Orphaned solos gather in a new downtown home, modern dance “begets” in Pasadena, an online celebration returns live in Hollywood, jazz dance in Glendale, modern dance demystified in La Crescenta, ballet downtown, more So Cal dance this week and a peek at next week.
Live This Week
Unmasking the connections
Under the banner Roots and Branches, works by three modern dance legends Martha Graham, Lester Horton, and Mary Wigman is considered with works by choreographers who branched from those esteemed roots including LA’s own Bella Lewitzky, Don Martin, Viola Farber, John Pennington, Nancy McKnight Hauser, and Nancy Evans Doede. Doede’s company Nancy Evans Dance Theater presents this rare and valuable chance to actual view these choreographic legacies alongside each other. ARC (A Room To Create), 1158 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena; Sat., May 21, 8pm, Sun., May 22, 4pm, $25, $20 seniors & students. http://www.nancyevansdancetheatre.com/events.
Nancy Evans Dance Theatre. Photo courtesy of the artists.
Pull up a chair
One of the busiest online presences throughout the pandemic including its Kitchen Table Project, Invertigo Dance Theatre selected that celebratory project for its return to live performance. Under the banner The Kitchen Table Project: A Time to Gather, the dancers weave tales of nourishment, heritage and memory with staging specifically for this performance site. Video of the online installments at https://vimeo.com/478260678. Performance at Temple Israel of Hollywood, 7300 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; Wed., Thurs., & Sat., May 25, 26 & 27, 7:30pm. $30. https://arts.tioh.org/event/invertigo-dance-theatre-the-kitchen-table-project-a-time-to-gather/, https://arts.tioh.org/
Invertigo Dance Theatre. Photo by Sarvey Tahmasebi Rector.
One at a time together
The intrepid performance series Hi-Solo reappears at a new venue as part of MOCA Wonmi’s Warehouse Programs. Since 2015, the series was a fixture at the now closed Pieter studio. Alexx Shilling and Devika Wickremesinghe adapted dancer/choreographer Mark Heim’s structure of three-minutes solos into the series. In 2018, Alexsa Durrans and Miles Brenninkmeijer took on responsibility and curated this edition of Hi-Solo #11, assembling ten dancemakers who cover the dance spectrum from street to Latin to contemporary dance. The announced ten include Ana María Alvarez, Creighton Baxter, Shauna Davis, DeFacto X, Edgar Fabián Frías, Jackie “Miss Funk” Lopez, Jobel Medina, Yunuen Rhi, Michelle Sui, and Estrellx Supernova. The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, 152 N. Central Ave., Little Tokyo; Sat.-Sun., May 20-21, 8pm, $10. https://www.moca.org/
Jackie “Miss Funk” Lopez. Photo courtesy of the artist
Foothill dancin’
Bringing another free performance by her modern dance company Benita Bike’s DanceArt promises its distinctive brand of entertainment and enlightenment about how dance is made. La Crescent Library, 2809 Foothill Blvd., La Crescenta; Sat., May 21, 2pm, free. https://www.danceart.org/
Benita Bike’s DanceArt. Photo courtesy of the artist
Mothering songs
Mother’s Day has passed which doesn’t stop Pat Taylor and her JazzAntiqua Dance & Music Ensemble from bring jazz movement to the music of Bessie Smith, Roberta Flack, Nina Simone and others in Songs My Mother Taught Me. Another in the spring series of dance performances at Brand Library & Art Gallery, 1601 W. Mountain St., Glendale; Sat., May 21, 5pm, free. https://www.brandlibrary.org/dance-series
Jazz Antiqua Dance – photo courtesy of the artists
Not just the heart will go on
Stopping off on its national tour, Seattle-based Savannah Fuentes headlines Eterno, El Flamenco Vive joined by dancer Diego Amador Jr. from Sevilla. Zephyr Theatre, 7456 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood; Thurs., May 19, 8pm, $12-$55. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/eternoel-flamenco-vive-los-angeles-tickets-277129039417 .
Variations with permission
Students from the respected Colburn Dance Academy perform a mixed bill Pinnacle, that includes Jerome Robbins’ The Goldberg Variations (Excerpts), the first time dance students have received performance permission from the Robbins’ Trust. The program also includes Danses Concertantes and Pulcinella Variations. A livestream option is also available. Colburn School Zipper Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown; Sat., May 21, 7pm, $30. Live performance tickets at https://www.colburnschool.edu/calendar/events/pinnacle/ Livestream tickets at https://checkout.colburnschool.edu/253/309
Barak Ballet. Photo by Djeneba Aduayom.
Under the stars
Wile away the night with a performance and repast at a singular Beverly Hills estate at this gala benefiting Barak Ballet and its upcoming July performances. The higher price ticket includes a tour of the estate. Spring Fling fundraiser a Dawnridge Estate, address provided w/ticket purchase; Sat., May 21, $350 & $500. https://barakballet.org/
MashUp’s Ariana Santistevan. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Fruggin’ in Frogtown
This benefit for MashUP Contemporary Dance Company’s Spring Soiree includes a dance performance, a fine meal, drinks, a DJ and the chance to fund dancer and choreographer salaries for remaining 2022 performances. Frogtown Creative Studios, 2934 Gilroy St., Frogtown; Sat., May 21, 5pm, $100-$250. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/spring-soiree-tickets-291103116257
A Peek at Next Week
Los Angeles Ballet – Sleeping Beauty at Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, 1935 Redondo Beach Blvd., Redondo Beach; Sat., May 28, 7:30pm. Also at UCLA Royce Hall, 10745 Dickson Court, Westwood; Fri., June 3, 7:30pm, Sat., June 4, 2pm. Also at the Alex Theater, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale; Sat., June 11, 7:30pm, $34-$131 (student, senior & military discounts available). https://www.losangelesballet.org/
Los Angeles Ballet’s “Sleeping Beauty.” Photo by Reed Hutchinson.
Dance at the Odyssey Festival presents LA Contemporary Dance Company at The Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., West LA; Thurs.-Sat., June 2-4 & June 9-11, 8pm, Sun., June 5 & 12, 2pm, $25, $15 students. boxoffice@odysseytheatre.com
Mixed eMotion Theatrix – Gatsby Redux at the Muckenthaler Cultural Center, 1201 W. Malvern Ave., Fullerton; Wed. & Fri., June 1 & 3, 7pm, $30, $20 students. https://themuck.org/program/2022-06-01
The Wooden Floor –39th Annual Concert at Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Dr., Irvine; Thurs.-Fri., June 2-3, 8pm, Sat., June 4, 2:30 & 8pm, $10-$50. https://thewoodenfloor.org/annualconcert
Featured Image: Invertigo Dance Theatre. Photo courtesy of the artists
Ann Haskins Blog appears at CulturalDaily.com
