New Original Works Festival 2014

It is good to see the NOW Festival feature a strong and diverse roster of dance artists.  Here's our thoughts about REDCAT's NOW Festival, program 1, from Saturday July, 26.

Wilfried Souly.  Photo Credit Steven Gunther

The evening's first offering, Saana/The Foreigner by Wilfried Souly, began in the lobby with a processional.  A hallway of people milling about, waiting to be let into the theatre, quickly formed a corridor for Souly, who moved fluidly between ceremonial gestures and intimate emotions.  We felt simultaneously welcomed and voyeuristic.  Once we were situated in our seats, the piece resumed.  Musicians continued the idea of the procession as they gradually descended the stairs to the stage, and Souly continued to play between realms of the formal/public and the private/intimate.  Souly has a rolling, rich physicality and a beautiful command of his quick-changing expressions.  Like the winding and unwinding of his arms, the structure of the piece unfolded and wound around us.  From brief flashes of humor to projections of invasive immigration questions to the fragility of our own stories, Souly brings us into his world, a world we are all part of in some way or another.  He ends by gazing right at the audience.  It is intensely personal, not just to him, but to all of us.

Rosanna Gamson/World Wide.  Photo Credit Steven Gunther

Rosanna Gamson's World Wide: Still followed.  Her world feels less emotionally personal and more virtuosic, more constructed.  It is a world full of light and shadows and ever-shifting dreamscapes.  Through brilliantly executed lighting design, dancers appear and disappear seamlessly in a world shaped and re-shaped by gauzy curtains.  The musical choices were beautiful and varied, although many of them were over too quickly.  The sensations of being in a dream were vivid and the dancers attacked their lush, gorgeous movement beautifully.  While brilliant in construction, virtuosic on many levels and visually stunning, there was a lot of room for more of an emotional connection.  It was hard to find a reason to care for these dreamers, even as they took our breath away.

We hope you'll be able to check out REDCAT's NOW festival 2014.  The festival runs until August 9.  Click here to get your tickets and maybe we'll see you there.

- Spot LA

Laurel Tentindo's Image Action Text

Last night I attended Laurel Tentindo’s performance of Image Action Text at Automata Arts in Chinatown and, BOY, I was impressed with this former Trisha Brown Dancer’s work.  Laurel has been in LA for approx. 2 years and I already look forward to seeing more work to come. Image Action Text is about 45 minutes in length straight-through with projected text on what appeared to be a slate gray back-drop.  Live music was performed by Miguel Frasconi and other production collaborators included costume design by Maria Garcia and lighting design by Moira Lael MacDonald.  Prior to my work as a blogger, I first became familiar with Miguel’s electronics and  instrumentarium of glass objects via LINES Ballet when I was the Company Manager.  It was a huge deal to see Miguel Frasconi live and it was truly a special evening.... The first half of the performance began with slow intricate movements among the six artists and the movement, paired with the narrowness of the stage, and minimal minimal set design, made for awesome shadows cast on the walls.  I found myself, in fact, watching alluring images in action.  I can’t speak for other audience members but, I, along with the performers, took a kinesthetic journey through a sonic field created by Miguel Frasconi.  I had hoped for more movement in the first half but space limitations were clearly at play.  There were certain bouts where movement picked up but costuming choices limited full visibility of dance aesthetic.  About 30 minutes into the performance, 3 female artists came out with very interesting puppeteer-esque costuming on their heads.  The music changed slowly from glass instrumentarium to electronic music and this is where I found the sweetness of Laurel’s work.  The work became much faster, broad, technical, and honed and it was in this section that I could see the artistry shine.  Beyond that, as the 3 female artists were clearly “Killing-It” it on stage, I connected with the work and Miguel’s familiar electronic mix.  The Music then transitioned and there was a beautiful 2-3 minute section where the 3 female artists were slowly moving as their head-dressings cast shadows of puppetry strings and marionettes against the set.  At this moment, I was provoked to reflect upon the notion of artist versus work, as manipulator and how artists can act simultaneously as both puppet and puppeteer.  I hope you get a chance to see Laurel's Image Action Text with collaborative performers, Barry Brannum, Alexandra Shilling, Samantha Mohr, Madison Page, and Milka Djordjevich.  They have a performance tonight at 8pm and Tomorrow, June 28th.  Also, check out Automata Arts' website. They're doing some interesting things there.

