A legendary firebrand temptress tours Long Beach, Palm Desert, and Thousand Oaks; long-lived tango in Irvine; contemporary dance in Koreatown, West Hollywood, and Long Beach; ballet in Glendale, Malibu, and downtown; prestigious Mexican folkloric company visits Northridge, Long Beach, and Costa Mesa; more SoCal dance this week, plus a peek at next week.
Live This Week
Femme fatale redux
Since its premiere in 1875, Bizet’s tale of ill-fated firebrand Carmen has fascinated opera-goers and spawned dance and film versions. On Carmen’s 150th anniversary, Ballet Hispánico brings choreographer Gustavo Ramírez Sansano’s reimagined version that takes inspiration from artist Pablo Picasso and his imagery of the bull. Carpenter Center, Cal State University Long Beach, 6200 E. Atherton St., Long Beach; Sat., March 15, 8 pm, $55. https://www.carpenterarts.org/. Also at the McCallum Theatre, 7300 Fred Waring Dr., Palm Desert; Mon., March 17, 7 pm, $53-$98. https://www.mccallumtheatre.org/. Also at the Fred Kavli Theatre, Bank of America Performing Arts Center, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, Thurs., March 20, 7:30 pm, $60.25 – $75.65. https://bapacthousandoaks.com/show-details/ballet-hispanico-carmenmaquia
Ballet Hispánico. Photo courtesy of the artists
Something new, something familiar
The excellent contemporary company BODYTRAFFIC opens its studios for three evenings, performing the newest work from company member Joan Rodriguez along with dances from the repertory. At press time, Tuesday night is full, but tickets remain available for the other two shows. BODYTRAFFIC Studios, 3435 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 200, Koreatown; Tues.-Thurs., March 18-20, 7 pm, free with reservation at https://www.bodytraffic.com/performances/home-season
BODYTRAFFIC. Photo courtesy of the artists
Bollywood blending
In the latest event affirming this venue’s affinity for presenting LA dance, Blue 13 Dance Company shares Bollywood is Gay! For two decades, the LA-based company has polished its blend of contemporary and Hindi film-inspired Bollywood dance. LA LGBT Center, 1118 McCadden Pl., Hollywood; Sat., March 15, 8 pm, $29-$60. https://ci.ovationtix.com/36684/production/1218551
Featured photo Blue13 Dance Company Photo by Rose Eichenbaum
New steps
New choreography from Cal State University dance department MFA finalists Tamsin Carlson, Bhargavi Sardesai, MJ Wolff and guest artist Rosa Rodríguez-Frazier highlight The Movement Gallery-A Dance Festival. Martha B. Knoebel Dance Theater, Cal State University Long Beach, 6200 E. Atherton St., Long Beach; Thurs.-Fri., March 13–14, 8 pm, Sat., March 15, 2 & 8 pm, $25, $16 students. https://www.csulb.edu/dance/event/2025-mfa-the-movement-gallery
Rosa Rodríguez-Frazier. Photo courtesy of the artist
A welcome border crossing
Mexican folkloric dance is so prevalent today, it is hard to capture the impact of Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández, when it first appeared and presented regional Mexican dances in a concert setting. The name was expanded to reference the visionary founder and distinguish it from the plethora of folkloric efforts it spawned. The celebrated company stops off at three local venues with its repertoire, including its consideration of ancient Aztecan movement in the audience-pleasing Deer Dance. The Soraya, Cal State University Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge; Fri., March 14, 8 pm, Sat., March 15, 1 pm, $49-$98. https://tickets.thesoraya.org/Online/default.asp. Also at Luckman Fine Arts Complex, Cal State University Los Angeles, 5151 State University Dr., East LA; Sun., March 16, 3 & 7 pm, $35-$85. https://www.ticketmaster.com/luckman-fine-arts-complex-tickets-los-angeles/venue/90209. Also at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa; Sat., March 22, $32.77-$77.97. https://www.scfta.org/events/2025/ballet-folklorico-de-mexico
Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández. Courtesy of the artists.
