Finale for a new works festival downtown, a ballet fest launches in Carson, commissioned world premieres in Santa Monica, flamenco in North Hollywood, dance and film in El Sereno, city-sponsored dance in Culver City, more SoCal dance this week and a peek at next week.
Live This Week
No less than this month’s cover article in Dance Magazine, choreographer Emily Johnson comes to town with her troupe Catalyst. A member of the Yup’ik Nation (largely from Alaska), Johnson is here to unveil world premieres performed inside a theatre and on a college campus. Appropriately, both venues on land once home to California’s Gabrielino, Tongva, and Kizh peoples. The theater event, Being Future Being, combines movement, visuals, sound, and story focused on “Indigenous thrivance.” The host venue commissioned the works from this award-winning choreographer and although ticketed, it is a “pay-what-you-choose” in the theater. The related site-specific event, Being Future Being:Land/Celestial, is free with a reservation. Centered on three trees planted on the campus in the 1950s, the two daytime events involve performance and other activities, including some walking (comfortable shoes advised). Being Future Being at BroadStage, 1310 11-th St., Santa Monica; Thurs.-Sat., Sept. 8-10, 7:30pm, ticketed ‘pay what you can’ (up to $100. https://broadstage.org/ Being Future Being: Land/Celestial at Santa Monica College, Main Campus, South Quad by the Circle Fountain, 1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica; Thurs., Sept. 8, 11:15am, Sat., Sept. 10, 1pm, free, reservation advised. https://broadstage.org/
Emily Johnson/Catalyst – Photo by Cheryl Lynn Tsushima.
Finale for a fest
The closing weekend of REDCAT NOW Festival Week #3 offers three highly theatrical takes on subjects ranging from Sarahjeen François’ exploration of the African tradition of hair braiding to Sara Lyons consideration of feminist histories. In their portion, The Rock Collection (Erik Speth, Sarri, Sanchez, Arletta Anderson, Finn Murphy, Jamar Morris, and Nguyễn Nguyên) manipulate light to create a dance landscape that bathes their bodies in light and darkness in Fault/Lines. More on the artists and the festival at the website. REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd St., downtown; Thurs.-Sat., Sept.1-3, 8:30pm, $20, $16 students. https://www.redcat.org/
Ballet Fest’s Kenneth Walker Dance Project.
A late summer bloom
Ballet continues its late summer bloom around SoCal with the debut of Ballet Fest. Curated by choreographer Kenneth Walker and hosted by the venue and Kenneth Walker Dance Project, the invited choreographers include José Costas, Jestoni “Jet” Dagdag, Joyce Lo, Zoe Marinello-Kohn, Maté Szentes, Stella Sing Yiun Ng, and Marine de Vachon. From its repertoire, the host company performs two ballets by respected choreographers Salvatore Aiello and the late Gerald Arpino. University Theater, Cal State University Dominguez Hills, 1000 E. Victoria St., Carson; Sat., Sept. 3, 7pm, $30. https://kennethwalkerdanceproject.org/, https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/kennethwalkerdanceproject/7054
Stage & Screen. Photo courtesy of the artists
The more the merrier
Promising to present the full spectrum of LA dance from concert to commercial and from live performance to film, the choreographer showcase Stage & Screen made its debut last March. Presented by Malia Baker, this edition features dancemaker Courtney Darlington, EJ Rose Hoffman, Khayla Jordan, Stephanie Landwehr, Nathan Madden, Hannah Millar, Aaron Quini, Keilan Stafford & Monica Williams. Scheduled films are from Shuana Davis, Haley Bergeson, Connor Pierce, and Madaline Riley. Stomping Ground LA, 5453 Alhambra Ave., El Sereno; Sat., Sept. 3, 8pm, $30. https://www.maliambaker.com/stageandscreen
Dance DTLA-Samba. Photo courtesy of the Music Center
Samba out the summer
The popular summer series concludes with Dance DTLA: Samba. Last chance for a free lesson followed by open dancing. Come to dance or to enjoy the music and free show. Music Center, Jerry Moss Plaza, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Fri., Sept. 2, 7-11pm, free. https://www.musiccenter.org/
LA Dance Festival’s BrockusRED. Photo by Denise Leitner.
Ferris wheel, corn dogs & dance
Amid the activities and entertainment at this year’s Culver City Fiesta la Ballona, look for a performance by BrockusRED. In addition to the limited parking around the park, a shuttle runs from the Sony Picture Studios garage. Entertainment Tent at Veterans Memorial Park, Sun. Aug. 23, 1pm., free; https://www.fiestalaballona.org/Home
Mojácar Flamenco’s “Cantan Los Fuegos.” Photo courtesy of the artists
Stepping in the fire
Manuel de Falla’s legendary ballet El Amor Brujo (Love the Magician) gets a dance theater presentation as Mojácar Flamenco presents Cantan Los Fuegos (The Fires Sing). The LA-based flamenco ensemble also incorporates Latin dance, jazz and ballet at El Portal Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood; Fri.-Sat., Sept. 2-3, 8pm, https://www.mojacarflamenco.com/, https://elportaltheatre.com (Note: As of press time, neither the theater nor the company website had ticket information)
A Peek at Next Week
Faye Driscoll: Thank You For Coming: Space at REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd St., downtown; Thurs.-Sat., Sept.15-17, 8:30pm, $25, $20 students, online Sat., Sept. 17 only, $15, $12 students. https://www.redcat.org/
Milka Djordjevich– Ever Present at Getty Center, Sat., Sept., 10, 5pm, free w/timed entry ticket. https://www.getty.edu/visit/cal/days/20220910.html
Heidi Duckler Dance – Ebb & Flow at Baldwin Hills Scenic Outlook, 6300 Hetzler Rd., Culver City, Sat.-Sun., Sept. 10-11, 3-5pm, free w/rsvp at https://ebbflow22.eventbrite.com
Heidi Duckler Dance. Photo by Rush Varela
Fulcrum Festival (formerly the AxS Festival) – Deep Ocean/Deep Space. Various venues; Thurs., Sept. 15 to Sun. Sept. 25. Opening at Zebulon, 2478 Fletcher Dr., Frogtown; Thurs., Sept. 15, 7:30pm, free with reservation and info at https://fulcrumfestival.org/.
Complexions Contemporary Ballet at Musco Center for the Arts, Chapman University, 415 N. Glassell, Orange; Wed., Sept. 14, 7:30pm, $38-$68. https://www.muscocenter.org/Online/default.asp
Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Photo by Hagos Rush
Maria Gillespie, Nguyễn Nguyên & Kevin Williamson – to get there from here at the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery, 251 E. 11th St., Claremont; Wed.-Sun., 1-5pm, official opening Sat., Sept. 17, 5pm. https://rcwg.scrippscollege.edu/
LA Dance Shorts Film Festival – Dance Films on the Lawn at California Heritage Museum lawn, 2612 Main St., Santa Monica; Tues., Sept. 13, 7:30pm, free w/rsvp at https://dancefilmsonthelawn.eventbrite.com
Featured Image: Kenneth Walker Dance Project – courtesy of the artists
Ann Haskins Blog appears at CulturalDaily.com
