Contemporaries tag team in the Arts District, New Zealand visitors launch a dance fest in Laguna Beach, committed lovers keep dying downtown, a bit of Balanchine in Irvine, more SoCal dance this week, and a peek at next week.
Live This Week
A launch with grace
The mainstage performances of this year’s Laguna Dance Festival brings a first look at New Zealand’s Black Grace, directed by Neil Ieremia. The company offers a free (with reservation) Thursday preview of its merging of Pacific Islander dance with contemporary movement and on Friday is showcased in a ticketed performance. The New Zealand troupe returns Saturday to share the evening with Los Angeles Ballet. LAB, in turn, shares the stage on Sunday with the tap troupe Sophisticated Ladies. Details at the website. Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach; Thurs, Feb., 22, 6 pm, free w/reservation, Fri.-Sat., Feb. 22-24, 7:30 pm, Sun., Feb. 25, 2 pm, $60, $30 students https://lagunadancefestival.org/project/laguna-dance-festival-2024-festival/
Black Grace. Photo courtesy of the artists.
Lots of new to see
Four works, including the highly anticipated LA premiere of The Barest Echo from Flock Works (aka Alice Klock and Florian Lorchner) join contemporary choreography from Peter Chu, Amanda Kay White, and Backhausdance founder/director Jennifer Backhaus. The ensemble is a major presence in OC and its stature is deserved. This is a welcome, if rare local sighting. Hopefully, the first of many more. LA Dance Project, 2245 E. Washington Blvd., Arts District; Sat., Feb. 17, 8 pm, $30, $20 students. https://www.backhausdance.org/events
Backhausdance in “Scene Unseen” choreography by Jennifer Backhaus – Photo by Shawna Sarnowski
Three to provoke
Inspired by the events of January 6 and the reality of late stage democracy in America, the contemporary company Laurie Sefton Creates premieres Herd. Person? As a choreographer, Laurie Sefton is a thoughtful provocateur and this time considers how a person can retain or be robbed of the capacity for independent thought and action when absorbed into a larger group or tribe. The new work is joined by two other Sefton works: Triptych: Experience in Defiance, her 2018 collaboration with LA-based hip hop and spoken word artist Jason Chu and an excerpt from Girl, Get Off, her 2017 plea for sexual tolerance. LA Dance Project, 2245 E. Washington Blvd., Arts District; Thurs.-Sat., Feb. 22-24, 8 pm, $30. https://www.lauriesefton.com/events
Laurie Sefton Creates – Marlie Couto, Nicholas Sipes, Isaac Huerta, Marirosa Crawford, Maddie Lacambra in rehearsal of “Herd. Person?, choreography by Laurie Sefton – Photo by Denise Leitner.
Romeo & Juliet committed
The British choreographer who transformed Swan Lake into a tale of ballet men in feathered knickers arrives with the 2019 Matthew Bourne’s Romeo & Juliet. Shakespeare’s star-crossed central lovers remain, as does Prokofiev’s seductively dissonant score, but the action has been moved from Verona, Italy to a dystopian asylum and Juliet’s vile cousin Tybalt is now a sexually abusive warden. Bourne does darker with the best, yet still sets a standard for drawing out the poignant moments and bits of light in his shadowy retellings. The balcony pas de deux with one prolonged kiss is the master choreographer in element and kudos to the dancers for holding it together, literally. Music Center, Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Tues.-Fri., 8 pm, Sat., 2 & 8 pm, Sun., 1 & 6:30 pm, thru Sun., Feb. 25, $35-$155. CTG.
Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet. Photo by Johan Persson.
A vision in view
Faculty choreography in an array of genres and a staging of George Balanchine’s Serenade highlight UCI Dance Visions, the annual performance by the university’s dance department. Irvine Barclay Theatre, UC Irvine, 4242 Campus Dr., Irvine; Thurs.-Fri., Feb. 22-23, 8 pm, Sat., Feb. 24, 2 & 8 pm, $30, $26 seniors, $10 students & children. https://www.thebarclay.org/
UCI Dance. Photo courtesy of the artists
What’s with the bat?
Having cooperated with Pacific Opera Project on nearly a dozen operas, choreographer Amy Lawrence‘s newest project is POP’s production of Die Fledermaus (The Bat). Occidental College, Thorne Hall, 1600 Campus Rd., Eagle Rock; Sat., Feb. 17, 7 pm, Sun., Feb. 18, 3 pm, $15-$150. https://www.pacificoperaproject.com/die-fledermaus
A Peek at Next Week
BODYTRAFFIC – In Pursuit of Love at Wilshire Boulevard Temple, Audrey Irmas Pavilion, 3663 Wilshire Blvd, Mid-City; Thurs., Feb. 29, 7:30 pm, $50. https://www.bodytraffic.com/performances/home-season
BrockusRED –Blue at Veterans Memorial Complex, Garden Room, 4117 Overland Ave., Culver City; Fri.-Sat., Feb. 23-24, 7:30 pm, $15. Reservations at Esmeralda.danceinla@gmail.com
Mara Hancock, Denali Huff, Jolyn Rea, Arturo Gonzales, Bryan Burns, Rebecca Lee, and Anne Lee Rohovec in Deborah Brockus’ ” Oil-Pandora’s Box” – Photo: Ginger Sole Photography
waheedworks – Bodies as Site of Faith and Protest at USC, Bovard Auditorium, 3551 Trousdale Pkwy, University Park; Wed., Feb. 28, 7:30 pm, free w/reservation at https://visionsandvoices.usc.edu/allevents/
Tashara Gavin-Moorehead with Keisha Clark-Booth, Alli Gray Odeniyide & Malani Janel –The Fabric of Our Country at Highways Performance Space, 1651 18th St., Santa Monica; Fri.-Sat., Feb. 23-24, 8:30 pm, $25, $20 seniors/students. https://www.highwaysperformance.org/shows
MOMIX – Alice at Chapman College, Musco Center for the Arts, 415 N. Glassell, Orange; Fri., Feb. 23, 7:30 pm, $32.75 -$73. https://muscocenter.org/Online/default.asp. Also at Pepperdine University, Smothers Theater, 24255 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu; Wed., Feb. 28, 8 pm, $32.50-$65. https://arts.pepperdine.edu/events/2023-2024-season/momix-alice.htm
Momix’ “Opus Cactus”. Photo courtesy of Momix
LA Samba Dancers 23rd Annual LA Brazilian Carnaval – Carna-Folia at Teragram Ballroom, 1234 W. 7th St., downtown; Sun., Feb. 25, 4 pm, $25. https://www.braziliannites.com/events/
Benita Bike’s DanceArt at LA Mission College, AMP Theatre, 13356 Eldridge Ave., Sylmar; Thurs., Feb. 29, 7 pm, free. https://www.danceart.org/
Versa Style Dance –House Dance Battle 1 v 1 at Mihran K Studios, 135 N. Victory Blvd., Burbank; Fri., Feb. 23, 8 pm, $15, https://versastyledance.org/partners/events/
Versa-Style Dance Company. Photo courtesy of the artists
Jazz Spectrum Dance Company – Continuing the Legacy at Spectrum Dance Center, Studio Theatre, 22661 Lambert St., Suite 204-205, Lake Forest; Sun., Feb. 25, 5 pm, $42. https://www.jazzspectrumdancecompany.org/
African American Dance at the Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach; Sat.-Sun., Feb., 24-25, 9 am to 5 pm, $45, $42 seniors, $30 youth. https://www.aquariumofpacific.org/events
Featured Image: Black Grace at Laguna Dance Festival – photo courtesy of the artists
Ann Haskins Blog appears at CulturalDaily.com
