Nascent choreography in Irvine; art that moves in Huntington Beach; Japanese folk dance in West LA; ballet star turn in Beverly Hills; contemporary ballet in Thousand Oaks, more SoCal dance this week, plus a peek at next week.
Live This Week
What dancers do in the summer
For two decades, National Choreographers Initiative (NCI) artistic director Molly Lynch consistently has demonstrated her knack for incubating new choreography. Each summer, Lynch deftly assembles four choreographers with 16 dancers to produce new danceworks over an intense three weeks. That three-week product generally is not a polished final, but always realizes on dancers’ bodies the dancemakers’ ideas. The one night culminating performance often proves a first look at works that later become part of the repertoire of professional companies. The choreographers this year are Charles Askegard, Cherise Barton, DaYoung Jung, and Donna Salgado. The dancers, most on summer hiatus from professional ballet companies, include Iori Araya, Anwen Brown, Colin Canavan, Robert Fulton, Celeste Gaiera, Brooke Gilliam, Joseph Hetzer, Amelia Grubb Hillman, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Kanning, Daniel Kubr, Ahna Lipchik, Wyatt Pendleton, Sean Sessions, Hunter Solomon, Emily Speed and Nathan Young. The evening invariably sells out, but there is also a livestream option. Irvine Barclay, UC Irvine, 4242 Campus Dr., Irvine; Sat., July 27, 8 pm, $23-$64, livestream $23. https://www.thebarclay.org/Online/default.asp
National Choreographers Institute – Photo by Dave Friedman
Perpetual motion
Artistic director Anthony Aceves and his Akomi Dance collaborated with choreographer Marie Hoffman and Surf City Still Works for Peace(is): a movement art installation. Set to seven spoken word poems from Shane Koyczan, the press material for this one-night event promises an evening in constant motion, a kind of audience walkabout viewable from different physical angles. The meandering includes access to a Speakeasy with the opportunity to chat with performers, plus purchasable cocktails and appetizers. VIP tickets include a post-show 4-spirit tasting experience. Surf City Still Works, 16561 Gemini Lane, Huntington Beach; Sat., July 27, 6 pm, $60-$75. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/akomidance-presents-peaceis-tickets-938009972077
LADF – Cara Laughlin in “Silent World” by Anthony Aceves and Marie Hoffman – Photo by Denise Leitner
Moonlighting
Most days, Herman Cornejo is a principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre, this weekend he joins Muse/ique as both dancer and choreographer, for a program exploring the making of Rogers and Hammerstein’s groundbreaking musical Oklahoma. The program of dance, music and song is the latest led by conductor/musical director Rachel Worby. The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills; Fri.-Sat., 7:30 pm, Sun., 2:30 & 7:30 pm, $50-$75. https://thewallis.org/show-details/muse/ique-plenty-of-heart-plenty-of-hope
Herman Cornejo. Photo courtesy of the artist
Dancing thru history
Four ballets from choreographers Maté Szentes, Christina Ghiardi, Anthony Cannarella, Isabella Velasquez, and Ballet Project OC artistic director Ally Helman trace the art’s evolution in Eras of Dance III. The dancers taking ballet from the Baroque to the contemporary include Camille Kellems, Julianne Kinasiewicz, Madeline McMillin, Cleo Taneja, Mackenna Pieper and Sarah Hurty. Bank of America Performing Arts Center, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks; Sat., July 26, 7 pm, $36-$66. https://www.ticketmaster.com/ballet-project-oc-presents-eras-of-thousand-oaks-california-07-26-2024/event/0B0060CDE89B2B39, balletprojectoc.org/store/p/eras-of-dance-erasii
Ballet Project OC – Rubric – Choreography by Anthony Cannarella & Isabella Velasquez- Photo by Jack Hartin Photography
Festival folk dance
Somewhat reminiscent of Mexico’s Day of the Dead event in November, the Japanese Buddhist Obon Festival honors ancestral spirits and pays respect to the dead. SoCal Buddhist temples celebrate on various dates this summer, providing multiple opportunities throughout SoCal to view Japanese folk dancing. This week, a West LA temple hosts its 74th Obon Festival with dancing at 6:30pm each day plus taiko drumming, games, food, and some ceremonial moments. West LA Buddhist Temple, 2003 Corinth Ave., West LA; Sat., July 27, 4-10 pm, Sun., July 28, 3-9 pm, (folk dancing at 6:30 pm both days), free admission, games and food for purchase. https://www.wlabt.org/
Japanese folk dancers. Photo courtesy of the artists
Summer dancing
Part performance, part participatory event, the free, al fresco summer series Dance DTLA continues this week with Line Dance. A beginner/refresher lesson at 7 pm is followed by a chance to dance or just watch and enjoy until 11 pm. If this week is not your style, the full line up of upcoming dance options is at the website. Music Center, Jerry Moss Plaza, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Fri., July 26, 7 pm, free. Music Center | Dance DTLA
Dance DTLA. Photo courtesy of the Music Center
A Peek at Next Week (08-02 to 8)
Makoto Matsui & Company – Arigato Little Tokyo (Thank You Little Tokyo) at Aratani Theatre, Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, 244 S. San Pedro St., Little Tokyo; Sun., Aug. 4, 2 pm, $35. ArigatoLittleTokyo@gmail.com.
Mercedes de Córdoba – Ser..ni conmigo ni sin mí (Being..neither with me nor without me), Flamenco Arts Festival at Lobrero Theater, 33 E. Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara; Fri., Aug. 2, 7:30 pm, $51-$151. https://flamencoarts.org/events
Forever Flamenco at The Fountain Theatre, 5060 Fountain Ave., Silverlake; Sat., Aug. 3, 8 pm, $40-$50, $35 seniors, $25 students. https://www.fountaintheatre.com/
Reyes Barrios with Forever Flamenco. Photo courtesy of the artist
Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana – About Symphonic Tango & Flamenco at the Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood; Thurs., Aug. 8, 8 pm., $13-$142. https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/
High Voltage at the Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Ave., Venice; Fri., Aug. 2, 8 pm, $10. https://www.electriclodge.org
Max 10 at the Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Ave., Venice; Mon., Aug. 5, 7:30 pm, $10. https://www.electriclodge.org/
Dance DTLA – Samba at the Music Center, Jerry Moss Plaza, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Fri., Aug. 2, 7 pm, free. Music Center | Dance DTLA
Featured image: National Choreographers Initiative – photo by Dave Friedman
Ann Haskins Blog appears at CulturalDaily.com