MR

Laurel Tentindo.  Photo Credit Taso Papadakis

Here I am post-performance in the house with LA Contemporary Dance Company Artistic Director, Kate Hutter, and LA-based Choreographer Kevin Williamson.

Bodytraffic and the work of Barak Marshall, a guest review by Ryan Stanford

Bodytraffic in Green Bride.  Photo Credit Tomas Rossa

Kinder! Kirche! Küche!

I attended the BodyTraffic performance of the work of Barak Marshall at the Bovard Auditorium at USC March 27th.  The opening piece was Adir Adirim, an excerpt from his 2008 show Monger.  Mr. Marshall explained that one of the influences was Jean Genet’s Les Bonnes and it showed as the female dancers were objectified and leered upon by the barely moving male dancers.  The Masters versus the Maids, the powerless chafing under a restrictive dominion.  All of the energy was produced by the women, the prey.  This portrayal of women, the Female was continued throughout the entire show.  

It became apparent that the treatment of the women within the choreography typified the European Jewish experience before, during and after WWII.  The costuming reflected the times as the men were dressed in garb of those years and the women wore minimalist versions of the traditional dirndl.  Elements of Tango and Bollywood reinforced the subservience of the females on stage.  There was also play with modern Jewish stereotypes of women:  the castrating, idle Jewish American Princess, the antithesis of the Hausfrau.  Several of the pieces portrayed the women as animalistic in both demeanor and thought as well as utterly powerless without male attention, protection.  The use of animal imagery brought to mind the Nazi propaganda movies depicting Jews as rats and the use of cattle cars to the camps.  

Cuisine as metaphor was also utilized.  Three women played dumb as three men talked of animals and their delectable preparation again eluding to ovens, slaughter and an indifference to plight, and again undergirding the women as hapless and in need of care. A humorous nod to Yiddish Theater and the Borscht Belt, which were raucous, interactive and course affairs, came as the female dancers bickered and castigated the audience.  This droll moment actually just underlined the voicelessness of the women as they could not be heard.   

There was also an interesting, yet somewhat disjointed  fusion of commentary from Margalit Oved.  She is from Aden and thusly of the Shepardic Jewish tradition which is different from the Ashkanazi tradition of Eastern Europe and the Jews to confront the Holocaust at home.  Her masterful use of ululation was a conduit through which the two traditions were married, the European temperament of the performance and that of modern Israel in a hostile Middle East.  Art and Identity transcending direct experience.  

The final number was Danke Schoen.  This song is redolent of the post-war German Economic Miracle and the American presence in West Germany.  It encapsulates the exuberance of the reconstruction and a forward future focus.  It is most associated with Wayne Newton and Las Vegas so that made for an amusing and smaltzy choice.  Other than that song, the music could be peripatetic, then brooding.  A grand melange of culture influences well considered.

The production itself was a soupçon amateurish.  During the post-performance discussion, Mr. Marshall mentioned that the show was conceived three years prior and that one of the dancers did not even begin practice yet one week before the show.  The skill of the choreographer and the dancers’ tore through the repetitive nature of some the the hand gestures and the lack of synchronicity within the corps.  The raw talent could and should be further honed.  The story as well seemed blunt and facile.  It is still quite interesting that Jewish artists still harken back to The Holocaust to mine for meaning and identity generations afterwards.  Mr. Marshall also mentioned Marc Chagall and that was apt as one Jewish artist, as interloper, as wanderer sought inspiration from another.  The church bell chimes apropos in the Gothic drippings of the Bovard Auditorium.  An evocative water color, an amorphous symbiosis between the two.

Bodytraffic in Green Bride.  Photo Credit Christopher Duggan

Wayne McGregor Random Dance: FAR

This weekend is the weekend we finally see Wayne McGregor Random Dance.  There’s so much buzz around this British Dance Company and we’ll be seeing FAR at the Center for Art and Performance at UCLA. I just read many of the reviews, looked at the Random Dance Touring schedule of FAR, and I'm even more excited!  My, my, my, they are DEF an International Touring Company.  Does anyone out there like the Radiohead Lotus Flower video with Thom Yorke?  We’ve got Wayne McGregor to thank for that. If you haven’t seen the video, you can check it here.  Well, I hope you have a chance to see the company this weekend.  If you need something to get you pumped up about the performance, enjoy this Youtube video.  :-) 

Wayne McGregor Random Dance performs FAR at Royce Hall January 24-25, 2014 as part of the CAP UCLA 2013-2014 season.Photo by Ravi Deepres

Kevin Williamson's THE LOST BOYS

Michael Crotty.  Photo Credit Ryan Patterson.

