Asian street dance in Hollywood, salsa dance downtown, Mexican folkloric dance in Cahuenga Pass, a dance fest opens in Laguna beach, plus solo dance and world dance in Santa Monica.
5. Salsa on over
Summer is winding down and the last adventure offered by Dance Downtown LA is devoted to salsa. Watch the free show or join in (there’s a beginner lesson at each event before the free dance begins). Grand Park, 200 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Fri., Sept. 1, 7 p.m., free. http://musiccenter.org/dancedtla
Dance Downtown LA . Photo courtesy of the Music Center
4. Dancin’ round the world
Santa Monica College’s world dance ensemble Global Motion provides the dance component for the free Broad Festival. The complete line up of music and other performers with specific performance times at http://thebroadstage.org. Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, Broad Stage, 1310 11th St., Santa Monica; Sun., Sept. 3, 2 p.m., free. http://thebroadstage.org.
Solo Dolo 7’s Alex Floyd. Photo courtesy of the artist.
3. Dancin’ for one
Six performers offer inventive perspectives on the art of the solo in Solo Dolo 7. This seventh edition of the series features Barry Brannum, Alex Floyd, Ethan Marks, Lulu Obermayer, Sculptural Sound Ensemble (featuring Roksana Zeinapur), and Pallavi Sriram (in collaboration with Sid Sriram). Details on the performers and their scheduled works at http://highwaysperformance.org. Highways Performance Space, 1651 18th St., Santa Monica; Fri.-Sat., Sept. 1-2, 8:30 p.m., $20, $15 students & seniors. 310-315-1459, http://highwaysperformance.org.
DanceDance L’Asia’s Culture Shock LA. Photo courtesy of the artists.
2. Dancin’ from Asia
Dance styles and dancers from all over Asia are displayed in DANCE DANCE L’ASIA. Presented by the Japan Foundation Los Angeles, the free concert showcases Ray Basa (Philippines), Culture Shock L.A. (Korea), Good Time (Thai), WizStars (Japan) and Hilty & Bosch (Japan). Hip hop and street dance get a definite emphasis and as part of the show, Hilty & Bosch will conduct a workshop on their distinctive urban dance style. Full details, video samples and reservations at https://www.jflalc.org/ac-others-lasia. Musicians Institute Concert Hall, 1655 N. McCadden Pl., Hollywood; Sat., Sept. 2, 4 p.m., free with required reservation. https://www.jflalc.org/ac-others-lasia.
Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet. Photo courtesy of the artists.
1. Dancin’ from Mexico
Just ahead of the real Mexican Independence Day (which is September 16, not Cinco de Mayo), Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet displays why it is one of SoCal’s most popular folkloric troupes. Expect the troupe’s signature meticulous footwork and exuberantly colored costumes as the ensemble celebrates director Jose Vences 25th anniversary with dances that capture Mexico’s varied regions. Known for careful research into the regional cultures underlying his choreography, Vences unveils a new work for this celebration. Although the troupe doesn’t usually perform to live music, this anniversary event brings La Banda De Tlayacapan from Mexico to accompany the festivities. Ford Theatre, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood; Sat., Sept. 2, 8 p.m., $34-$54. https://fordtheatres.org.
Other dance of note:
Laguna Dance Festival’s Kybele Dance Theater. Photo courtesy of the artists.
Two SoCal dance troupes open this year’s Laguna Dance Festival in conjunction with the area’s First Thursday Art Walk. Kybele Dance Theater performs at the Laguna Art Museum while Entity Contemporary Dance can be found at Dawson Cole Fine Art with each troupe offering two shows during the evening. Next weekend the Festival swings into full gear with Paul Taylor Dance Company and British Columbia’s Ballet BC. Full festival details at http://LagunaDanceFestival.org. Kybele Dance at Laguna Art Museum, 307 Cliff Dr., Laguna Beach; Entity Contemporary Dance at Dawson Cole Fine Art, 326 Glenneyre St., Laguna Beach; Thurs., Sept. 7, 6:30 & 7 p.m., free. http://LagunaDanceFestival.org.
Entity Contemporary Dance. Photo courtesy of the artists.
