Deborah Brockus continues to produce, curate and showcase Los Angeles dance. On Saturday, March 18, 2023, her latest endeavor titled ORANGE heartedly added to the prevailing evidence that after more than two years of COVID, LA dance is once again in motion. Presented at Brockus Project Studios in east LA, the low-tech program included an array of works choreographed by Nannette Brodie (Nannette Brodie Dance Theatre), Stephanie Mirzhi (Stephanie Mirzhi Choreography), Janell Burgess (Jazz Spectrum Dance Company), Celeste Lanuza, and Deborah Brockus (BrockusRED).
The concert opened with one of the strongest works on the program TREE, an excerpt from Brockus’ longer piece titled DUST. Dancing against a video projection of dying or dead trees in arid landscapes, this work highlighted the strong talents of the members of BrockusRED, Julienne Mackey, Mara Hancock, Hannah Joo, Daurin Tavares and Denali Huff. The music for TREE included works by Turkish musician and composer, Omar Faruk Tebilek and Algerian born DJ and composer, Cheb I Sabbah.
BrockusRED – Julienne Mackey, Denali Huff, Hannah Joo, Daurin Tavares, Mara Hancock (Center) in TREE – Photo by Denise Leitner
In an earlier review I wrote: “Dust took on a complexity of subjects: the planet, climate change, geologic time and nature’s multitude of geometric shapes.” TREE reflected the results of drought and wildfires that leave barren trees and dead wildlife. Here, Brockus’ movement was serene, then suddenly athletic before shifting into a more primal element. Throughout she subtly adorned the dancers arms and hands with moving positions that reflected the bare branches behind them. I remember DUST fondly and look forward to seeing the entire work again.
The only film with dance In it on the program was the extremely enjoyable and high energy BALANCE ON THAT!, choreographed and directed by Nannette Brodie to the exciting score by musician and composer Eric Ruskin who for many years was the Musical Director for the California State University, Long Beach Department of Dance.
Filmed in Hart Park on Glassell Street in Orange, CA., four performers, Julisa Figueroa, Dennzyl Green, Stephanie Maxim, and Matt Reiner, walk, tumble, climb and transform pedestrian movement into wonderful dance phrases while traversing metal or beautiful stone handrails. Laced with humor, the dancers were always on the move. This was not my first viewing of Brodie’s BALANCE ON THAT! and it was even better the second time around.
BrockusRED – Mara Hancock, Hannah Joo, Stephanie Mizrahi in “Fragments of the Soul” – Photo by Denise Leitner
Fragments of the Soul, set to music by Gabriel, Dead Can Dance, and Yanni, did not feel as coherent as other works by BrockusRED. In the first section the dancers looked rushed and unable to complete the choreography in the time allotted , whereas in the second one they moved more freely and effortlessly. What was very clear, however, was the main character, performed beautifully by Julienne Mackey, was eventually set free following much internal investigation and a journey through various emotions such as feeling trapped, repressed, and fury. In a twist of irony, as the performers expressed this shift from angst to joy, their costumes went from gold and brown to black. Interesting!
The cast members of Fragments of the Soul not mentioned above were Mara Handcock, Denali Huff, Hannah Joo, Stephanie Mizahi, and Daurin Tavares.
Freddy Lanuza, Celeste Lanuza, Justin Edmonson, Julio Hanson in “Tu Alma Vale” – Photo by Denise Leitner
Tu Alma Vale (Your soul matters) choreographed by Celeste Lanuza was an excerpt from a full-length work titled Camino al Alma, and like watching many excerpts of longer works, this felt incomplete; like reading one chapter of a book. The entire story was explained in the program, but we were only given a glimpse of who these characters were. That said, it was wonderful to see a work performed to the live music composed and performed by Freddy Lanuza on accordion with vocals by Julio Hanson and Celeste Lanuza.
Lanuza is a beautiful dancer who puts her entire trust in executing difficult lifts with the talented but inexperienced Justin Edmonson. This trust paid off, as Edmonson rose to the challenge and proved that with more training he will be a very strong partner and presence onstage.
