‘Content’ is such an ugly word for the arts 11
Everyone is doing the best they can in a pandemic. But will the rush to provide online content serve dance well over time? Pictured: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in ‘Revelations’ photo credit Paul Kolnik In olden days, two months ago, we attended live performances — dance, theater, and music. Along with movie screenings, that ...
Marvelous new ‘Folies Bergere’ poster punctuates Dave Gould dance number
To commemorate the first-ever Oscar for Dance Direction, awarded to Dave Gould at the Eighth Academy Awards for his spectacular “Straw Hat” number from FOLIES BERGERE (1935), dance-movie-poster maven Mike Kaplan in tandem with the National Museum of Dance has introduced a new poster. The poster, created by a young artist, was part of the ...
Anatomy of a cancellation: Heidi Duckler Dance illuminates ‘The Chandelier’
Apr
27
2020
paul crewes, heidi duckler – april 2019 update: August 10, 2021 “The Chandelier” is playing at the Wallis this weekend! April 27, 2020: Almost one year ago nearly to the day, on April 30, 2019, The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts gathered the Los Angeles dance press to its stage for an announcement. ...
Enjoy nature. Read a book. Do nothing.
Apr
12
2020
April 12, 2020Dear artsmeme people! No long letter. No links. No pushing to you to look at this or look at that. You can do as you wish. But since we cover primarily the live performing arts, which are on hiatus, we’re going with that flow for now. It’s a first time in our 11-year ...
In Yiddish: ‘Vash di hent!’ Wash your hands.
Mar
23
2020
photo courtesy yale strom That’s the sage advice of our meshugenah but so-talented friend Yale Strom, who is hosting a special Facebook live offering this coming Wednesday on Radio Free Covid-19. The program, The Tshudne Shtunde (Bizarre Hour) features music from Strom’s ethnographic trips in Eastern Europe collecting klezmer and Yiddish songs from 1981-through today. ...
Enter early Los Angeles ballet instructors Kosloff & Rasch
Mar
22
2020
ed. note: artsmeme is pleased to publish a two-part excerpt, from a new book, Ballet Class: An American History by Melissa R. Klapper (Oxford University Press, March 2020). Our Los Angeles-based blog requested writing from Ms. Klapper that focuses on the early history of ballet training in our city. Part two below! Jean Westheimer, ...
European exiles & emigres instruct kids of early Los Angeles in ballet 2
Mar
14
2020
ed. note: artsmeme is pleased to publish a two-part excerpt from a new book, Ballet Class: An American History by Melissa R. Klapper (Oxford University Press, March 2020). Our Los Angeles-based blog requested writing from Ms. Klapper that focuses on the early history of ballet training in our city. Part one below! With no ...
Exit the jazz giant: McCoy Tyner
Mar
12
2020
Meandering, plucking-and-picking, pouring forth, cascading. In the video, pianist McCoy Tyner (1938-2020) both reveres and rips into “My One and Only Love.” It’s a ditty with underpinnings so thin it’s just humbling the mighty mountain of sound Tyner constructs of it. Personnel include McCoy Tyner (piano), Azar Lawrence (saxophones), Juini Booth (contrabass), E. W. Wainwright, ...
Washy-washy, Bob Baker-style
Mar
11
2020
Well, Netflix sure is liking the shutdown of all our performing arts centers and movie theaters. But I’m not. Already immune to the cesspool of germs and inappropriate laughter that infects most audiences, I’m dismayed to see every dang show in town throw in the towel and cancel. Heartbreaking! That’s ‘cuz those theaters don’t have ...
Review: ‘West Side’ Video
Shereen Pimentel, Isaac Powell and cast. photo: Jan Versweyveld Broadway’s current revival of West Side Story—the groundbreaking 1957 musical by Jerome Robbins, Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim whose dramatic power has long been associated with kinetic energy and eloquently focused movement opens simply. The Jets saunter to the front of the vast, bare ...