The Nancy Evans Dance Theatre (NEDT) is one of the last truly modern dance-based companies in the Los Angeles area. Artistic Director Nancy Evans Doede has resisted fusing different dance styles into what has become known as Contemporary Dance and therefore keeping modern dance alive. This past weekend, May 10 and 11, 2025 NEDT presented three very different new works at ARC Pasadena, a beautiful space operated by dancer and choreographer John Pennington. The concert will repeat Saturday, May 17th at 8:00 pm and Sunday, May 18th at 4:00 pm. Tickets are on sale now.
NEDT Bound – Jacob Schmieder-Hacker and Alice Lousen (standing), Nairi Tahmizyan and Jackie Pierce (on floor) in Ashleigh Doede’s “In-Yun” – Photo by Ayame Orlans.
Two of the choreographers of this evening, Nancy Evans Doede and Asheigh Doede, are mother and daughter so I will be referring to them by their first names. Act One opened with the intriguing and very musical “IN-YUN,” choreographed by Ashleigh to a variety of music selections by Anthony Willis, Maurice Ravel, and Johannes Brahms. Ashleigh’s choreographic ability has matured and she’s learned to create very sophisticated patterns with her own brilliant musicality shining throughout the piece. Translated into English, the Korean term “In-yun” means providence, fate, or destiny while referring to relationships between people. Doede’s “In-Yun” is packed with emotion without the dancers emoting. She has built the tenderness, intrigue and recognition into the movement allowing the performers the freedom to interpret physically with subtle facial expressions where appropriate. Partners separate, join someone else only to reunite – perhaps in another lifetime?
NEDT Bound – Cast of “In-Yun” choreography by Ashleigh Doede – Photo by Ayame Orlans.
Although it needs time to mature, “In-Yun” is a lovely work performed extremely well by Sopia Bernardo, Jenn Logan, Alice Lousen, Jackie Pierce, Nairi Tahmizyan, and Jacob Schmieder-Hacker.
NEDT Bound – (L-R) Cheryl Banks-Smith, Nancy Evans Doede in their “Parallel Universe” – Photo by Sadie Browne.
Two friends join forces in “PARALLEL UNIVERSE.” Conceived, choreographed and performed by Cheryl Banks-Smith and Nancy Evans Doede, this work takes the audience on a journey through time with two dancers from totally different backgrounds and careers. It begins in the 1970’s and ends with the two women performing together in the present.
NEDT Bound – (L-R) Cheryl Banks-Smith, Nancy Evans Doede in their “Parallel Universe” – Photo by Sadie Browne.
Cheryl performed with renowned jazz innovator, Sun Ra and His Intergalactic Myth Science Arkestram and many years with the New York-based Sounds in Motion led by modern dancer and choreographer Dianne McIntyre. Cheryl wrote that her own performance work is “grounded in the tradition of improvisation as a valid and viable mode of dance expression.”
Nancy studied and danced with modern dance pioneer Hanya Holm, became an original member of Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre and later with the Nancy Hauser Dance Company in Minneapolis. After working in theater here is Los Angeles, Nancy founded her own company in Pasadena, CA. in 2009.
NEDT Bound – (L-R) Cheryl Banks-Smith, Nancy Evans Doede in their “Parallel Universe” – Photo by Sadie Browne.
The two women met while performing in Jamie Cunningham and Tina Croll’s “From the Horse’s Mouth” in San Diego.
“Parallel Universe,” proved a couple of things. First, it is possible to continue choreographing and performing into one’s seventh decade and that a wonderfully charming duet can be created by two performers with totally different training backgrounds.
The work opened with the two women dressed in purple pants and bright floral blouses that took one back to the 70’s, sitting on a small white throw rug, a poster hanging behind them and a small multi-colored disco ball-like lamp. Each one took turns moving seamlessly about the stage while narrating their dance and theater history. They then graced us with a moving duet filled with expression, humor and the joy of dancing. Hopefully, “Parallel Universe” will enjoy a long life span so others may see it.
NEDT Bound – (L-R) Jenn Logan, Alice Lousen, Jackie Pierce, Alleigh Doede in “Vigil” choreography by Nancy Evans Doede – Photo by Ayame Orlans.
The second half of the program consisted of one work, “VIGIL” choreographed by Nancy to music by Lera Auerbach, Grázyna Bacewicz, Claude Debussy, Federico Mompou, Arvo Pärt, Francis Poulenc, and Maurice Ravel.
Divided into 16 sections, “Vigil” begins with projections of young people enjoying time with their friends followed by a film clip and sound of a horrible car crash. The results was the two passengers of that awful crash tumbling onto center stage. The young man, Jacob Schmieder-Hacker, dies in the arms of his friend, Sophia Bernardo, as she tries to revive him. This scene included an incredible visual effect – red blood running up the stage, across the victims and saturating the back wall. I heard several gasps from the audience, including my own.
NEDT Bound – Sophia Bernardo in “Vigil” choreography by Nancy Evans Doede – Photo by Jenn Logan.
The driver of the car was convicted and Nancy used a small rectangular platform to represent the prison cell which Bernardo remained in throughout the remainder of the piece.
“Vigil” was about how the sudden death of one person affects everyone who knew them. They experienced the mourning, anger, hostility toward the convicted, and even the resolution and forgiveness by some. Nancy presented the face to face confrontation between people, the nightmares that continued to haunt the driver, as well as her loss of freedom. There was even a lovely dream duet between the deceased and his younger sister performed by Schmieder-Hacker and Jackie Pierce. Pierce performed much of this duet with her eyes seemingly closed to bring home that she was still asleep and dreaming.
NEDT Bound – Sophia Bernardo in “Vigil” choreography by Nancy Evans Doede – Photo by Ayame Orlans.
The performers in “Vigil” not mentioned above included Ashleigh Doede, Jenn Logan, and Alice Lousen. Nairi Tahmizyan and Julie Turner made a cameo appearance as the Figures in Red.
Nancy has created an exceptional work of dance theater and all the performers bring their best. For me, however, “Vigil” should not end the program because it begins to feel long. That said, Nancy is a master of keeping modern dance alive and of telling a story through dance.
The gorgeous lighting for the entire evening was by Azra King-Abadi. It was one of the best dance lighting designs that I have experienced at ARC.
“Bound” will run again Saturday, May 17th at 8:00 pm and Sunday, May 18th at 4:00 pm. Tickets are on sale now. I highly recommend that you go.
For more information about the Nancy Evans Dance Theatre, please visit their website.
To learn more about ARC Pasadena, please visit its website.
Written by Jeff Slayton for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: NEDT Bound – Sophia Bernardo and Jackie Pierce in “In-Yun” choreography by Ashleigh Doede – Photo by Ayame Orlans.
