Dangling dancers in Culver City, flamenco in Hollywood, a celebrated dance film goes live plus bi-sexual and disabled perspectives downtown, a legend and his troupe in Laguna Beach and more SoCal dance this week.
5. Flamenco fast footwork
At age seven he burst onto Spain’s flamenco scene with impeccable, quicksilver footwork, then reigned as a principal dancer with Ballet Nacional de Espana. Now Jesús Carmona arrives with his own troupe of 11 dancers, musicians and vocalists in Impetus set to music by Spanish composers including Albeniz, Riqueni and Escudero. Ford Theatres, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood; Fri., Sept. 8, 8:30 p.m., $35-$75. http://fordtheatres.com.
4. A 3-piece suite for the occasion
Members of LA’s bisexual community join choreographer Kai Hazelwood and dancers Yvette Flores, Cheyenne Dunbar, Emma Julaud, Kiki K and Hazelwood in Three Piece Suite. Each of the suite’s three works draw on personal narratives. inVISIBLE considers the impact on families and romantic relationships when coming out as bisexual. Sh*t People Say explores marginalized groups drawing strength from mutual support. The final work Seeking, blind faith is a player in relationships. Downtown Dance & Movement, 1144 S. Hope St. (between 12th and 13th), dwntwn.; Fri., Sept. 8, 8 p.m., Sat., Sept. 9, 2 p.m., $15. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/3-piece-suite-tickets-36792339879
Downtown Dance & Movement’s Kai Hazelwood. Photo courtesy of DD&M. artist
3. Don’t leave them dangling
Dancers dangling from the balconies of City Hall highlight the fourth and final site specific event in Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre’s celebration of Culver City’s centennial and the city’s public art installations. Those dangling dancers pay tribute to artist Ed Carpenter’s Hanging Hanging Garden with its hand-blown leaded glass filtering light while acting as a wind barrier. The second act moves to Heritage Park where May Sun’s La Ballona pays tribute to Ballona Creek and its original indigenous inhabitants while Barbara McCarren’s Quotation Courtyard & Panoramic employs bricks from the original city hall and quotes from civil rights leaders. Culver City Hall, 9770 Culver Blvd., Culver City; Sat., Sept. 9, 5 & 7 p.m., $25, free for CulverCity residents. http://heididuckler.org, bit.ly/hddt1988.
Heidi Ducker Dance Theatre. Photo by Mae Koo.
2. What becomes a legend most?
From its start as a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale to life as a legendary ballet film, The Red Shoes’ story of a ballerina torn between her passion to dance and her love for a composer continues to fascinate. This isn’t the first dance or theater effort, but this incarnation, Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes, pirouettes into a new retelling in the hands of celebrated choreographer Matthew Bourne. As the man who populated Swan Lake with male swans in feathered knickers and revealed Sleeping Beauty as a vampire story, expect Bourne and his company New Adventures to bring a similar highly theatrical fever dream to the stage, the first endeavor in a new partnership between Bourne and Center Theatre Group. The announced cast includes Ashley Shaw and Cordelia Braithwaite as the ballerina, Dominic North and American Ballet Theater star Marcello Gomes as her love, with Sam Archer and Jack Jones as the Diaghilev-like impresario. Music Center, Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; opens Fri. Sept. 15, then Sat., 2 & 8 p.m., Sun., 1 & 6:30 p.m., Tues.-Fri., 8 p.m., thru Sun., Oct. 1, $30 – $130. 213-972-4400, http://CenterTheatreGroup.org.
Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes. Photo by Johan Persson.
1. Giving another perspective
Now in its 5th year, the BlakTina Dance Festival continues to spotlight established and emerging Black and Latina/Latino choreographers. This edition includes seven local, mostly contemporary choreographers plus two from Phoenix where the festival expanded this year. SoCal participants include Anthony Aceves/Akomi, Sofia Carreras/Intersect Dance Theatre, Mallory Fabian/Fabe, Regina Fergerson & Luis Vazquez, Irishia Hubbard/Hubbard Collective, Bridgette Dunn Korpela, Alvin Rangel. Phoenix-based Ashley Baker along with the duo Taimy Miranda & Joan Rodriguez represent BlakTina Phoenix AZ which debuted with a mix of L.A. and Arizona companies, realizing festival founder/director Licia Perea’s vision to expand the festival into a regional representation of the vibrant Black and Latin dance scene. Bootleg Theater, 2220 Beverly Blvd., Echo Park; Thurs.-Sat., Sept. 14-16, 7:30 p.m., $20. 213-389-3856, http://bootlegtheater.org.
InVersion Dance Project at BlakTina Dance Festival. Photo courtesy of IDC.
Other dance of note:
The drive is worth it when iconic modern dance company Paul Taylor Dance Company is the centerpiece of this year’s Laguna Dance Festival and the legendary choreographer is scheduled for a pre-performance talk. The other festival offering is Vancouver Canada’s BC Ballet. Check the festival website for other events including the pre-performance conversations with the artistic directors. Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach; Paul Taylor Dance Company: Thurs.& Sat., Sept. 14 & 16, 7:30 p.m.; $65-$75, $35-$40 students. Ballet BC: Fri., Sept. 15, 7:30 p.m., Sun., Sept. 17, 2 p.m., $65, $35 students. https://www.lagunaplayhouse.com/2017-2018-community-collaborators/laguna-dance-festival/
Paul Taylor Dance Company at Laguna Dance Festival. Photo by Paul B Goode
Just in time for Mexico’s real Independence day (which is September 14, not May 5), Fiesta Mexicana: Tequila con Limón takes the stage with Ballet Folklorico de Los Angeles de Kareli Montoya and Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar. Ford Theatres, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood; Sun., Sept. 10, 6 p.m. $42-$68. http://fordtheatres.com.
Come to watch or join in as Christine Inouye and Minyo Station reveal the mysteries of Japanese Folk Dance in this edition the JAM series. Ford Theatres, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood; Mon., Sept, 11, 7 p.m., free. http://fordtheatres.org.
It’s dancing at the library as Ballet Folkorico de Los Angeles performs. Eagle Rock Branch Library, 5027 Caspar Ave., Eagle Rock; Sat., Sept. 16, 1 p.m., free.
