Downtown dance on a raft; Mother Goose goes ballet in Costa Mesa; a Philippine snake celebration in Sierra Madre; a ballet festival in Laguna Beach, contemporary dance in West LA, El Sereno, Frogtown, Palm Springs, and downtown; Swan Lake choreographer segues to Sondheim; plus a peek at next week.
Live This Week
What are we?
The penultimate weekend of the Dance at the Odyssey brings the compelling Spenser Theberge teamed with Maxwell Transue who provides live sound composition for Intimates, a real-time exploration of identity and self. Odyssey Theatre, 2955 S. Sepulveda Blvd., WLA; Fri.-Sat., Feb. 7-8, 8 pm, Sun., Feb. 9, 7 pm, $25. Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
Spenser Theberge. Photo by Jacob Jonas
X marks the spot
Marking its 20th anniversary, the Laguna Dance Festival presents another curated lineup of dancers and companies. The mainstage festival opens with two nights of the vibrant contemporary company Ballet X from Philadelphia (Thurs. & Fri.). Stars of the Dance (Sat. eve. & Sun. mat.) includes dancers from Houston Ballet, Boston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet and JA Collective in classical and contemporary choreography including a world premiere by festival founder/artistic director Jodie Gates in collaboration with the Laguna Beach Music Festival. Full details and ancillary events at the website. Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach; Thurs.-Sat., Feb. 6-8, 7:30 pm, Sun., Feb. 9, 2 pm, $75, $25 student. https://lagunadancefestival.org/
Ballet X Photo courtesy of the artists
Set adrift
In the West Coast premiere of Weathering, choreographer Faye Driscoll sets her dancers adrift on a raft, surrounded by the audience, to explore how large events impact individual bodies. The New York Times review found “the performers seem like the last holdouts of a civilization clinging to survival.” The media release cautions there is nudity and loud sounds. REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd St., downtown; Thurs.-Sat., Feb. 6-8, 8:30 pm, $27, $22 student. https://www.redcat.org/events/2025/faye-driscoll
Faye Driscoll. Photo by Maria Baranova
Alice Coltrane meets Mother Goose
A retelling of Ma mère l’Oye (Mother Goose) pairs with a tribute to jazz great Alice Coltrane in this visit from Alonzo King LINES Ballet. The dancers embody the movement and they traverse King’s choreography which makes the getting to a position as fascinating as the destination. As of this writing, the show is nearly sold out. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa; Fri., Feb. 7, 7:30 pm, $44.07-$134.47 https://www.scfta.org/events/2025/alonzo-king-lines-ballet
Adji Cissoko and Robb Beresford in LIGHTENED – Alonzo King LINES Ballet – Photo by RJ Muna
The whole truth
Presented by Heidi Duckler Dance, the ongoing salon series Truth or Consequences opens 2025 with dancer/choreographer Jasmine Albuquerque curating Close to the Ground. The evening includes dancers Maija Knapp and B Gosse, along with poet Nandi Zulu. The Bendix Building, 1206 Maple Ave., Suite 1100B, LA Arts District; Sat., Feb. 15, 6 pm, $40 presale, $50 at door. https://heididuckler.org/events-cal/
Maija Knapp. Photo courtesy of the artist
Dance to party
This dance performance and dance party from Co-Show9 has a line up that includes Andersmith, Cayla Mae Simpson, David Rue & Tatiana Marie, Jen Lacy w/ Cacia LaCount, Jesse Smith, Jordan Saenz, Maya Tacon & Emma Lawes, Montay Romero, plus music by Calico. Pink Box Studio, 966 E. Pico Blvd., downtown Fashion District, Fri., Feb. 7, 8 & 10 pm, $20-$52. https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/coseattle/show9
Cayla Mae Simpson. Photo courtesy of the artist
Locavore dance
A pre-show cocktail hour and a post-performance Q&A are part of An Evening of Dance showcasing new work by LA-based dancemakers. Announced participants include Isabella Halek, Megan Goldstein, Nathan Madden, and Renee Donovan. Stomping Ground LA, 5453 Alhambra Ave., El Sereno; Fri.-Sat., Feb. 7-8, 6 pm, $20. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/an-evening-of-dance-tickets-1081511081759
Nathan Madden. Photo courtesy of the artist
