Two major U.S. companies bring classical ballet to Hollywood and Costa Mesa; flamenco and tango mix it up in Venice Beach; contemporary dance pops up in a Hollywood soundstage; al fresco dance downtown; untethered puppets improv in Culver City; more SoCal dance this week, and a peek at what’s coming next week.
Live This Week
Toe shoes at the Bowl
Ballet comes before the fireworks and cannon as San Francisco Ballet takes center stage at this summer’s Tchaikovsky Festival. An impressive roster of SFB principal dancers join the LA Phil and conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto for excerpts from Swan Lake (White Swan and Black Swan pas de deux, the Four Cygnets) and the pas de deux from George Balanchine’s Diamonds. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood; Fri.-Sat., July 18-19, 8 pm, $18-$237. Hollywood Bowl
Wona Park and Wei Wang in SF Ballet’s “Swan Lake” – Photo by Erik Tomasson.
Broken hearts on pointe
Continuing to assert its presence with SoCal as a second home, American Ballet Theatre brings the romantic classic Giselle. The performances showcase a quintet of notable dancers ranging from seasoned pairs like Hee Seo with Cory Stearns (Thurs.), Christine Shevchenko with Calvin Royal III (Fri.) and Devon Teuscher with Joo Won Ahn (Sat. eve), to rising stars like Chloe Misseldine with Aran Bell (Sat. mat.) and Skylar Brandt with the masterful Herman Cornejo (Sun.) Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa; Thurs.- Fri., July 24-25, 7:30 pm, Sat., July 26, 2 & 7:30 pm, Sun., July 27, 1 pm, $55.37 to $190.97. American Ballet Theatre
Hee Seo from American Ballet Theatre. Photo courtesy of the artist
Tango meets flamenco
With her distinctive blend of flamenco and tango backed by live music, Corina Del Sol returns with an international cast of dancers and musicians for Pasión Flamenco & Tango. Announced performers joining Del Sol include Yolanda Arroyo, Emilio Dominguez, Mikaela Kai, Michael Murphy, Ron Wagne, Jordi Caballero, Ekaterina Fedosovar, and Paco Arroyo. Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Ave., Venice; Sun., July 20, 3 pm, $30. Pasion Flamenco & Tango
Señora Corina Del Sol. Photo by Sari Makki
Pop up dance
In its latest, self-declared “disruptive pop-up,” Jacob Jonas/The Company repurposes a film soundstage under the banner ANT. The company presents two premieres, one by Jonas, the other by guest choreographer Peter Walker, a principal dancer with New York City Ballet. Soundstage Los Angeles, 2821 Council St., Los Angeles, 90026; Thurs.-Friday, July 24-25, 8 pm, $57.75. Jacob Jonas-ANT
Jacob Jonas/The Company – photo courtesy of the artist
Got the beat
True, it’s technically a drumming group, but TAIKOPROJECT’s drummers have movement as choreographed as their drumming. Expect this popular and justly celebrated LA ensemble to go all out as it takes the stage for its 25th Anniversary Celebration. Guests include the Chicanx band Quetzal and multi-instrumentalist Sumie Kaneko. Disney Hall, Music Center, 111 S. Grand Ave., Downtown; Sat., July 19, 7 pm, $35-$125. TaikoProject
TAIKOPROJECT in “Arts Grown LA”. Photo courtesy of the artists
Getting to the top
For its fourth day, World of Dance Summit hosts the World Finals. Details on viewing the finals and attending preliminary events (Thurs.-Sat.) at the website. LA Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St., Downtown; Sun., July 20, 1 to 10 pm. $48.50 w/fees. World Dance Summit
Brian Henson Presents – Puppet Up! Uncensored. Photo courtesy of Center Theatre Group
When puppets improv
The son of Muppets creator Jim Henson, takes his dad’s puppet concepts into a cast of MISKREANT puppets, crosses them with The Groundlings-style improv, adds a large dose of uncensored Avenue Q sensibility, then puts the brew into the hands of masterful Henson Company puppeteers. The result is Brian Henson Presents – Puppet Up! Uncensored. Each distinctive show includes improv driven by audience suggestions along with recreated classic Henson sketches, some not seen in decades. Recommended for age 16 and older (actually those under age 16 are not admitted). Center Theatre Group at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820 Washington Blvd., Culver City; Wed-Fri., 8 pm, Sat., 4 & 8 pm, Sun., 3 & 7 pm thru Sun., July 27. $40.25-$176. Puppet Up!
Dance DTLA. Photo courtesy of the artists
Summer dancing
Part performance, part participatory event, the free, al fresco summer series Dance DTLA continues its weekly summer season with Cumbia with Enrique Cruz. 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. The Music Center, Jerry Moss Plaza, 135 N. Grand Ave., Downtown; Fri., July 18, 7 pm, free. Music Center | Dance DTLA.
A Peek at Next Week (July 25 – 31)
Hollywood Tap Fest All Star Concert at Debbie Allen Dance Academy, 1850 S. Manhattan Place, Koreatown; Sat., July 26, 7:30 pm, $45 wo/fees. Tap Fest All Star Concert
National Choreographers Initiative at Irvine Barclay Theatre, UC Irvine, 4242 Campus Dr., Irvine; Sat., July 26, 8 pm, $28-$80. https://www.thebarclay.org/Online/mapSelect.asp
National Choreographers Initiative – photo by Dave Friedman
Ballet Project OC – Liberty Rising at the Scherr Forum, Bank of America Performing Arts Center, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks; Sat., July 26, 7 pm, $37-$77. Ballet Project OC
Dance DTLA – Reggaeton at the Music Center, Jerry Moss Plaza, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Fri., July 25, 7 pm, free. Music Center | Dance DTLA
Featured photo: Dance DTLA Photo courtesy of the Music Center
Ann Haskins’ Blog appears at CulturalDaily.com
