Jacob Jonas Makes Beverly Hills “The Company” Town

Wild west ballet in Redondo Beach, an iconic folkloric ensemble in East L.A., an L.A. troupe settles in Beverly Hills, site specific dance in a Culver City nature center, dance concerning breast cancer in Pasadena, and more SoCal dance this busy week.

 5.  Dancers go “gaga”

Something old and something new in this performance by choreographer Danielle Agami and her contemporary company Ate9. Accomplished proponents of Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin’s technique dubbed “gaga,” the dancers perform Old/News, an update of Sally Meets Stu, Agami’s first work in L.A. after relocating here from Seattle. The choreographer takes the stage for Framed, her first solo for herself. Temple Israel of Hollywood, 7300 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; Sat. & Mon., Oct. 20 & 22, 8 p.m., Sun., Oct. 21, 7 p.m., $30. https://arts.tioh.org/events.

Ate9. Photo courtesy of the artists.
Ate9. Photo courtesy of the artists.

4.  Honoring folkloric roots

The company that introduced Mexican folkloric dance to the concert stage in 1952 and spawned a generation of folkloric ensembles arrives for three performances.  While founding director Amalia Hernández is relegated to the company name, Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández continues her legacy under the current leadership. Luckman Fine Arts Complex, 5151 State University Dr., East L.A., Fri.-Sat., Oct. 19-20, 8 p.m., Sun., Oct. 21, 6 p.m., $28-$50. https://www.ticketmaster.com.

Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández. Photo courtesy of the artist.

3.  Ballet in the “no tutu” zone

Not a tutu in sight, well not until dancers show up with cowboy hats as Los Angeles Ballet launches its 2018-2109 season flexing its contemporary ballet chops. The program features works from two rising choreographers Alejandro Cerrudo (recent resident choreographer at Hubbard Street Dance) and Aszure Barton (recently announced as a resident artist at USC). Later in the season, Los Angeles Ballet reprises its popular Nutcracker and in the spring brings a double bill of two classics, La Sylphide and George Balanchine’s Serenade, but the opening burst is Cerrudo’s Lickety Split to songs by Devendra Banhart and Barton’s Les Chambres de Jacques. And the cowboy hats? They arrive in  Balanchine’s exuberant Western Symphony that closes the program. Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, 1935 Redondo Beach Blvd., Redondo Beach; Sat., Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m., $36-$104. 310-998-7782, https://losangelesballet.org.

Los Angeles Ballet in "Western Symphony". Photo by Reed Hutchinson.
Los Angeles Ballet in “Western Symphony”. Photo by Reed Hutchinson.

2.  The Dude meets Romeo and Juliet

Gustavo Dudamel conducts the L.A. Philharmonic in the lush Sergei Prokofiev ballet Romeo and Juliet with segments danced by members of the L.A. Dance Project. LADP artistic director Benjamin Millepied choreographed and will film the dancers as they move from the concert hall to the photogenic Disney exteriors with the outside activity broadcast and on view inside. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown; Thurs.-Sat., Oct. 18-20, 8 p.m., Sun., Oct. 21, 2 p.m., $73-$222. 323-850-2000, https://www.laphil.com.

Los Angeles Dance Project. Photo courtesy of LADP.
Los Angeles Dance Project. Photo courtesy of LADP.

1.  Moving into a new residency

In five short years, Jacob Jonas The Company has built a public and critical following for an athletic blend of ballet, street and contemporary dance. One of Jonas’ talents is incorporating dancers with different backgrounds and styles into a distinctive L.A. brew that still allows each particular style full reign. Its stature was further confirmed when this venue selected Jonas and his eponymous troupe as its 2018-2019 company in residence with the funding and heightened visibility that brings. These performances will be followed by a different show next spring, but for this opening sortie Jonas augments three of his own dances with commissioned works from guest choreographers Donald Byrd (who was one of Jonas’ mentors) and Latino choreographer Omar Román de Jesús. Wallis Annenberg Theater, Lovelace Theater, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills; Wed.-Fri., Oct. 24-26, 8 p.m., Sat., Oct. 27, 2:30 & 8 p.m., $35. http://thewallis.org/jacobjonas

Jacob Jonas The Company. Photo courtesy of JJTC.
Jacob Jonas The Company. Photo courtesy of JJTC.

            Other dance of note:

A bit of the devil and a bit of a tease as American Contemporary Ballet offers two new works from artistic director Lincoln Jones to compositions by Charles Wuorinen. Dante’s Divine Comedy inspired Inferno, with the world of Gypsy Rose Lee the source for Burlesque. ACB Studios, The Bloc, 700 S. Flower St., Suite 3200, downtown; Fri., Oct. 19 & 26, 8 p.m., Sat., Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m., Sat., Oct. 27, 7:30 & 10 p.m., Tues., Oct. 30, 8 p.m., Wed., Oct. 31, 7:30 & 10 p.m., $45-$90, $200-$500 (10/12 only). 213-878-9020, https://www.acbdances.com.

American Contemporary Ballet in "Inferno". Photo by Jared Zagha.
American Contemporary Ballet in “Inferno”. Photo by Jared Zagha.

It’s a Hallowe’en sequel to Romeo & Juliet as choreographer Leigh Purtill and her Leigh Purtill Ballet Company consider the two lovers after their death in Sweet Sorrow, A Zombie Ballet. The non-professional dancers portray witches, vampires and zombies in this seasonal performance. Lanterman Auditorium, 4491 Cornishon Ave., La Cañada Flintridge; Sat., Oct. 20, 7 p.m., Sun., Oct. 21, 4 p.m., $20, $15 students. http://LeighPurtillBallet.com.     

Leigh Purtill Ballet Company. Photo by Clarence Alford Photography.
Leigh Purtill Ballet Company. Photo by Clarence Alford Photography.

