Boundary Bumping Ballet

A clutch of choreographers in Beverly Hills, inspiration from Manet downtown, a female perspective on an epic from India in Culver City, boundary breaking ballet in Glendale, enigma code breaker meets Disney in Santa Monica, contemporary ballet in Torrance and at a secret address, flamenco in East Hollywood, plus more So Cal dance this week.

5.  Flamenco flourishes

This installment of the long-running, mostly monthly Forever Flamenco is led by dancer Leilah Broukhim. She gets help from dancer Manuel Gutierrezguitarist Andres Vadinsinger José Cortez and percussionist Gerardo Morales. Fountain Theatre, 5060 Fountain Ave., East Hollywood; Sun., Oct. 22, 8 p.m., $40-$50, $30. 323-663-1525, http://fountaintheatre.com.

Forever Flamenco's Leilah Broukhim. Photo by Angelica Escoto.
Forever Flamenco’s Leilah Broukhim. Photo by Angelica Escoto.

4.  A picnic à la Manet

The site specific crew at Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre reunites with visual artist Kim West for a Luncheon on the Grass, inspired by Edouard Manet’s painting of the same name. HDDT’s site is the garden adjacent to the downtown central library where dancers Haylee Nichele, Mollie Wolf and Himerria Wortham will lead the audience on a tour of the garden backed by accordionist, Isaac Schankler, before settling down for a picnic. Maguire Gardens at the Central Library, 630 W 5th St., downtown; Tues., Oct. 24, noon, free with required reservation. https://halprinluncheon.eventbrite.com.

Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre. Photo by Mae Koo.
Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre. Photo by Mae Koo.

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3.  When choreographers converge

Dancers and choreographers gather to perform and celebrate the 2017 World Choreography Awards for work in motion pictures, music videos, commercials, television and digital content. Choreographers with work being performed include Ryan Heffington recently a Dance Magazine cover story and Mandy Moore whose choreography for the movie LaLaLand likely would have garnered an Oscar if the Motion Picture Academy honored choreography among the film crafts. Until that happens, the WCA honors its own. Saban Theater, 8440 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills; Mon., Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m., $25-$85.  http://worldchoreographyawards.com.

2.  Khan dancin’ ‘round

Dance takes over a movie soundstage as Akram Khan and his eponymous Akram Khan Company perform Until the Lions in the round. Even before he won his many awards, Khan was a breakthrough choreographer blending his background in India’s classical kathak dance with contemporary dance elements for his own as well as for national and international dance companies. He even paired up for a star turn tour with French superstar ballerina Sylvie Guillem.  Khan’s extraordinary skills and vision are the opening salvo of Music Center on Location, with the Music Center venturing to present outside its downtown campus.  After presenting two dance programs at the Ford over the summer, this time downtown goes west to bring Khan’s retelling of a segment of the Mahabarata, with this male choreographer audaciously approaching the endeavor from a female point of view. Culver Studios, 9336 Washington Blvd., Culver City; Wed.-Sat., Oct. 18-21, 8 p.m., $20-$117, 213-972-0711, http://musiccenter.org/lions.

Akram Khan's "Until the Lions". Photo by Jean Louis Fernandez.
Akram Khan’s “Until the Lions”. Photo by Jean Louis Fernandez.

1.  Pushing boundaries en pointe

A world premiere from Chinese choreographer Menghan Lou, two L.A. premieres from Alejandro Cerrudo, and the timeless George Balanchine classic Four Temperaments are the opening salvo in Los Angeles Ballet’s 12th season. Later in 2017-2018 LAB goes classical with The Nutcracker and Swan Lake, but starts the season with a more contemporary flair under the banner Pushing Dance Boundaries. Keeping its promise to bring great professional ballet to all of this metropolis, the company continues to tour among home theaters throughout L.A. Alex Theater, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale; Sat., Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. Also at Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, 1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Redondo Beach; Sat., Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m., $29.50-$104. http://losangelesballet.org.

