The first night of Los Angeles Dance Festival 2025 at Brockus Project Studios provided an engaging evening featuring duets, solos, trios and group works by choreographers Boróka Nagy, Tashara Gavin-Moorehead, Deborah Brockus, Nannette Brodie, Elsie Neilson, Joey Doucette, and Stephanie Mizrahi. There were previous works as well as four premieres, and above all excellent performances provided by talented LA area-based dance artists. LADF is funded in part by a grant from the City of LA Department of Cultural affairs.
First on the program was the premiere of “Piece by Piece” skillfully choreographed by Re:borN Dance Interactive’s Artistic Director Boróka Nagy and performed excellently by Katie Marshall and Jestoni Dagdag. Marshall opened the work with an emotional solo performed to Marianne Faithful and Nick Cave’s ‘There is a Ghost’ from Faithful’s 2005 album ‘Before the Poison.’ Nagy’s choreography for this solo was intense and portrayed an internal struggle to continue. Marshall’s powerful performance was a clear interpretation of Nagy’s vision without slipping into emoting.
When the solo ended, Marshall’s struggle was noticeably not resolved but when she was joined by Dagdag’s character, his gentle persistence soon encouraged her to let go of the past and join him for a new future. The music for the duet was ‘Piece by Piece’ by Eivør.
Some of the movement in “Piece by Piece” felt dated but Nagy incorporated it into her own choreographic voice quite nicely.
LADF 2025 – Tashara Gavin-Moorehead in her solo Soulanni Stories – Photo by Denise Leitner.
This was my first time seeing work by Tashara Gavin-Moorehead and I look forward to seeing more. Choreographed and performed by Gavin-Moorehead, “Soulaani Stories” (premiere) was a soulful work providing the audience with the knowledge that Jazz sprouted from the roots of African slaves brought to this country unwillingly. According to my research, Soulaan means “people of soul. It is an homage to Southern African Americans, largely from where most African Americans descend.” “Soulaani Stories” is an excerpt from a longer work by Gavin-Moorehead titled “The Spirit of Jazz.”
Gavin-Moorehead’s movement and the rhythms that her body interwoven so ingeniously with gospel and folk singer Bessie Jones’s music ‘Once there was no sun’ was amazing to watch. Her choreography combined African American dance while her feet, arms and hands provided intricate jazz rhythms. This was definitely one of the audience’s favorites.
LADF 2025 – Bryan Burns, Arturo Gonzales, Denali Huff, Rebecca Lee, Jolyn Lambey, Raven Smith in “Black Ice” by Deborah Brockus – Photo by Denise Leitner.
The premiere of Deborah Brockus’ “Black Ice” was another highlight of the evening’s program. Choreographed to a sound design she created, the works flew by like a fierce winter blizzard. Brockus’ structure of “Black Ice” was seamless, weaving unisons, duets, trios, etc. in and out organically. Her very strong company of dancers were flawless in their execution of this challenging work.
If anyone has ever experienced the surprise and trauma of stepping onto or driving across black ice, they know how it can change ones life dramatically. In “Black Ice,” Brockus brought that sudden transition onto the stage.
The BrockusRED dancers who brought Brockus’ vision alive were Bryan Burns, Arturo Gonzales, Denali Huff, Rebecca Lee, Jolyn Lambey, and Raven Smith.
LADF 2025 – Abby Chuah, Mizuki Sako, and Elsie Neilson in “What Lies Beneath” by Elsie Neilson – Photo by Denise Leitner.
Following intermission, Elsie Neilson premiered her work titled “What Lies Beneath” set to music by Tamburi Neri and Hiroko. At first it was difficult to tell exactly how many bodies were entangled into one dark entity but as it began to disassemble itself, three separate women dress identically in black with a dash of red seeping from beneath their lace tops. The image of the entity disassembling helped explain how internal emotions gradually rise to the surface in all of us.
