After two years of Covid restrictions and closures, on Sunday, November 21, 2021 the Los Angeles based Luminario Ballet will return with a live in-person Gala and performance of Hard As A Rock at the world-famous Avalon Hollywood on Vine Street. Luminario will be presenting new works and revivals of “unique contemporary ballet and aerial dance set to truly invigorating, earth shaking, rock, classical, and un-classifiable music”!
For the fundraising Gala, doors will open at 5:30 pm PT for cocktails, silent auction, a seated dinner, and will honor dance VIPs dance and choreographer Jamal Story; Los Angeles’s legendary champion of dance, Renae Williams Niles; and choreographer, director and aerialist, Bianca Sapetto. The requested evening attire includes Black Tie, Black Leather, or Rock n Roll Attire.
“Hard as a Rock” photo shoot. Luminario Ballet at Hammer Building in Westwood, Los Angeles, CA USA – Photo by Ted Soqui © 2021
Special Guest Performers Include:
Choreographer, director, and aerialist BIANCA SAPETTO performing her unique aerial harness duet rarely seen in Los Angeles since the legendary LedZAerial shows in 2006. Bianca is a 5 time National Rhythmic Gymnastics Champion, an Olympian, veteran Cirque du Soleil performer (aerial and character), choreographer/director/aerialist for Teatro ZinZanni San Francisco, and co-choreographer of LedZAerial with music by her husband NIN guitarist Robin Finck.
Founding member of Luminario Ballet ALEXANDER STABLER performing the scorching heaving solo Mutatio, with music by the Deftones. The solo is described as “an examination of how we have all been changed over the course of the last 18 months due to the covid performing arts shut down”.
Stable has also performed at the Wynn Hotel’s La Rêve for 8 years and prior to that he performed in Cirque du Soleil’s Zumanity.
Luminario Ballet – Photo by Emerson Chen
Works By Other Artists Include:
Luminario Ballet’s artistic director, JUDITH FLEX HELLE, will premiere her new work Hard As A Rock a thrumming, rocking, ballet and aerial dance about ballet superheroes crushed by kryptonite bouncing back to save the day to pumping music by Vivaldi. Judith is choreographer of the award winning Schubert’s Winterreise; World Choreography Awards nominated aerial ballet Lift Ticket, and producer/artistic director/co-choreographer of the Led Zeppelin aerial ballet LedZAerial with C d S’s Bianca Sapetto and NIN’s Robin Finck. Judith is also the author of Wild Animals I Have Known.
Dancer and choreographer JAMAL STORY will present two works on the program: a revival of his hard edged battle of the sexes If The Walls Could Scream from Luminario Ballet’s first season at the Avalon Hollywood in 2009; and the premier of a new quartet which will tour in December 2021 and nationally in Luminario’s East Coast tour in 2022. Jamal was a dancer/dance captain for CHER, Dance Theater of Harlem, “Motown the Musical” on Broadway, and founding choreographer for Luminario Ballet in 2009.
L’Invalide – Luminario Ballet – Photo by Ted Soqui
The evening will also feature on the big screen a 12 minute dance film directed and choreographed by Judith FLEX Helle titled L’INVALIDE. The film was created and shot during extreme covid lockdown and stars the beauties of Luminario Ballet- psychedelia, vampires, and ghosts. Luminario will take you on “a trip into the mind of Luminario Ballet’s artistic director during a wild, fevered covid dream.”
########
WHAT: Luminario Ballet presents: Hard As A Rock – A fundraiser
WHEN: Sunday, November 21, 2021
WHERE: World-famous Avalon Hollywood located at 1735 Vine St, Hollywood, CA 90028
PRICE: GALA the doors open at 5:30 PM for Silent Auction, Fund A Need Live Auction, hosted bar, dinner, and performance – Tables and individual tickets: $300-$5,000 – GENERAL AUDIENCE doors open at 7:45 PM for Hosted bar, orchestra booth seating $125 – Cash bar, balcony seating $35-$75
PERFORMANCE TIME: 8:00 PM (ish)
TICKETS at Eventbrite can be purchased HERE.
NOTE: COVID SAFETY PROTOCOL FOR ENTRANCE
The Avalon is a HUGE venue, 74′ ceilings, widely spaced tables, state of the art HEPA filtration. Regular capacity 1500, MAX for this event 300 (150 on dance floor at tables/booths and 150 in balcony).
COVID-19 proof of vaccination and mask required for entry per LA County Health Department starting October 7, 2021
***A negative test will no longer be accepted.
########
For more info, sponsorship opportunities please email: staff@luminarioballet.org or call: 818-235-6588
For more information about Luminario Ballet, please visit their website HERE.
Written by Jeff Slayton for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image:
