Louise Reichlin, Director/Choreographer of Louise Reichlin & Dancers/ Los Angeles Choreographers & Dancers, will present her entertaining, inspiring, and historical work Tap Dance Widows Club on Saturday, April 9, 2022 at the Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium in Carlsbad, California at 7:30 pm. Through film and live performance, Tap Dance Widows Club tells the story of the love of three women performers for their late tap dancer husbands and the bond that developed between the women over time. Reichlin’s Tap Dance Widows Club will appear as part of City of Carlsbad Cultural Arts presents Cinematic Dance Theater, and will also include a short preview and Q & A about the production presented by Louise Reichlin at 10:30 am and a tap class at 11am, at the Carlsbad Senior Center. The events are free to the Community and no reservations are necessary. The Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium is located at the Carlsbad City Library on Dove Lane, just off El Camino Real in southern Carlsbad.
Celtic Extension – Alfred Desio and Louise Reichlin – Photo courtesy of the artist
The past meets the present in this 50 minute work Tap Dance Widows Club which includes a filmed conversation between Louise Reichlin, Loretta Zerby, and Katherine Hopkins-Nicholas, along with live performances by members of Louise Reichlin & Dancers/ Los Angeles Choreographers & Dancers Jill Elaine Collins, Natalie Ellis, Katie Mcculla, Emily McGuire, Coree McKee Gonzalez, Eve Metsäranta, Mcknnly Moren, Jestina Mundy and Louise Reichlin.
Jon and Loretta Zerby – Photo courtesy of the artist
Louise Reichlin is a modern dancer and choreographer who along with her late husband, Alfred Desio, co-founded Los Angeles Choreographers & Dancers in 1979. It was a marriage of two dance forms as well as great love between two dance artists. Loretta Zerby was an educator who met tap dancer Jon Zerby while taking class with him. Katherine Hopkins-Nicholas was a film actress best known for her roles in The Capture of Bigfoot (1979), The Bionic Woman (1976) and Police Story (1973) who married Fayard Nicholas, one of the dynamic tap dancing brothers and film stars The Nicholas Brothers.
Katherine Hopkins-Nicholas with Fayard Nicholas at Academy Awards – Photo courtesy of the artist
Following the death of her husband, Reichlin channeled her grief into the making of Tap Dance Widows Club as part of The Baggage Project suite that includes “live dance combined with user and artist-generated multimedia that explores our changing perception of death, and the positive baggage we carry with us when a loved one is no longer corporal but still present.” Reichlin, Zerby, and Hopkins-Nicholas met, shared memories, photos, and videos of their well-known husbands, and quickly became friends. They recorded their conversations about moving forward in their lives and careers without the physical presence of their spouses and those became the audio background for what has been critically hailed as a transformative work.
(L-R) Alfred Desio and Fayard Nicholas from 1979 performance – Photo courtesy of the artist
Also credited is Audri Phillips, the Visual Artist responsible for the film design of the hundreds of photos, videos, and fulfilling Reichlin’s creative direction, scenario and sound score. She did so, Reichlin said “with never ending suggestions from the three widows.”
Reichlin’s work has been described as “probing and provocative” (Dance Magazine) and “Before a triumphant finale, a world and its history have passed before our eyes, thanks to Louise Reichlin” (Los Angeles Times). Since 1979, Reichlin’s company has performed on the stages and indoor and outdoor festivals throughout the US and Mexico, and Reichlin’s choreography has been performed in China, Taipei, Mexico, Sweden, and Guatemala. Just a few of Reichlin’s dances include The Patchwork Girl of Oz, The Better To Bite You With, Invasion, a reimagining of Urban and Tribal Dances, Reboot! Reboot!!, and her signature piece Tennis Dances (1979) remains in the company’s current repertoire.
Louise Reichlin & Dancers/ Los Angeles Choreographers & Dancers – 2019 Las Vegas Tour – Screen grab courtesy of the artist
Louise Reichlin & Dancers/ Los Angeles Choreographers & Dancers currently receives multiple grants from the CA Arts Council, the Los Angeles County Dept. of Arts and Culture, the City of LA Department of Cultural Affairs, and Culver City/ Sony. Additional accomplishments include, a Milestone Dance Co. Horton Award, the Gary Bates Award by the Horton Awards Committee for creativity, sustained professional achievement, and service to the community, multiple Horton choreography nominations.
Alfred Desio and Louise Reichlin – Photo courtesy of the artist
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WHAT: City of Carlsbad Cultural Arts presents Cinematic Dance Theater
From Louise Reichlin & Dancers/ Los Angeles Choreographers & Dancers
Tap Dance Widows Club, an acclaimed combination of video, movement and
storytelling.
WHEN: Saturday April 9, 2022 at 7:30 pm
WHERE: Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium, 1775 Dove Lane, Carlsbad, CA 92011
ADMISSION: FREE General Admission to performance and activities, no reservations necessary.
EVENT INFORMATION: 408-529-1313 or 602-369-4620
DANCE COMPANY INFORMATION: 213-385-1171 or 213-458-3066
To learn more about Louise Reichlin & Dancers/ Los Angeles Choreographers & Dancers, please visit their website. Telephone: 213-385-1171 or 213-458-3066
To see video trailers of Louise Reichlin’s work, please click HERE.
Written by Jeff Slayton for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: Tap dance widows club-Loretta Zerby, Katherine Hopkins-Nicholas, Louise Reichlin superimposed over original preview cast – Photo courtesy of the artist