The work had some very interesting partnering that utilized tumbling over one another and morphing into another movement phrase and Neilson’s use of the music was stunning. The score had a constant drum beat which thankfully Neilson used sparingly. At the finish, all three women fell to the floor in unison but a millisecond before the blackout, one of them popped up to a sitting position, causing a gasp from the audience. Wonderful timing.
LADF 2025 – Katelyn Potyondy in “Seizing The Light” by Nannette Brodie – Photo by Denise Leitner.
Costumed in a gold colored top and dance shorts and wearing pointe shoes, Katelyn Potyondy performed “Seizing The Light,” an excerpt from a longer work choreographed by Nannette Brodie, Artistic Director of Nannette Brodie Dance Theatre. Potyondy’s character reminded me of a large bird-like creature who discovered herself in an unfamiliar environment. The lighting helped with the idea of rushing to the light, but what bothered me was the bland expression on Potyondy’s face that never once altered. Her body performed Brodie’s modern dance based movement on pointe quite well but I was not convinced that she ever felt any reaction other than concern. This beautifully made solo deserves more shifts in feelings.
The music for “Seizing The Light” was by Psychosonik, an American techno and industrial music group, and the costume was by Nannette Brodie.
LADF 2025 – Janell Burgess, Maryanne David, Kiara Kinghorn, Cara Laughlin in “At A Glance” by Joey Doucette – Photo by Denise Leitner.
In a totally different genre, Jazz Spectrum Dance Company premiered “At A Glance” by choreographer Joey Doucette. Dancers Janell Burgess, Maryanne David, Kiara Kinghorn, and Cara Laughlin whizzed through this very entertaining jazz work set to music by Enigma. The style was greatly influenced by jazz dance’s icon Luigi and he would be proud at these dancers’ performance.
All four women wore a black unitard with gorgeous white flowing blouses designed by Tomo Swan. We learned from Burgess, Artistic Director of Spectrum Dance, that Doucette created “At A Glance” in just twelve hours, but none of it looked that. The structure was exciting and the performers beautifully rehearsed. Adding to this, the lighting by Jody Caley was perfect.
LADF 2025 – Lydia McDonald, Stephanie Mizrahi, Mizuki Sako in “VULGAR” by Stephanie Mizrahi – Photo by Denise Leitner.
The program ended with an excellently timed humorous work created by Los Angeles native Stephanie Mizrahi titled “VULGAR.” Comedy is not easy and creating a work that makes people laugh is just as difficult, but Mizrahi knows what she is doing and her timing was spot on.
The work was inspired by a book Mizrahi found in a used bookstore titled ‘Modern Dancing’ by Mr. & Mrs. Vernon Castle published in 1914 by Harper and Brothers, New York. Each performer took turns reading from this vintage book which in itself evoked laughter from the audience as what was considered vulgar or inappropriate in 1914 felt quaint to the modern ear. But it was not just the reading that made the audience laugh. It was a combination of the movement, the use of the set, the early 1900s white bras and pantaloons, and Mizrahi’s creative use of the book’s description of what was proper that sent us home with a smile on our faces.
The cast of “VULGAR” that entertained so well were Lydia McDonald, Stephanie Mizrahi, and Mizuki Sako. The music included ‘Vienna Quartet’ by Glow Worm, ‘The Castle Walk’ by James Reese Europe and Ford T. Dabney, ‘The Castle Lame Duck Waltz’ by James Reese Europe, and ‘Le Paradis Pour Toi’ by Gillian Hills.
Kudos to Deborah Brockus for continuing to curate and produce the Los Angeles Dance Festival that provides audiences to experience the amazing talent and creativity of LA Dance.
For more information about the Los Angeles Dance Festival, please visit their website.
For more information on Brockus Project Studios, please visit their website.
Written by Jeff Slayton for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: LA Dance Festival 2025 – Jestoni Dagdag and Katie Marshall in “Piece by Piece”, choreography by Boróka Nagy – Photo by Denise Leitner.
