Last month LA Dance Chronicle published an article announcing the performers for the 64th annual ‘L.A. County Holiday Celebration taking place at The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Sunday, December 24, 2023 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Since then the list of dance companies performing has grown. The event will be hosted by internationally renowned mezzo soprano Suzanna Guzmán and actor/model/disabilities advocate Danny J. Gomez. A live broadcast of the show airs on PBS SoCal on Sunday, Dec. 24 from 3 p.m.–6 p.m. live streaming at pbssocal.org, and on the free PBS App. Admission to the live performance is FREE.
The list of dance companies include:
The traditional Korean dance from the Hiza Yoo Korean Dance Institute. The director, Hiza Yoo, began studying dance in Korea at the age of 4 with nationally renowned dance instructors Baeck Bong Kim and Mrs. Soon Kim. To appeal to a wider and more diverse audience, Yoo went on to develop her own innovative and modern movements and styles. She relocated to the U.S.A. in 1972 and now resides in Los Angeles. Her company has performed nationally and internationally and Yoo has received more than 40 certificates of appreciation from the various organizations including the Obama President Volunteer Service Award, L.A. City, Councilman Mitchell Englander, LACMA, Pacific Asia Museum, and Korean Cultural Center, to name a few.
Hiza Yoo Dance Institute – Photo courtesy of the artist.
Los Angeles based M Dance Collective will perform a Chinese calligraphy-inspired work.
M Dance Collective – Photo courtesy of the artist.
Reverb Tap Company is under the direction of acclaimed Artistic Director and Choreographer, Leah Silva. They are known for combining dance and film and for their fierce footwork and cutting edge style. Their credits include featured entertainment for the Emmy Awards, Official Selection for the acclaimed Newport Beach Film Festival, performances at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, sold-out full-length shows (“All We Got: Life of the American Teenager” & “The Space Between”), and featured entertainment at the Young Artists Academy Awards, to list only a few.
Divas and Drummers of Compton is a drumline and music education program for youth and teens with performances that offer drum-accompanied dancers. Their many appearances include performing in the Super Bowl LVI pre-game show, America’s Got Talent, and NBC Access Daily.
Blue13 Dance Company performing “Diya aur Toofan” by Artistic Director/choreographer Achinta McDaniel – Photo by Kevin Parry
Another well-known LA dance company appearing on the L.A. County Holiday Celebration is Blue13 Dance Company conceived and led by artistic director, Achinta S. McDaniel. The company has performed nationally and internationally presenting its highly energetic and theatrical modern dance style that is inspired in part by the classical and cultural art forms of the Indian subcontinent. In Los Angeles, Blue13 Dance Company has performed at the Hollywood Bowl, REDCAT, and The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.
Técnica Arte y Folklore – Photo courtesy of the artist.
The program also includes Mexican folkloric dancing and colorful costumes from Técnica Arte y Folklore, a company that is “dedicated to sharing Mexican folklore dance through performance, workshops and seminars. Técnica Arte y Folklore instills a sense of ownership and respect amongst its students for Mexican folklore dance starting from traditional Contemporary techniques such as Horton, Graham, Limon to later works of zapateado technique.” The Music Center website.
XoroTroptzi – Photo courtesy of the artist.
Founded in 2012 under the patronage and guidance of the Bulgarian-American Cultural Educational Forum in Los Angeles, XoroTroptzi offers traditional Bulgarian folk dance. The ensemble consists primarily of immigrants and Bulgarian-Americans whose ethnographic research and traditional costumes help inspire their repertoire development.
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WHAT: The 64th annual ‘L.A. County Holiday Celebration at The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
WHEN:
- Free in-person event: Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023 from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m.
- Hosted by Suzanna Guzmán and Danny J. Gomez
- A live broadcast of the show airs on PBS SoCal on Sunday, Dec. 24 from 3 p.m.–6 p.m.
- Live streaming at pbssocal.org
WHO:
- Performing artists from across Los Angeles County
- Sponsored by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
- Produced by The Music Center and PBS SoCal in association with CDK Productions
- Directed by Emmy® award-winning producer/director Kenneth Shapiro
- Live telecast, streaming and encore broadcast on PBS SoCal; streaming and encore broadcasts at KCET
WHERE: The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012
PARKING: FREE in The Music Center parking garage.
ADMISSION:
- FREE; no reservations or tickets to the show.
- First-come, first-seated.
- The line usually begins to form around noon.
For more information, go to HolidayCelebration.org or call the information hotline: (213) 972-3099.
Written by Jeff Slayton for LA Dance Chronicle with information included by Lucy Pollack Public Relations.
Featured image: Reverb Tap – Photo by Timothy Norris