I attended Kevin Williamson's dance theatre event, The Lost Boys, a week ago at Highways Performance Space in Santa Monica.  I have to admit, Kevin Williamson is a treasure in the LA dance community.  If you haven't seen his work yet I suggest you calendar it in and get your tickets early too.  They'll sell out quickly.  The performance was artistically strong, thought provoking and humorous all at the same time.  So Dope and so Good!  The Lost Boys set out to explore the impact of HIV-AIDS related memories on gay men who grew up during and after the onset of the crisis, but who did not experience its losses directly.  Within the first 15 minutes of the performance, Williamson hit the ground spot-on around this theme.  Williamson's clever use of spoken word, 80s/90s youth culture and radical gestures were perfect tie-ins to the content of the work.  Oooohh Yeah,  radical gestures - rated MA or PG13 - but they were so important to an aspect of the content - Internalized homophobia and self-abasement that is prevalent in some urban gay-male communities.  Approx 30 min into the piece, I found the duet between the Kevins (Kevin Le and Kevin Williamson) really solid.  The emotion and the fierceness of Le's quick Isolated movements paired with Williamson's Adagio was a great blend!  I could feel the stiffness of the audience on the edge of their seats watching the intense exchange.  That along with Munie's lighting sequence during this section made me feel like a participant in the show.   In addition to recorded music by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds and Ryoji Ikeda, Williamson and Jeepneys cleverly and appropriately used a montage of recorded music by Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson to set the stage of taking the audience back to the 80s and 90s.  Seeing the artists perform popular movement sequences from  Janet Jackson videos was extremely eye-opening in that 1) we can better understand learned views of sexuality and 2) how silly and corny those dances are 15 or some-odd years later but how they are meaningful to us in some way or another today as we relate the present to the past.  Oh, and Psst...., if you do click the link to the Janet Jackson video, cue up to 3:35.  In the end, The Lost Boys sought to share an evening of humorous, haunting, and potentially liberating portrait of how people can move creatively with the past to re-imagine the present and the Ensemble did just that.  I look forward to seeing more work by Kevin Williamson in the near future.  Check out some of our pics below.  It was a wonderful evening in Santa Monica.  I hope to see you at his next performance run.  

Kevin Williamson's The Lost Boys Ensemble - Kevin Williamson, Michael Crotty, Raymond Ejiofor and Kevin Le.  Photo Credit Ryan Patterson.

Kevin Williamson The Lost Boys.  Photo Credit Ryan Patterson.

Here I am pre-performance with Kyle Abraham.

Here I am post-performance along with one of my favorite lighting designers AJ Munie.

Unexpected ER Production Site becomes the stage for Duckler's New Work - Groundskeepers

Guest Contributor Emily Wanserski shares with us some information about Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre's new work - The Groundskeepers. 

 “She said ‘its yours!!!’”

Whenever I hear Heidi say – well, exclaim really, typically with excited hand motions that frequently look like choreography – sentences like that, I know we just secured a site for a new project. And, I know she’s serious.

Fast forward through email introductions, negotiations, and countless “I have another idea about our new performance” conversations – Heidi and I stepped out of her car in the space parking lot on July 24th for our second look at Linda Vista Hospital. My first time at the site, but not my first time touring a hospital with Heidi, I immediately regretted wearing my new cute wedges. Yet upon entering the building, I promptly forgot about them and was instantaneously captivated by the complex identity of the building. The site manager Francis, who knows more about the building than I know about my apartment, accompanied us on Heidi’s anticipated audience pathway and answered questions such as “does that plug in the corner work?” and “where does this hallway end?” As we continued to walk and uncover answers to these inquiries, I became increasingly intrigued by the story of Linda Vista Hospital. 

Linda Vista Hospital

A working hospital until 1991, Linda Vista has been predominately used as a location for TV and film productions including the pilot episode of ER (1994) andPearl Harbor (2001). Production companies move into their rented area of the building, construct their sets, and load out – frequently leaving behind props, ceiling joists, and fake bloodstains. The juxtaposition of Hollywood’s presence against leftover paperwork from the days of hospital operation makes this building a truly Los Angeles place, where you cannot really tell where reality ends and the film industry begins.