It takes two
Fourteen tango dancers, a vocalist, and live music arrive with Luis Bravo’s Forever Tango. The long-running touring tango show stops off for one SoCal performance. Irvine Barclay Theatre, UC Irvine, 4242 Campus Dr., Irvine; Fri., March 14, 8 pm, $39-$135. https://www.thebarclay.org/Online/mapSelect.asp
Luis Bravo’s Forever Tango. Photo courtesy of the artists
Jazzy homecoming
Over four weekends, American Contemporary Ballet alternates two works from its repertory. Jazz music and its world are the subject of Jazz, while Homecoming pays tribute to high school and marching bands. In addition to the choreography from artistic director Lincoln Jones, each evening involves refreshments and live music. ACB Studios, Bank of America Plaza, 333 S Hope St, Suite C-150, downtown; Jazz – Fri., March 14, 21, & Thurs., March 13 & 20, 8 pm, Homecoming – Sat., March 15, & Thurs.-Sat., March 27-29, 8 pm, $65-$140. https://www.acbdances.com/
American Contemporary Ballet – “Jazz”, created by Lincoln Jones – Photo by Anastasia Petukhova.
Feathers will fly
Swans are headed to SoCal this spring with close to a half dozen visiting productions of Swan Lake. The first Swan Lake to land is Grand Kyiv Ballet with its only LA area stop on its current tour. The European stops include less familiar story ballets, including the folk tale, The Snow Queen, but swans and sleeping princesses seem the choices on its U.S. stops. Wilshire Ebell Theatre, 4401 W. 8th St., Hancock Park; Thurs., March 13, 7pm, $39-$69. https://www.grandkyivballet.com.ua/en/events/swan-lake-wilshire-ebell-theatre-march-13-2025/
Grand Kyiv Ballet. Photo courtesy of the artists
Professional polishing
Members of the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company, aged 17 to 23, are promising dancers who gain polish and experience that often lead into the main company. The scheduled program includes Jerome Robbins’ Interplay, George Balanchine’s Tarantella, Swan Lake‘s Black Swan pas de deux, and contemporary works by Yannick Lebrun and Houston Thomas. Pepperdine University, Smothers Theatre, 24255 Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu; Thurs., March 13, 7:30 pm, $25-$53. https://arts.pepperdine.edu/events/2024-2025-season/abt-studio.htm. Also at Citrus College, Haugh Performing Arts Center, 1000 W. Foothill Blvd., Glendora; Sun., March 16, 2 pm, $24-$48. https://tickets.haughpac.com/abt.
American Ballet Theatre Studio Company. Photo by Erin Baiano
Influential events
Originally commissioned for the Egyptian Pavilion at the 2024 Venice Biennale, the film installation Drama 1882 from Wael Shawky considers the events that countered a revolt against European colonial influence, resulting in Britain cementing its control of Egypt for another seven decades. Adapting the storied events into the form of an opera and performed in classical Arabic, Shawky choreographed, wrote, scored, and directed. This event is the latest in the museum’s Wonmi’s WAREHOUSE Programs. WAREHOUSE, MOCA Geffen Contemporary, 152 N. Central Ave., Little Tokyo; Thurs. – Sun., thru March 16, 11 am, free w/reservation at https://moca.ticketapp.org/portal/product/288/events
Wael Shawky. Photo courtesy of the artist
A Peek at Next Week
Music Center Dance DTLA – Special Edition with Contra Tiempo at Walt Disney Concert Hall, BP Hall and Blue Ribbon Garden, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown; Fri., March 28, 7 pm, free w/reservation at musiccenter.org/dancedtlaspecial
CONTRA-TIEMPO Urban Latin Dance. Photo courtesy of the artists.
We Call it Ballet at Nocturne Theater, 324 N. Orange St., Glendale; Sat., March 29, 4 pm, $39. https://wecallitexperiences.com/ballet/
Of Note
The Los Angeles Ballet collaboration with artist Shantell Martin, Off Balance, scheduled for March 22-23 at Crenshaw’s Sankofa Park, has been postponed to the 2025-2026 season.
Garth Fagen Dance scheduled for March 21-22 at Nate Holden Performing Arts Center has been postponed to the fall.
Featured im: Ballet Hispanico – photo courtesy of the artists
Ann Haskins’ Blog appears at CulturalDaily.com
