Dancers are trained to respond to real time events that occur during performances and are adept at adjusting to adverse circumstances on stage. That resilience has been evident as Covid-19 took dance and other live performance off stage. Dance went viral with an explosion of on-line classes and video experiments with movement ‘handed-off’ among dancers or social distanced. Now companies are offering virtual versions of planned performance and previously filmed performances from a time that already seems long ago and far, far away. Now in the sixth week of the lockdown, the cancellation of scheduled live dance performances sadly continues, yet new approaches emerge as companies stream recorded performances and experiment with reconceived on-line events.
Performance Now Online (***)
***Heidi Duckler Dance‘s “Illuminating The Chandelier.” This “zoomed” site specific new work finds Duckler returning for inspiration to the writings of Brazilian author Clarice Lispector, specifically her novel The Chandelier which considers the interior monologue of a woman in isolation, with dissociated and dreamlike feelings who has trouble connecting to the world around her. An apt subject during pandemic quarantine. The live stream offers a shortened version of the work originally scheduled for last weekend at the Wallis and now rescheduled for a fall premiere, but for now, previewable online with registration. Thurs., April 30, 5 p.m. (available OnDemand afterward), free with registration; suggested donation $5. https://www.eventbrite.com/d/online/heidi-duckler-dance-illuminating-the-chandelier/.
Heidi Duckler Dance’s “Illuminating the Chandelier.”
*** Donna Sternberg & Dancers Last week this troupe’s always engaging Transit Dances along the Expo Light Rail line was among the cancelled events, but this week they’re back with an on-line encore of a different work. Fans of DS&S who enjoyed or maybe missed the troupe’s February performances at the Odyssey Theater get another chance with the reprise of One, Sternberg’s latest choreographic collaboration with a noted scientist, presciently an immunologist, Devavani Chatterjea. The broadcast of the filmed performance will be followed by a talk back with Donna, Devavani, costume designer Rosalida Medina, and dancer Ani Darcey. Zoom; Saturday, May 2, 7 p.m. Details & links at https://dsdancers.com/events, https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86055909459?pwd=dFlicVpPZTA0K00yaFpjKzhlNERZZz09.
Donna Sternberg & Dancers’ “One.” Photo by Paul Antico.
Cancelled/postponed:
BODYTRAFFIC’s “Minghella” at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Beverly Hills; Wed.-Sat., April 29-May 2. https://thewallis.org/, http://bodytraffic.com/. All Wallis events cancelled or postponed until after May 31.
BODYTRAFFIC. Photo by Rob Latour.
Louise Reichlin & Dancers/Louise Reichlin Choreographers & Dancers’ “Patchwork Girl of Oz” at Noble Avenue Elementary School Auditorium, North Hills; Thurs., April 30. https://lachoreographersanddancers.org/. Cancelled.
Louise Reichlin & Dancers/Louise Reichlin Choreographers & Dancers’ “Patchwork Girl of Oz.” Photo courtesy of the artists.
Rhapsody in Taps The annual National Tap Day Celebration at Impact Dance Center, Los Alamitos; Sun., May 3. http://www.rhapsodyintaps.com/. Cancelled.
Rhapsody in Taps. Photo courtesy of the artists.
Shen Yun All SoCal venues in April and May have been postponed. https://www.shenyun.com/.
Shen Yun. Photo courtesy of the artists.