An LA-resident since the early 1980s, Heidi is far beyond familiar with locations of this nature. From the Ambassador Hotel to our City Hall downtown, she has spent hours finding those working plugs in unexpected locations. For this particular project she recently told me that she feels like the artistic team “shares the halls with music video and film zombies, yet live dance seems like the scariest notion of all for everyone we’re sharing the space with is in film.” The building is unaccustomed to dance, yet well acquainted with creativity, thus providing an incredible base of information for Heidi to draw from while choreographing and directing The Groundskeepers. Molly Myers, a dancer working with Heidi for the first time on this project, told me that she is particularly stimulated by how “creating movement using the shapes, sounds, and energy of the hospital’s architecture” has proven not only inspiring, but also challenging.

We’re avoiding a Halloween opening night, but very much looking forward to welcoming the public into Linda Vista’s first – and only, for the site is to become affordable housing later this year – live dance performance. It’s your last chance to walk the 

hallways…http://heididuckler.org/event/groundskeepers

Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre.  Photo Credit Andre Andreev.

Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre.  Photo Credit Andre Andreev.

Emily Wanserski.  Photo Credit Laura Anne Hollabaugh.  Emily is the Managing Director of HDDT and is a Contributor to KCET's Artbound Cultural Journalism Platform.

Los Angeles Ballet Dancer reflects on Lucy Guerin's Weather Performance at UCLA

Allyssa Bross, Prinicpal Dancer with Los Angeles Ballet, and I attended the Center for Art and Performance's evening of Lucy Guerin Weather last week.  Here are her thoughts about the fantastic performance.  Isn't it so refreshing to hear one artist talk about another artist's work?  Shout out to H-Art Management  and CAP staff for bringing a great company our way.  Also, don't forget to check out Allyssa's Blog.  Enjoy!  

Lucy Guerin: Weather at Royce Hall Fri Oct 4 2013.  Photo by Heidrun Lohr

A gasp spread across the audience in Royce Hall on Friday night, as a display of paper bags fell onto the stage. The North American tour of Lucy Guerin Inc, a dance company established in Melbourne, Australia in 2002, started off with a performance that had Angelenos on their feet. The athleticism of the dancers, and the unique concepts behind Lucy Guerin's choreography, make this a show worth seeing.

Have you ever felt sad for no obvious reason, and blamed your emotions on the fact that it was gloomy outside? Has a sunny day ever made you feel more energetic, and alive? Often times one's emotions correlate with the condition in the atmosphere. Guerin plays with this concept in her piece titled, "Weather". The dancers' bodies reflect the same type of movement that would often be associated with gusts of wind, or water. There is an invisible force that drives every movement. The constant changes in weather patterns, are displayed in the unpredictable movement and sporadic changes of speed. Dancers walking in simple patterns are thrown into a disarray as another dancer runs rapidly by. One can see a balance is tried to be reached again, only to be disrupted by more movement coming from another direction on the stage. I couldn't help but think that the movement was not only reflecting the weather, but also demonstrating our emotional imbalance as humans. The enthusiasm ebbed half way through, as the dancers mulled around the stage to the monotonous beat in the music by Oren Ambarchi. The enormous display of plastic bags falling from the rafters, definitely woke the audience up. There was a silence on the stage that followed the gasp, almost like the calm after a thunderstorm. They then became a part of the performance, being picked up by the artists, shuffled around, and tossed into the air.

Plastic bags were an interesting choice for a prop, but Ms. Guerin managed to show the damaging effect that this object has on our environment, and still make it seem like a beautiful part of the set. At one point, a bag is wrapped around a dancer's head and there is a struggle for air. Whether this was meant to show the danger of plastic to our society, or the struggles we are fighting every day to find peace, the point was made.

Sometimes modern can be so physical that it falls out of the category of an art and is more like a sport. "Weather" had a great balance of athleticism while still keeping the aesthetic of an art form. The show was approximately 60 minutes and the dancers kept moving almost the entire time. Their heavy breathing became a part of their movement in symbolizing sounds of wind. The limits of technique were tested when the dancers threw their bodies into off balance positions, but maintained control of their movement. The artist that stood out the most, was the male dancer who started the show off completely embodying wind. He not only showed it in his dancing, but also with the noises that were coming from his mouth. His movement was so fluid it seemed as if he had no bones, but yet there was a weight behind everything he did. He matched power and grace.

