Virginia Johnson remembers her path to Dance Theatre of Harlem
Jan
27
2011
Dance Theater of Harlem Artistic Director Virginia Johnson, once the company’s tall prima ballerina — and she still has gorgeous gams — spoke today to a group of African-American dance students at the annual conference of the International Association of Blacks in Dance at the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The classy Manhattan-ite told ...
“Scarecrow” cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond @ LACMA
Jan
23
2011
Following a double bill at LACMA so soulful and affecting that the feeling was beatific [“Electra Glide in Blue” & “Scarecrow” both from 1973], the museum hosted the great cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond for a talk. Zsigmond, in tandem with his compatriot Laszlo Kovacs, introduced a palette of mittel European muted natural light to Hollywood. According to ...
Polina Semionova, one of seven powerful female dancers of “Reflections” 1
Just back from “Reflections” at Orange County’s Segerstrom Center, a beautifully performed showcase for the spectacular skills of seven Bolshoi Academy-trained ballerinas and four of their male counterparts. Lots of vibrant creativity on display here — in a regrettably overly long program. (I never thought I’d write the words, ‘Cut the Balanchine,’ but here they ...
Hippies invade Hollywood! 3
Nostalgia loons decked out for flower power attended the closing weekend of the Pantages Theater’s fabulous production of “Hair.” wishes it were still 1968 where do i go? follow my heart … hippie chicks flower child peace baby ready for be-in just dropped acid Hair Tour Read my story on “Hair”‘s dancing including an interview ...
‘She asks me why, I’m just a hairy guy’ 2
HAIR has roots in Hollywood, and we don’t mean hair roots. We mean theatrical roots. In 1968, the West Coast premiere production opened on Sunset Boulevard, just two blocks from the Pantages, about six months following the production’s Broadway opening. The Aquarius Theatre, re-named in honor of one of the show’s hit songs, would be ...
Twyla Tharp’s “Aquarius” in Milos Forman’s HAIR 1
Preparing to interview Karole Armitage for an L.A. Times print edition tomorrow concerning her choreography for “HAIR,” I re-watched Twyla Tharp’s “Aquarius” from Milos Forman’s 1979 movie. Armitage wasn’t too keen on Tharp’s version. She told me so when we chatted. I like it a lot, however. arts·meme reader Gina Buntz, the dance chair of ...
Melody Kanschat retires. Film lives at LACMA.
Jan
20
2011
The woman who advised LACMA CEO Michael Govan when he was relatively new to Los Angeles that classic film had no role at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art will leave her post, according to an oddly placed announcement in the Los Angeles Business Journal. From the Los Angeles Business Journal County Museum COO to ...
Cold War rekindled with opening of Valley Performing Arts Center
Please dust off your bomb shelters. Store in there: red wine, brie, and lots of ballet videos. While adorable Bolshoi Ballet couple Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev are tromping the floorboards in “Reflections” at Orange County’s recently renamed Segerstrom Center for the Arts, not to be outdone, a top American pairing, Gillian Murphy and Ethan ...
Quiz: Find Jane Fonda in the photo 1
Jan
18
2011
The sensational Jane Fonda — looking good enough to send us scampering to exercise class — in rehearsal for five-time Tony nominated production of “33 Variations,” opening February 9, 2011, at the CTG/Ahmanson Theatre. Written and directed by Moisés Kaufman, previews begin January 30 for the new piece; performances continue through March 6. The lovely ...
Just go! International Association of Blacks in Dance performances
Jan
17
2011
Interested in dance? Wanna see some unbelievably great dance? Then scurry down to Little Tokyo next weekend. The International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD) conference, hosted in L.A. by Lula Washington Dance Theatre, sponsors two performances that are sure to blow the roof off the poor old Japan-America Theater. Check them out. IABD MEMBERS ...