BrockusRED – Denali Huff, Daurin Tavares in “American Dream – The Preamble” – Photo by Denise Leitner
Another excerpt from a longer work, American Dream – The Preamble (1994) choreographed by Malakai and Brockus, fared better due in part by the wonderful performances by Daurin Tavares and Denali. Set to poetry by Brockus, The U.S. Constitution, and music by Langston Hughes, this section was short, free and joyous.
Lydia McDonald and Mara Hancock in Stephanie Mizrahis’ “still here” – Photo by Denise Leitner
Stephanie Mizrahi’s still here, set to a variety of music styles, was an intriguing venture into a study of a very personal relationship between two women. It is a very well crafted dance that left me wondering if this was two women in a very complex relationship or one woman with conflicting personalities or desires. Either way, the piece works and I applaud the performers Mara Hancock and Lydia McDonald for both their dancing and acting skills. I look forward to seeing more from Mizrahi.
Nannette Brodie Dance Theatre – Marin Asano and Alfonso Fuentes in EVER NEAR AT HAND – Photo by Denise Leitner
A few years ago, I saw the full work of Brodie’s titled HEARTLAND – The Immigrant Song, and therefore recognized the duet presented on this program titled EVER NEAR AT HAND. Beautifully crafted and performed wonderfully by Marin Asano and Alfonso Fuentes to music by Enoch Train, the duet may have felt unfinished to anyone not familiar with Brodie’s longer work. The costumes by Diane Browne aided greatly to inform the viewer that this was a very much in love Latine couple, but the context of their journey was lost.
Jazz Spectrum Dance Company – Alfonso Fuentes, Janell Burges and Karli Padilla in MIDNIGHT BLUES – Photo by Denise Leither
Jazz Spectrum Dance Company is a vibrant group based in Orange County that was first led by the late and extremely talented choreographer Christine Baltes. Midnight Blues, originally conceived and choreographed by Baltes has lost some of its flair via the “Re-creation and Choreography” by the current Artistic Director Janell Burgess. While I can appreciate the carrying on of Baltes’ legacy, Burgess is a beautiful dancer with her own unique choreographic voice that needs to be celebrated.
This performance had all the right ingredients: strong performances by dancers Alfonso Fuentes, Karli Padilla and Burgess; fabulous music by the iconic Miles Davis and handsome costumes, but somehow a clear jazz dance style and the magic was missing.
BrockusRED – Mara Hancock, Hannah Joo, Stephanie Mizrahi, Julienne Mackey in JONAH – Photo by Denise Leitner
The evening ended with a work-in-progress by BrockusRED titled JONAH. For anyone unfamiliar with the story, God caused Jonah to be swallowed by a whale as a test of his devotion. Luckily for Jonah, he passed the test and was rescued alive.
For this performance, JONAH suffered due to its length and placement on the program. It came at the end of an almost hour concert with no intermission and the audience had already been on a roller-coaster ride of emotions. Though the title carries a masculine name, JONAH is the story of hardship, struggle, manipulation, perseverance and triumph as told by the women of the South. I encourage Brockus to continue working on this powerful work, tightening up the segues between sections and follow her original ideas of how she uses the simple but powerfully representational props.
The very talented women who helped make JONAH come alive were Julienne Mackey, Mara Hancock, Hannah Joo, and Stephanie Mizrahi.
As Brockus stated in her pre-curtain talk, the dance artists in Los Angeles continue to create work and they are still dancing. I encourage everyone to continue supporting them and for Brockus to continue producing small, low tech and larger high tech presentations of Los Angeles Dance.
The technical crew who helped greatly to make ORANGE run smoothly included Technical Director and Lighting Designer Evan Nie and Sound Designer Mike Grimms. Others were Administrative Assistant Esmeralda Mendez and supporting Board Member, Patrick Mignano.
Written by Jeff Slayton for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: Stephanie Mizrahi, Mara Hancock, Hannah Joo, Julienne Mackey in JONAH – Photo by Denise Leitner