Jones Welsh and Anne-Marie Talmadge were known separately in the local dance community, particularly for their work with Diavolo and more recently together as a couple involved in an array of projects. This concert is something of an adieu as the two head to China for three years with a Cirque du Soleil project. The evening includes live performance of original choreography, food, a dance party, and what is described as shamanic ceremony and movement healing. The top ticket includes unlimited drinks which are otherwise available for purchase. Diavolo Studio, 616 Moulton Ave., Lincoln Heights; Sat., Oct. 20, 6 p.m. $40, $10. http://www.centergravity.org.

Jones Welsh and Anne-Marie Talmadge. Photo by Mansour Rachid.
Jones Welsh and Anne-Marie Talmadge. Photo by Mansour Rachid.

The title See the Music, Hear the Dance, quotes choreographer George Balanchine as Trudi Zipper Dance Institute opens its performance season with recently retired New York City Ballet principal dancer Joaquin De Luz. Still at the height of his powers, De Luz performs Jerome Robbins’ A Suite of Dances. Originally choreographed for Mikhail Baryshnikov, the work is set to three movements from Bach’s Cello Suites, performed liveInstitute Dean Jenifer Ringer, another NYCB alum, hosts a post performance discussion. Colburn School, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown; Fri., Oct. 19, 7 p.m., $12.50-$25. https://www.colburnschool.edu/performances/tickets.

The signage at this nature center inspired choreographer Donna Sternberg and provides an al fresco setting for her Donna Sternberg & Dancers to perform Stoneview. Sternberg is a veteran at combining dance with science and natural settings. Audience members are advised to wear comfortable shoes and hats for following the dancers through the garden. The afternoon includes a brief post performance discussion on native and drought resistant plants with certified landscape designer Jill Jacobson-Bennett. Stoneview Nature Center, 5950 Stoneview Dr., Culver City; Sat., Oct. 20, 3 p.m., free (also free parking). http://dsdancers.com.

Donna Sternberg & Dancers. Photo courtesy of DS&D.
Donna Sternberg & Dancers. Photo courtesy of DS&D.

The folks at L.A. Performance Practice conclude the ten-day LAX Festival with more dance, theater and performance at several downtown venues. Here’s two dance-centric events with full festival info at https://performancepractice.la/festival:

     A solo that evolved into a quintet and now returns as a solo, The undergird from choreographer Meg Foley considers loss and grief. Think Tank  Gallery, 939 Maple Ave., downtown; Thurs-Fri., Oct. 18-19, 8 p.m., $20.

    Something of a love story, a rumination on human isolation and consideration of the American West, Pandaemonium features Nichole Canuso, Lars Jan and Geoff Sobelle. L.A. Theater Center, 514 S. Spring St., downtown; Fri.-Sat., Oct. 19-20, 8:30 p.m., Sun., Oct. 21, 4 p.m., $20. https://performancepractice.la/festival/tickets.

Pacifico Dance Company. Photo by Gennia Cui.
Pacifico Dance Company. Photo by Gennia Cui.

Performing dances drawn from Michoacan, Costa Chica, Nayarit, Jalisco and the border with the U.S., Pacifico Dance Company employs traditional dance to take an audience on a family friendly tour of Mexico in Mexico, de Tierra a Mar. The Broad Stage, 1310 11th St., Santa Monica; Sat., Oct. 20, 11 a.m., $5. 310-434-3200, http://thebroadstage.org

Armed with more true stories, Lineage Dance Company returns to its thoughtful Healing Blue, inspired by women confronting breast cancerThe work reflects the dance company’s 12-year relationship with The Foundation for Living Beauty, a non-profit cancer support organization. First United Methodist Church of Pasadena, 500 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena; Sat., Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m., $20, $15 students. http://www.lineagedance.org.

Two dance companies share the stage as Jacksonville Dance Theatre joins Nancy Evans Dance Theater performing works by Rebecca R. Levy, Nancy Evans Doede and Jenn Logan. ARC Pasadena, 1158 E. Colorado St., Glendale; Sat., Oct. 20, 8 p.m., Sun., Oct. 21, 7 p.m., $20-$25. http://www.nancyevansdancetheatre.com.

Nancy Evans Dance Theater. Photo courtesy of NEDT.
Nancy Evans Dance Theater. Photo courtesy of NEDT.

Just outside the Lula Washington Dance Theatre studio, the parking lot becomes a stage for an array of dance troupes and choreographers who will Dance All Day as part of the day-long Taste of Soul Street Festival. Lula Washington Dance Theatre, 3773 Crenshaw Blvd., Baldwin Hills; Sat., Oct. 20, 10 a.m.-7p.m., free. http://lulawashington.org.

It’s modern dance from Israel as the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company arrives with the full-length  Horses in the Sky. Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Dr., Irvine; Wed., Oct. 24, 8 p.m., $48-$100. http://thebarclay.org.

Live performance by Marina Magalhães, DJ Tara Jane O’Neil, drinks and light fare highlight Pieter’s 2nd Annual Gala with 100% of the gala proceeds going to underwrite free classes by artists in residence, workshops, performances and Pieter Dancemakers Grant for women choreographers over 40 years. For nine years Pieter has been a home for inventive artists and for one night, it will host an appropriately inventive gala. Pieter, 420 W. Avenue 30, Glassell Park; Sat., Oct. 20, 7 p.m.; $25-$100. https://pieter.brownpapertickets.com

Champagne, chef-prepared food and dance performance highlight Los Angeles Dance Project’s gala. Hauser & Wirth, 901 E. 3rd St., downtown; Sat., Oct. 20, 7 p.m., for ticket price e-mail support@ladanceproject.org.

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