyable evening of dance with many different looks and numbers to entertain. When so many Dance companies have lost funding it is an act of courage and dedication to keep performing and choreographing. Thank God dancers will always dance.
To learn more about BrockusRED, please visit their website.
To learn more about Jazz Spectrum, please visit their website.
Written by Brian Fretté for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: BrockusRED – Raven Smith in Jazz Club – Photo by Sal Aridi Photography.