Los Angeles Ballet. Photo by Reed Hutchinson
Los Angeles Ballet. Photo by Reed Hutchinson

Other dance of note:

Choreographer Laura Karlin and Invertigo Dance Theatre celebrate their 10th anniversary season with a benefit performance that includes a sampling of the company’s many endeavors including Interior Design considering a couple moving in together and the long-awaited Formulae & Fairy Tales bringing a fascinating perspective to the life of Alan Turing, the mathematical genius and WWII code breaker. Karlin was nurturing this work long before Benedict Cumberbatch portrayed Turing in The Imitation Game. Moss Theater, 3131 Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica; Sun., Oct. 22, 6 p.m., $50-$125, $20 children 12 & under. http://invertigodance.org/10-year-party.

Invertigo Dance Theatre. Photo by Georges Simian Teaches
Invertigo Dance Theatre. Photo by Georges Simian Teaches

Blending classical ballet technique with modern dance sensibilities has been the goal of Kenneth Walker Dance Project since its founding in 2004. This program includes The Seasons, along with two works from the repertoire, Savage Grace set to African music and Teletype with a soundscore arranged by KWDP alum Candice Davis. Center for the Arts at El Camino College, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance; Sat., Oct. 21, 8 p.m., $10-$22. 310-329-5345. http://elcaminotickets.universitytickets.com/user_pages/event.asp?id=525&cid=61.

Kenneth Walker Dance Project. Photo courtesy of KWDP.
Kenneth Walker Dance Project. Photo courtesy of KWDP.

Just ahead of Halloween, American Contemporary Ballet takes a page from Dante with Inferno, choreography by artistic director Lincoln Jones set to composer Charles Wuorinen’s piece for two pianos. The new work opens ACB’s seventh season of intimate studio performances. ACB Studios, 700 S. Flower St., Suite 3200, downtown; Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m., thru Sat., Oct. 28, $40-$80. http://acbdances.com.

American Contemporary Ballet's "Inferno". Photo by Asilda Photography.
American Contemporary Ballet’s “Inferno”. Photo by Asilda Photography.

Led by choreographer Melissa Barak, Barak Ballet celebrates its fifth season with a garden party fundraiser that includes a performance, libations and a panel discussion with Barak and New York City Ballet principal dancer Jared Angle, moderated by Renae Williams Niles. Private residence, address provided with ticket purchase; Sat., Oct. 21, 6 p.m., $150. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/barak-ballets-5th-anniversary-tickets-37539782500?aff=5thAnniversary

Barak Ballet. Photo courtesy of the artists.
Barak Ballet. Photo courtesy of the artists.

Dancer Inesita leads Arte Flamenco as it unveils a new program of flamenco dance. Sage Granada Park United Methodist Church, 1850 W. Hellman Ave., Alhambra; Sat., Oct. 21, 7 p.m., free. 626-230-5435.

The new series dubbed Heart of Dance offers studio performances by major dance companies, opening with Ron K. Brown/EVIDENCE. Future events include Pam Tanowitz Dance (Oct. 28), Martha Graham Dance Company (Nov. 11) and Mark Morris Dance Group (Nov. 18). The new venture is a collaboration among the UC Irvine dance department, New York University, and the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company. Claire Trevor Theatre, UC Irvine, 4000 Mesa Rd., Irvine; Sat., Oct. 21, Free, but reservations required. http://heartofdance.brownpapertickets.com/?campaignID=240530&patronID=664709000&linkNum=2&memberID=1f09e2abdaeed2e9e02114d13742f886.

Under the banner Debris, this shared performance showcases two multi-disciplinary works, Portal Play from Laurel Atwell and Rat Shoes from Jessica Cook. Pieter, 420 W. Avenue 33, #10, Lincoln Heights;  Sat., Oct. 21, donation. https://pieterpasd.com/events/debris.

Dance Camera West screens two dance films on two successive nights with a post screening discussion. The Man Behind the Throne focuses on choreographer Vincent Paterson known for his work for Michael Jackson and Madonna (Oct. 25). The second night belongs to Marie’s Attitude about Swedish ballerina Marie Lindqvist  who retired in 2014 (Oct. 26). USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, 849 W. 34th St., downtown; Wed.-Thurs., Oct. 25-26, 8 p.m., $15. http://dancecamerawest.org.

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