Hopping off the plane, having to cancel a show due to visa issues, only having a day to rehearse in a foreign country's theater, and delivering a performance to a new audience, were all factors that proved the professionalism of this Australian company. Lucy Guerin Inc. continues their North American tour on October 9, in San Diego. This is a very unique and inspiring show that is worth checking out!

Lucy Guerin: Weather at Royce Hall Fri, Oct 4, 2013. Photo by Heidrun Lohr

Lucy Guerin: Weather at Royce Hall Fri, Oct 4, 2013. Photo by Heidrun Lohr

 Allyssa Bross, born and raised in Charlotte, started her ballet training at North Carolina Dance Theatre under the direction of Patricia McBride and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux. At the age of 16 she was accepted into the School of American Ballet's winter term. While at SAB, Allyssa had the chance to dance with New York City Ballet's corps de ballet in Balanchine's Nutcracker. She also worked with several choreographers including Darius Barnes, Robert Fairchild, and Matthew Renko. After finishing high school, Allyssa accepted a contract with the Los Angeles Ballet. Within her first year there, she was promoted to the company's first ever principle dancer. Allyssa has been leading lady in Thordal Christensen's World Premiers of Swan Lake and Giselle, as well as numerous Balanchine ballets. She has worked with acclaimed choreographers, Stacey Tookey and Sonya Tayeh, and been featured on several Television commercials and shows. Along with dancing, Allyssa teaches dance classes at the Los Angeles Ballet School. Watch for Allyssa in Los Angeles Ballet's upcoming season and follow her new blog allyssabross.blogspot.com. 

A Performance in the Cahuenga Pass

Complexions Contemporary Ballet.  Photo Credit Jae Man Joo.

On Saturday, August 10 I saw Lula Washington Dance Theatre and Complexions Contemporary Dance at the Ford Theatre in LA.  This was my second time at the venue off the 101 freeway and its a beautiful hidden place - reminds me of Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts....  The theatre sits about 1900 and heads ups if you ever go - get a ride.  Its stacked parking. Meaning, first car in the parking lot equals last one out! The evening began with the Local Lula Washington Dance Theatre.  Her company keeps getting better and better. The first piece of work the company performed was Love Is created in 2010 by Christopher Huggins.  We saw an excerpt of the piece and overall, I'd say I had mixed feelings about the work.  Maybe it was because I only saw an excerpt and I couldn't connect with the characters/storyline of the piece.  Another piece we saw by Lula that evening was We Wore the Mask.  Now, this is the second time I've seen this piece. The first time I saw the piece was at an International Association of Blacks in Dance Conference in Dallas in 07.  The artists keep getting better and better and shout out to Queala Clancy for the opening solo!!  I loved the mask and having the live music onstage was a huge bonus too!  Complexions closed the evening and their opening piece - The Curve - was beautiful.  A few years ago, I happened to be in conversation with a Ballet Hispanico dancer at the Watergate Hotel in Washington DC and he told me that he was formerly with Complexions and then  proceeded to tell me that he had to leave because the work was too hard on his body.  After seeing Dwight's piece a few days ago, I can def understand what this dancer meant.... Tons of Isometric movements EVERYWHERE.  But hey - if you missed Complexions Contemporary Dance don't worry.  They have another performance in our neighborhood.  Check out my calendar page here.   

Here I am at the Ford theatre with another one of my favorite BODYTRAFFIC Artists - Christopher Bordenave.

American Ballet Theatre with my Niece Alexis Metoyer

A tad bit late, but on Friday, July 12th I had the opportunity to see American Ballet Theatre at the DorthoyChandler Pavilion with my Niece Alexis Metoyer (pictured here).  ABT performed Le Corsaire and I realized it’s been a really long time since I’ve seen a story ballet.  What's this? 3 intermissions???  I better use the ladies room now.

My favorite part of the performance was the Prologue and the beautiful set design.  As the curtain went up the ship was so striking  and it was a magical and wonderful way to begin the evening.  For those of you who forgot the storyline of Le Corsaire here it is below asdescribed by ABT.  I must admit I had to brush up too.  Also, don't forget to check out Laura Bleiberg's LA Times review too.  Enjoy!

Prologue: A pirate ship, manned by Conrad, his slave, and his friendBirbanto sails toward Turkey.

