Brain and body coordination considered in Santa Monica; frequent New York visitors get new status downtown; a 30th dance reunion in Malibu; a South Asian debut in La Jolla; jazz ballet continues downtown; musicals dance in Hollywood, Costa Mesa, and Burbank; more SoCal dance this week, plus a peek at next week.
Live This Week
Vibrant not vintage
This year, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater turns a venerable 65. An ongoing infusion of new generations of dancers trained in the company’s signature blend of modern dance and ballet as well as careful stewardship by its directors, help explain why the company doesn’t look its age or dance like a museum. The company continues to bring a distinctive, contemporary African American perspective with a mix of new choreography alongside works by the late founder Alvin Ailey. Two different programs this visit, each closing with the company’s gospel infused signature, Ailey’s Revelations. Program A on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday matinee, and Sunday evening includes Kyle Abraham’s Are You in Your Feeling? and Jamar Robert’s Ode. Program B on Friday, Saturday evening, and Sunday matinee offers Amy Hall Garner’s CENTURY and Ronald K. Brown’s Dancing Spirit. SoCal is almost always on the company’s national tour. With this visit, the company starts a more formalized relationship with a four-year residency at the Music Center. Details on the repertoire and the residency at the website. Music Center, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Wed.-Sun., March 20-24, 7:30 pm, Sat.-Sun., March 23-24, 2 pm, $34-$167. Music Center.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in “Revelations.” Photo courtesy of the artists
Can early be on time?
Some choreographers involve their therapists in their performance, Choreographer/performer Brian Golden enlists his neurologist and audiologist as he traverses the worlds of art and science in DySpRaXiAc DaNcE – Two Months Too Early. Golden recounts growing up and overcoming two conditions, hearing dyspraxia and auditory processing disorder, where his brain and body have difficulty coordinating signals for movement. Dance may not be a cure, or is it? Highways Performance Space, 1651 18th St., Santa Monica; Fri.-Sat., March 15-16, 8:30 pm, $25, $20 seniors & students.. Highways Performance.
Brian Golden – Photo by Lee Gumbs.
South Asian duo debut
Presented by the La Jolla Music Society, two South Asian dance companies from India and Sri Lanka make their SoCal debut. Nrityagram Dance Ensemble and Chitrasena Dance Company join together for Āhuti. Baker-Baum Concert Hall, Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, 7600 Fay Avenue, La Jolla; Wed.-Thurs., March 20-21, 7:30 pm, $46-$81. https://theconrad.org/
Nrityagram Dance Ensemble and Chitrasena Dance Company. Photo courtesy of the artists
To the pointe
Music from Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Jelly Roll Morton, Johnny Dodds, and Igor Stravinsky back choreography for Jazz, the latest from American Contemporary Ballet artistic director Lincoln Jones. ACB Studios, Bank of America Plaza, 333 S. Hope St., Suite C-150, downtown; Thurs.-Sat., March 14-16, Thurs.-Fri., March 21-22, 8 pm, $60-$140. Season XII Jazz — ACB.
American Contemporary Ballet – “Jazz”, created by Lincoln Jones – Photo by Anastasia Petukhova.
Taking flight
Over the past three decades, more than 500 dancers have been part of the student-run Dance in Flight performances. Many of those alums are returning to join the audience for these 30th anniversary performances. Smothers Theater, Pepperdine University, 24255 Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu; Thurs.-Fri., March 14-15, 8 pm, Sat., March 16, 2 & 8 pm, $20. Pepperdine University
Dance in Flight. Photo courtesy of the artists
Dances with guitars
He’s best known for his showmanship and as the “prince of the Spanish guitar.” Still, Benise‘s rock concert-styled performances always include a strong cadre of flamenco dancers. This time the show is dubbed Fiesta! Cerritos Center for the Arts, 18000 Park Plaza Dr., Cerritos; Thurs., March 15, 8 pm, $49-$105. Cerritos Center for the Arts.
Benise and dancer. Photo courtesy of the artists
Making an MJ move
The main draw may be the songs Michael Jackson made famous, but MJ the Musical won a Tony award for director/choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, whose dance-infused staging dominates from when the curtain goes up until the finale. Just in case anyone thought Wheeldon’s talents were limited to ballet companies. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa; opens Tues., March 19, 7:30 pm, then Tues.-Fri., 7:30 pm, Sat., 2 & 7:30 pm, Sun., 1 & 6:30 pm, thru Sun., March 31. $49-$159. SCFTA.
Myles Frost and cast in MJ The Musical – Photo by Matthew Murphy.
Windy City
Those bad girls, Velma and Roxy, are in fine fettle as the National Tour of Chicago stops off. It’s no longer strictly Bob Fosse’s choreography, this iteration has Gregory Butler setting the dance moves on what one reviewer considers the slickest set of movers one can ask for. Pantages Theater, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; Tues.-Thurs., 7:30 pm, Fri., 8 pm, Sat., 2 & 8 pm, Sun., 1 & 6:30 pm, thru Sun., March 24, $49-$225. https://www.broadwayinhollywood.com/events/detail/chicago
Kailin Brown and Katie Frieden in the National Tour of CHICAGO – Photo by Jeremy Daniels.
The last foot
Choreographer Michelle Elkin provides the moves for the new production of Footloose the Musical at the Colony Theater, 555 N. Third St., Burbank; Fri March 15, 8 pm, Sat., March 16, 2 & 8 pm, Sun., March 17, 3 pm, $55-$75, Colony Theatre.
Shen Yun. Photo courtesy of the artists.
They’re back
The touring show showcasing a view of China culture pre-communism, Shen Yun, returns with its 2024 edition. This week its Costa Mesa’s Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Details on this and upcoming SoCal performances at Shen Yun.
A Peek at Next Week
Los Angeles Ballet – Next Steps at The BroadStage, 1310 11th St., Santa Monica, Fri.-Sat., March 22-23, 7:30 pm, Sat.-Sun., March 23-24, 2 pm, $76-$137. https://www.losangelesballet.org/
Backhausdance at The Barclay, UC Irvine, 4242 Campus Dr., Irvine; Wed., March 27, 8 pm, $25-$95. https://www.thebarclay.org/Online/default.asp
Backhausdance in “Scene Unseen” choreography by Jennifer Backhaus – Photo by Shawna Sarnowski
State Street Ballet – Cinderella at Lobrero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara; Sat., March 23, 7:30 pm, Sun., March 24, 3 pm, $38-$58, $26 children. https://www.lobero.org/events/ssb-23-24-cinderella/
Ballet Folklórico de Los Ángeles – ¡Viva Mexico! ¡Viva America! at Carpenter Center, Cal State University Long Beach, 6200 Atherton St., Long Beach; Sat., March 23, 8 pm, $40. https://www.carpenterarts.org/
Nochebuena En Casa -Ballet Folklórico de Los Ángeles – Photo by Luis Luque, courtesy of The Soraya
HomeLA – In Their Own Image at MAK Center for Art & Architecture, Schindler House, 835 Kings Rd., W. Hollywood; Sat., March 23, 1-4:30 pm, $20, https://www.makcenter.org/events/in-their-own-image.
Warriors For Peace Theatre – Romeo and Juliet. Westside Ballet Community Blackbox Theatre, 1709 Stewart St., Santa Monica; Sun., March 24, 6:30 pm, $25-$35. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shakespeares-romeo-and-juliet-brought-to-you-by-humans-of-will-tickets-820406617277
Featured photo Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Photo by Paul Kolnik
Ann Haskins Blog appears at CulturalDaily.com