Eight with ten
Eight choreographers offer a ten minute glimpse at their newest work as MashUp Contemporary Dance Company hosts its first Choreography Open Mic Night of 2025. The series continues to showcase choreographers and give audiences an first look of new dance. Frogtown Studio, 2926 Gilroy St., Elysian Valley; Sat., Feb. 8, 7 pm, $15. https://www.mashupdance.com/
MashUp Contemporary Dance Company – photo courtesy of the artists
The year of the snake
The dancers of Kayamanan Ng Lahi Philippine Folk Arts welcome the Year of the Snake with Pagdiriwang – A Celebration of Philippine Culture. The family-friendly show is the company’s first of two performances this season at this new venue for dance. Sierra Madre Playhouse, 87 West Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre; Sat., Feb. 8, 11 am, $12. https://www.sierramadreplayhouse.org/calendar
Kayamanan Ng Lahi Philippine Folk Arts. Photo courtesy of the artists
Desert doings
Part performance showcase, part fundraiser, Palm Springs Dance Project brings performers to the stage for an afternoon of demonstration and dance. In Movement, 38905 Monterey Ave., Rancho Mirage; Sat., Feb. 8, 4 pm, $20, $10 children. https://inmovementdance.com/
Palm Springs Dance Project. Photo courtesy of the artists
Sondheim and Bourne, ‘nuf said
Headlined by Bernadette Peters, Lea Solonga and the cream of British musical theater stars, Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends makes its U.S. debut here before heading to Broadway. Shortly after Sondheim’s death, director/choreographer Matthew Bourne and producer Cameron MacKintosh gathered a stellar cast of close friends and associates of the late composer/lyricist as one-night only tribute. But once was not enough, and with almost all of the original cast intact, the show returned in 2024 for a wildly successful extended run. Bourne’s long relationship with Center Theater Group may have helped nab the show, again with its cast of Sondheim stars, for this U.S. opening ahead of a Broadway run. Music Center, Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Sat., Feb. 8, – Sun., March 9, official opening Thurs., Feb. 13, then Tues.-Fri., 8 pm, Sat., 2 & 8 pm, Sun., 1 & 6:30 pm, $25 – $195.50. Center Theatre Group | Los Angeles, CA.
Bernadette Peters, Lea Salonga and cast of “Old Friends.” Photo by Danny Kaan
A Peek at Next Week
Batsheva Dance Company – Momo at Music Center, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Fri.-Sat., Feb. 14-15, 7:30 pm, Sun., Feb. 16, 2 pm, $49-$163. https://www.musiccenter.org/
Twyla Tharp – Diamond Jubilee at Segerstrom Center for the Arts,600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa; Sat., Feb. 15, 7:30 pm & Sun., Feb. 16, 1 pm, $44.07 – $134.47. https://www.scfta.org/. Also at Cal State University Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge; Feb. 22, 8 pm, Sun., Feb. 23, 3 pm, $47-$128. https://thesoraya.org/en/
Heidi Duckler Dance – Truth or Consequences: Close to the Ground at The Bendix Building, 1206 Maple Ave., Suite 1100B, LA Arts District; Sat., Feb. 15, 6 pm, $40 presale, $50 at door. https://heididuckler.org/events-cal/
Shamel Pitts | TRIBE – BLACK HOLE- Trilogy and Triathlon at UCLA Glorya Kaufman Dance Theater, Kaufman Hall, 120 Westwood Plaza, Westwood; Sat., Feb. 15, 8 pm, $38.08. Shamel Pitts’ BLACK HOLE – Trilogy And Triathlon | CAP UCLA
Laurie Sefton Creates – Nicholas Sipes, Marlie Couto, Sidney Scully in Herd. Person? – Photo by Skye Schmidt Varga.
Laurie Sefton Creates at LA Dance Project, 2245 E. Washington Blvd., LA Arts District; Thurs.-Sat., Feb. 20-22, 8 pm, $35 presale, $40 at door. https://ci.ovationtix.com/35353/production/1189190
Cirque Kalabanté – Afrique en Cirque at Cal State University LA, Luckman Fine Arts Complex, 5151 State University Dr., East LA; Sun., Feb. 16, 6 pm, $25-$65. https://theluckman.org/
Clay Collective – Dance at the Odyssey at Odyssey Theatre, 2955 S. Sepulveda Blvd., WLA; Fri.-Sat., Feb. 14-15, 8 pm, Sun., Feb. 16, 2 pm, $25. https://odysseytheatre.com/
Featured photo: MashUp Contemporary Dance Company – photo courtesy of the artist
Ann Haskins’ Blog appears at CulturalDaily.com