Act I - The Bazaar: Dealers and buyers fill a noisy bazaar where slave girls are beingtraded. Conrad and his men arrive where Lankendem,the owner of the bazaar, is selling girls. Conrad sees Medora, a slave girl, and falls immediately in love. Seyd, a pasha, arrives on the scene amidst much fanfare. Lankendem presents three young women whom the pasha rejects. Lankendem presents Gulnare, a lovely slave girl, to the pasha and he buys her. Lankendem then presents a young slave girl,Medora, and everyone is entranced by her beauty. The pasha buys her. Conrad instructs the slave to steal Medora back and the pirates raid the village and kidnap Lankendem.

Act II - The Grotto: Conrad shows Medora his hideout. Birbanto callsall the pirates to bring in their stolen bounty to the grotto, as well as the slave girls and Lankendem. Medora, Conrad, and his slave dance to entertain the crew. Afterward, Medora entreats Conrad, in the name of their love, to free all the slave girls. He agrees, but Birbanto rebels against the idea and instead persuades the pirates to riot against Conrad. By the force of Conrad's commanding personalityand physical presence,he single-handedly instills terror into the hearts of the pirates and they abandon their mutinous plan. Not to be thwarted, Birbanto devises a new scheme. He sprays a rose with a sleeping potion and forces Lankendem to help him pass the flower to Medora, who unwittingly gives it to Conrad. He inhales its aroma and falls into a drugged sleep. The pirates return to the grotto and attempt to capture Medora. While struggling, she snatches a dagger and cuts Birbanto's arm. In the confusion, Lankendemsteals Medora back andescapes. Birbanto is about to kill Conrad but is interrupted by the slave. Stunned and broken-hearted, Conrad discovers Medora missing. Birbanto feigns ignorance and swears his loyalty to Conrad.

Act III, Scene One - The Pasha's Palace: The playful Gulnare is interrupted by Lankendem bringing a veiled Medora. The pasha is delighted that Medora has been recaptured and declares that she will 
become his number one wife.

Act III, Scene Two - Jardin Animée: Delighted by all his lovely women, the pasha dreams of them in abeautiful garden.

Act III, Scene Three - The Pasha's Palace: The pasha is awakened by the arrival of Conrad, Birbanto,and the pirates, disguised as pilgrims. He invites them to enter the palace. Medora recognizes Conrad, disguised as one of the pilgrims. Suddenly the pilgrims throw off their robes and reveal themselves as pirates. Chaos erupts within the palace. Conrad and his men chase away the pasha, his guard and wives.They dance in victory. Suddenly, Birbanto runs in chasing Gulnare. They collide with Conradand Medora. Medora exposes Birbanto as a traitor, and Conrad shoots him. Conrad's slave helps Medora, Gulnare, and Conrad escape. They flee to the ship.

Act III, Scene Four - The Storm: The pirate ship sails upon a calm sea. Conrad, at the helm, cradlesMedora in his arms. Suddenly a fierce storm blows across as lightning illuminates the darkening sky.Gusting winds shred the sails and a lightning bolt snaps the ship's mast in half. The ship sinks amidst the relentless, turbulent waters.

Epilogue: As the wind subsides and the sea calms itself, the moon rises in the sky. It sheds light upon Conrad and Medora, clinging to arock and offering thanks for their miraculous survival, a testimony to the strength of their love.

MR

A Shared-Bill at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

The other day I had the opportunity to see LINES Ballet and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and I just have to say how wonderful and refreshing it was to have a shared-bill of two amazing companies!!  Not all shared-bills are created equal - or appropriate - for the general public dance patrons like ---  hmmm….  a shared bill of Jane Comfort and Company along with a Christopher Wheeldon work...  The LINES/Hubbard pairing worked however; because the audience got to see not only excellent dance but also the range of what “Contemporary Dance” really means.  For example, it could mean a new way to think about the genre “story ballet” and relating it to the way in which Alonzo presented Scheherazade... Its not your Grandmother’s Story Ballet anymore that’s for sure…  Or, perhaps for some patrons contemporary dance now means a way to think about dance with elements of theatre used in a unique way as was presented by Alejandro Cerredo in Little Mortal Jump.  The split bill was also nice because you could see the range of the contemporary dancer body physiques.  LINES - tall and lean Hubbard - petite and tight..  And, as usual in this town, you can’t go anywhere without seeing celebrities.  Ben Vereen was in the house three rows down from us. 

Here’s a link to the LA times review by Lewis Segal.  I think it’s a very well-done and fair review.  So far you've sent some amazing responses to the LA times review.  Please keep the feedback coming and email us!!! Enjoy.

