Visitors start the dancing in 2019–a Chicago a contemporary troupe with live Grammy-award winning music in Beverly Hills, a Berlin ex pat launches a festival in West L.A., plus a preview of the centennial celebration of choreographer Merce Cunningham.
3. Something about Merce
A harbinger of 2019 centennial activities celebrating the life and legend of the late modern dance choreographer Merce Cunningham, Clouds and Screens, includes two large works by Andy Warhol and Charles Atlas, both artists associated with Cunningham’s company. The installation also includes two early videos of Cunningham’s work with performances and more to come during the exhibition’s run. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Hancock Park; Thurs.-Tues., thru March 31, $25, $21 students& seniors (museum admission). http://www.lacma.org/event/memprev_merce2.
2. Seriously contemporary
Once a tap and jazz troupe, over the last decades Hubbard Street Dance Chicago has emerged as a major non-New York force in contemporary dance. The company has built a reputation cultivating choreographers, mostly from Europe and Canada, who move on to other major U.S. dance companies. Launching a four-month tour, the dance company brings excerpts from its collaboration with Chicago’s Grammy-award winning Third Coast Percussion with the score performed live, plus repertoire works by Israel’s Ohad Naharin, Spain’s Alejandro Cerrudo and Canda’s Crystal Pite. Later in January, the tour heads to OC’s Musco Center for the Arts with a different program with choreography by Nacho Duato, William Forsythe, Crystal Pite, and Cerrudo. Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Bram Goldsmith Theater, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills; Thurs.-Sat., Jan. 10-12, 7:30 p.m., $35-$105. http://thewallis.org. Also at Musco Center for the Arts, Chapman University, 415 N. Glassell, Orange; Thurs., Jan. 24, $35-$65. http://muscocenter.org.
1. Launching a four week Odyssey
After more than forty years as one of L.A.’s most vibrant live theaters, the Odyssey Theatre began opening its stage to dance and three years ago launched its own dance festival. Over the next month, Dance at the Odyssey 2019 offers six different programs of contemporary dance, mostly from L.A.-based companies. The festival opens with Berlin-based choreographer Shade Théret teaming with artist Lukas Panek in Maybe. Described as a site-specific work, it will be interesting to see what the theatre’s converted industrial warehouse inspires. Théret is co-presented by the Goethe-Institut Los Angeles that brings German cultural works to L.A., mostly film but occasionally dance such as this. The festival full festival line-up is at the website. Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., W.L.A.; Sat., Jan. 5, 8 p.m., Sun., Jan. 6, 2 p.m., $25. 310-477-2055, www.OdysseyTheatre.com.