Sugar Plums for the ages, in ABT’s ‘The Nutcracker’ at Segerstrom Center
Nov
26
2024
Her name is Antonietta Dell’Era (1861-1945), and, as legend goes, in 1892 she was the first to dance to Tchaikovsky’s magical foray on the celesta as the Sugar Plum Fairy. That music the brilliant composer concocted to give aural evocation of “drops of water shooting from a fountain.” Ms. Dell’Era’s first performance received good reviews, ...
Westside Ballet of Santa Monica stages vibrant ‘Nutcracker’ starring Tiler Peck, Roman Mejia
Nov
23
2024
An invitation to attend a holiday production of “The Nutcracker” — that of Westside Ballet of Santa Monica, with live music from the Santa Monica College Symphony Orchestra, and starring New York City Ballet principal dancers Tiler Peck & Roman Mejia — is an offer a ballet fan finds hard to refuse. Peck is at ...
Death of a dancer: Vladimir Shklyarov
Nov
18
2024
Thanks to the Internet, balletomania is a global phenomenon. YouTube viewing of classical dance from such far-flung spots as St. Petersburg is a boon to fans across the universe — equally, it aids dance critics and scholars. So when word spread that Vladimir Shklyarov, 39, had tumbled from a balcony five floors to his death ...
Portrait of an Artist – the many roles of Medhi Walerski
Nov
12
2024
ed. note: This story written in advance of a November 23 performance by Ballet BC in Los Angeles was commissioned and first published by The Soraya on November 8 2024. It is reprinted with permission. Soft-spoken but emphatic, Medhi Walerski, at 45, is a ballet prince with piercing eyes, a crown of clipped curls, and ...
On Hallo•meme, be bewitching, like ‘Gilda’ 6
I was thinking about my costume for this Halloween. Who better to embody than Rita Hayworth in her hallowed role as a film-noir temptress in the movie of the same name, Gilda (1945), from Columbia Pictures?Here she is in her nightclub number in the movie, “Put the Blame on Mame.” Rita was dressed in a ...
Admittedly smitten: JazzAntiqua at 30
aaron stokes laura ann smyth The “smitten” party would be me. I’m smitten by a dance company — JazzAntiqua Dance & Music Ensemble, as it stages its thirtieth-anniversary celebration in an aptly named event, RITUAL OF RHYTHM. For anyone familiar with the choreography of Artistic Director Pat Taylor, the evening, produced in association with Ebony ...
‘Get up and vote!’ Engaged dancers urge pals to use their power
It’s high energy and upbeat; it’s scrupulously non-partisan, and it creates a positive model for civic involvement. It’s the brainchild and passion project of dance-community stalwart, the agent and co-founder of MSA Agency in Hollywood, Julie McDonald. Along with a partner, Pamela Cooper, and a technology maven, Emmy Frevele, “Dance for the Vote” just went ...
Storming the Sixties: From Teen Dance Shows to Shindig!
NBC Hullabaloo Dancers on The Motown State Fair Tour with Canadian singer Tony Roman, ca. 1965. Photograph by James J. Kriegsmann. Courtesy of Karen W. Hubbard. Ed. note: artsmeme is delighted to share with readers the third of three excerpts from author Julie Malnig’s Dancing Black, Dancing White: Rock ‘n’ Roll, Race, and Youth Culture ...
Luminario Ballet on high meets LedZAerial in the orchestra pit
I find watching the superb aerial-ballet artists of Luminario Ballet at a chill venue like The Avalon of Hollywood to be one of the more fun experiences of my annual arts calendar. An upcoming gala/fundraiser event November 3 is billed as an “immersive dance journey via contemporary ballet en pointe, acrobatics, and aerial dance in ...
‘Dancin’ as Danson: tango man Jordi Caballero
Sep
18
2024
Jordi Caballero, a friend of artsmeme (F.O.A.M.), who moves from one amazing project to another with jolting speed, came up with a plum about a month ago. He was invited to be comic-actor Ted Danson‘s dance-double, in the very cute commercial for Consumer Cellular, above. The Portland-based provider of cellphones, no-contract cellphone plans, and accessories ...