Alonzo King Lines Ballet

Dancers with the Alonzo King Lines Ballet perform "Scheherazade" at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. 

(Gina Ferazzi, Los Angeles Times /June 21, 2013)

Curtain and patrons waiting for the show to begin.

Me and one of my favorite LINES dancers - Michael Montgomery

"Azimuth"

Dancers from the Alonzo King Lines Ballet and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago perform together in "Azimuth" at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. 

(Gina Ferazzi, Los Angeles Times /June 21, 2013)

"Scheherazade"

Dancers David Harvey and Kara Wilkes perform in "Scheherazade" with the Alonzo King Lines Ballet. 

(Gina Ferazzi, Los Angeles Times /June 21, 2013)

Ojai Music Festival and Mark Morris Dance Group

On Saturday, June 8, Spot LA had the opportunity to cover the Ojai Music Festival in Ojai, California.  For those of you that don't know, Ojai is a small town about 1 hour Northwest of Los Angeles nestled in Ventura County and about 30 minutes from Santa Barbara.  The music festival celebrated its 67th annual year and this year, Mark Morris served as its Artistic Director.  Performances included MMDG, MMDG Music Ensemble, The Bad Plus, American String Quartet and Gamelan Sari Raras.   There were a ton of events patrons could choose from Film Talks about Lou Harrison and John Luther Adams to community dance events with the MMDG dancers and even late open mic nights!!  We are very excited to share our pictures with you Below.

We also had the opportunity to interview two California Native Dancers of MMDG - Maile Okamura and Sam Black.  Here's what they had to share with us about their experience in dance.  Enjoy! 

Maile Okamura

Sam Black

SPOT LA: At what point in your life did you know you wanted to be a modern dancer?

MO: My first real exposure to modern dance was at a festival in humboldt county when I was 20. Shortly after, I saw a performance of the White Oak Dance Project and thought, "That's exactly what I want to do!"

 SB: Basically on a whim, I went to a summer program at the North Carolina School of the Arts the summer before my senior year of high school. Even though I'd been dancing for years, it wasn't until I spent five weeks dancing seven or eight hours a day that it really occurred to me that this might be a possible career for me. It was my first time experiencing a conservatory environment, and I thought, "Why wouldn't I want to spend all day doing what I love?" That's where and when I decided to seriously pursue a professional dance career.

SPOT LA: What advice would you give to dance students on the West Coast?

MO: See everything. Sneak into shows if you can't afford a ticket.

SB: Go see as many shows as you can. California is lucky to get a lot of touring dance companies coming through, but you have to take advantage of that. That way you'll be able to make educated decisions about what kind of company you want to dance for.

SPOT LA: Coming from California, what is your first dance memory being in NYC?

MO: My first day at the Martha Graham summer workshop, the teacher, Armgard Von Bardeleben, asked if anyone in the room had not studied graham technique. I was too embarrassed to raise my hand. Little did I know that all the exercises were set... She gave me a wink and let me fake it.

 SB: This might not be my first, but it definitely made an impression. I was in NYC auditioning for schools, and my mom and a friend and I went to see the spring concert at Juilliard. We had had several auditions that day and were all exhausted, and the first two pieces on the program weren't particularly exciting. And during the intermission before the last piece, a guy was improvising in front of the curtain, and I remember thinking "This is the most obnoxious thing I've ever seen; maybe we should just go back to our hotel." But we stayed, and it turned out to be "Minus 16" by Ohad Naharin, and it was of course thrilling and wonderful. If you can imagine a time when he wasn't as well-known as he is now, you'll understand how shocked and surprised and elated we were. It made me super psyched to move to NYC.

SPOT LA: What professional programs and/or schools would you recommend to an up and coming dancer?  East Coast or West Coast?

SB: This is hard, because every program has something different to offer, and even the best programs aren't right for everyone. I also haven't been to any programs in over seven years, and things have changed a lot. I went to SUNY Purchase, which was great for me, but not for everyone. I'd say that exposure to as many things as possible is ideal. A place that offers variety (several contemporary techniques, for example) would be best.

SPOT LA: What things excite you about the dance world and what things would you like to see changed?

MO: I was inspired last night at a social dance by the number of people who were willing to try something new. That spirit that keeps dance alive. 

SPOT LA: Would you like to give a shout out to any California-based companies?

