REVIEW: The Los Angeles Philharmonic dances! 2
A big week for dance in Los Angeles: first came the premiere of L.A. Dance Project under the direction of Benjamin Millepied. Then followed Thursday’s symphony gala celebrating what Los Angeles Philharmonic conductor Gustavo Dudamel called, in pre-concert remarks, “a union of the arts.” Dance shared the stage, rather marvelously, with our symphony orchestra. Grand ...
Merce Cunningham’s “Winterbranch” by L.A. Dance Project 2
Sep
20
2012
SEPT 29 2012 UPDATE: CONCERT REVIEWED ON THE HUFFINGTON POST HERE. A wonderful dark and gloomy photo of Merce Cunningham’s “Winterbranch” (1964) with early cast members Carolyn Brown and Gus Solomons, Jr. We’ll watch the re-staging of this High Cunningham classic this weekend courtesy of L.A. Dance Project, the newly launched repertory dance company sponsored ...
Jean-Paul Gaultier “Snow White’ costumes recycle Cher’s 1989 thong 3
And now for something completely not different. We were distracted, at ‘Dance at the Music Center,’ by an unflattering costume created for the lead dancer in Ballet Preljocaj’s “Snow White.” Baby-diaper by front, bird-tail by back, and bared flesh in between, it was fabricated by haute couturier Jean-Paul Gaultier. It sent the viewer’s eye ...
Holiday picks: Joffrey ‘Nutcracker’ & Lula Washington ‘Kwanzaa’
Nov
29
2011
Dance critics — that bad bunch of bah-hambugg’ers — roll their eyes at the words, “The Nutcracker.” But when the houselights dim, and the Tchaikovsky pours forth, just catch a glimpse of their faces. You know — when the Sugar Plum Whatzz’its dance before their eyes? They love it. You’d have to be a Certified ...
Diavolo’s skateboard escapade, part of Pacific Standard Time
Nov
4
2011
Diavolo Dance Theater, the Los Angeles based dance company led by artistic director Jacques Heim, will have a residency with Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center as part of the 2011-2012 season, to create “Transit Space,” a new work inspired by skateboard culture — a sport and an art form invented in Southern ...
Still the swingingest thing: West Side Story’s George Chakiris
A lot of ladies — and quite a few gents including American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Marcelo Gomes and the just-retired Jose Manuel Carreno — gawked as West Side Story star George Chakiris entered the Founder’s Room of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion at the Los Angeles Music Center. It was the opening night reception following ...
Cuban National Ballet cruises L.A. in classic “Don Quixote” 2
Our Cuban brothers and sisters cruised into the Los Angeles Music Center last night driving their charmingly ramshackle “Don Quixote,” a vehicle purring on high-octane Russian ballet technique that’s been passed through generations — similar to the classic cars parading Havana’s island coastline. The ballet was choreographed in 1988 by Alicia Alonso, after Petipa’s original ...
L.A. dance programmers add to U.S. trade deficit with tempting imports 1
May
13
2011
We’ve always imported major dance companies in Los Angeles. In the old days, that meant New York City Ballet romping at the Greek Theater in Griffith Park. But now we go global. And this is worsening the nation’s nettlesome trade deficit. We buy more of their stuff and they don’t buy enough of ours. Our ...
“L’Allegro,” set to Handel, at the Music Center tonight
May
5
2011
Nostalgia reigns at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion as we prepare to see Mark Morris’s landmark full-evening work from 1988, L’Allegro Il Penseroso ed il Moderato, set to an oratorio by Handel. The piece was made when the Seattle-born choreographer was 32 years old. The co-production with L.A. Opera features live orchestral accompaniment. A lovely preview ...
Jamison, Battle, and Ailey dancers feted by L.A. community
Apr
9
2011
This line-up of good-looking people is an elite squadron — they’re dancers with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Nice and fun people, too. We had a chance to meet them at Thursday night’s packed and bustling party hosted by mega-couple Mattie McFadden-Lawson and Michael A. Lawson (here’s Michael hanging out with one of his good ...