SB: I spent the summer after my freshman year of college at LINES Ballet. It was a wild, mind-blowing place, especially at that age when I was receptive and an open book. The entire faculty, but especially Alonzo King and Summer Lee Rhatigan, had infinite ideas of how to move and how to approach technique. I had no illusions of becoming a ballet dancer, but that didn't matter. It was terrific and scary and helped me in so many ways.

SPOT LA: What has been your most favorite dance venue to perform in?  Your most memorable festival?

MO: So far, Ojai has been magical. The energy of the music and dance infects the whole town. It's an art virus.

SB: Because Mark is so fascinated and inspired by music, we go to more music festivals than dance festivals. It's nice, because we're more of an anomaly, and we get to meet and work with phenomenal musicians. Tanglewood (in Western Mass) is a personal favorite of mine. The grounds are beautiful, and there's a wonderfully rich history there that is really lovely to feel a part of.

SPOT LA: What’s your most treasured piece of rehearsal wear?  

SB: I wear my navy blue leg warmers all day. I actually kind of freak out if I forget them. I'm sure I'll be fine without them, but they're my blankie. They're perfectly snug and I like tucking my baggier sweat pants into them for that tapered Euro look.

Photo Credit Timothy Norris 

Mark Morris conducts the American String Quartet, pianist Colin Fowler, trumpet player Sycil Mathai, soprano Yulia Van Doren, mezzo-soprano Jamie Van Eyck, bass-baritone Douglas Williams and the audience in Carl Ruggles' "Exaltation" at Libbey Bowl on June 9, 2013 in Ojai, California.

Beautiful tapestries on trees throughout the grounds. 

Photo Credit Timothy Norris

Mark Morris Dance Group perfoms "Empire Garden" at Libbey Bowl on June 7, 2013 in Ojai, California.

MMDG Dancers - Benjamin Freedman, Brian Lawson and Stacy Martorana

Ojai Music Festival's Gina Gutierrez Director of Marketing and Communications.

There were community Dance events with live music at Ojai Music Festival.  Here's Stacy Martorana leading a class with Yegor Shevtson providing piano accompaniment.   

Nordoff High School Band of Ojai

Nordoff High School Band of Ojai

Ojai Music Festival Artistic Director Thomas W. Morris and guest.

Photo Credit Timothy Norris

Drummer David King of The Bad Plus performs at Libbey Bowl on June 6, 2013 in Ojai, California.

Photo Credit Timothy Norris

Yegor Shevtsov performs works by Erik Satie and John Cage on toy piano at Libbey Park Playground on June 7, 2013 in Ojai, California.

Photo Credit Timothy Norris

Mark Morris Dance Group perfoms "Grand Duo" at Libbey Bowl on June 7, 2013 in Ojai, California.

Patrons getting ready for the performance.

Traces at the Music Center

This Saturday I saw Montreal's Traces perform at the Music Center.  What an entertaining show!!  Their disiciplinary approach kept the performance entertaining -  acrobatics, skateboarding and fast-paced contemporary dance tied in with the rock-star- lighting design by Nol Van Genuchten kept me very alert.  Kudos to Team "Dance at the Music Center" for bringing KCRW's Music Director Jason Bentley for the post performance party!  Here's the link to the LA Times Review and check out some of the pics from the show.  Enjoy.

Photo Credit Michael Meseke 2010

​Photo Credit Michael Meseke 2010

Traces post-performance party.  Monica with KCRW's Music Director Jason Bentley at the Music Center.

Patrons enjoying the post-performance party!​

Los Angeles Ballet Rubies Gala at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel

On Saturday, April 20th I had the opportunity to cover the Los Angles Ballet's Rubies Gala 2013 Red Carpet at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.  The beautiful black-tie engagement honored Nigel Lythgoe and Linda Duttenhaver. Lythgoe, for the work of his foundation Dizzy Feet  for dance education and Ms Duttenhaver for her continued support to LAB.  The event raised over $600,000.  Kudos to Kathy Highstrete, CFRE for organizing an amazing event.  Check out the images below to see those who came out to support LAB.  Enjoy!

Christa B. Allen supporting the Los Angeles Ballet

Honoree Nigel Lythgoe

Los Angeles Ballet Students and Staff

James Van Der Beek supporting the Los Angeles Ballet

Dancing with the Stars' Anna Trebunskaya and Kym Johnson

Former California Gray Davis