Fires burn. Hurricane winds catapult embers and ash. Among the victimized thousands, LA dancers, choreographers, and teachers lost homes and livelihoods. Some scheduled performances have been cancelled (see below). Farther outside the current burn area, other dance events remain on, for now. With the volatile situation and ongoing wind forecasts, prudent ticketholders should double check their event’s status. Plus, a hopeful peek at next week. Also next week, more on how to help, especially the often overlooked LA dance community.
Live This Week
A milestone
Marking the centenary of modern dance legend Martha Graham, her eponymous Martha Graham Dance Company stops off at two SoCal venues with performances that include her iconic Appalachian Spring with music by Aaron Copeland. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa; Sat., Jan. 18, 7:30 pm, $44.07-$134.47. SCFTA. Also at San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., San Diego; Sat., Jan. 25, 7:30 pm, $70.50-$115.50. La Jolla Music Society.

What the body knows
Congolese dancer/choreographer Faustin Linyekula employs dance, theater, sound design in an interdisciplinary work, My Body, My Archive, to explore the turbulent histories of Africa and specifically the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from a powerful personal perspective. A related event at the Fowler Museum has been cancelled (see below). UCLA, Freud Playhouse, MacGowen Hall, 245 Charles E Young Dr. East, Westwood; Sat., Jan. 18, 8 pm, $38. CAP UCLA.

A rose by any other name
Known for their astonishing flexibility, balance, athleticism and acrobatics, The Peking Acrobats return for one performance. The popular troupe retain the pre-Beijing name they have performed under since their founding, stating they feared audience confusion given their established brand. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa; Sat., Jan. 18, 8 pm, $55.37 $111.87. SCFTA.

The rhythm’s gonna get you
The genre defying Stomp has enthralled audiences since it moved from the United Kingdom’s streets to concert halls with its irreverent mash up of percussion, comedy, and movement. From a plastic bag to brooms, to a suspended wall of percussive apparatus, these artist/athletes prove rhythm, music, and dance are to be found everywhere, if the world is approached with a kid’s curiosity and appetite for fun. The Soraya, Cal State University Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge; Sat., Jan. 18, 3 & 8 pm, Sun., Jan 19, 3 pm, $75-$95. The Soraya.

A long time, with more to come
If there is an LA dance company that offers a timely example of survival in the face of adversity, it is choreographer Lula Washington and her eponymous Lula Washington Dance Theatre. For 45 years, the powerhouse choreographer, dancer, and mentor cultivated diverse generations of dancers and built a studio against financial odds and political headwinds. This performance launches this anniversary season with the premiere of Something to Think About, Washington’s homage to the late postmodern choreographer Rudy Perez and a revival of Donald McKayle’s I’ve Known Rivers. The occasion, dedicated to Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., also includes the MLK solo from The Movement set to an early Dr. King speech. Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz, 10361 W. Pico Blvd., WLA; Thurs., Jan. 16, 8:30 pm, $40, $25 students/seniors. Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz.

Cancelled or Paused
A festival takes a pause
Curated by co-founder Barbara Mueller-Wittman, the five week Dance at the Odyssey festival has proven a welcome showcase for new work presenting new ideas. Brandon Mathis, scheduled for this weekend is cancelled and the festival paused. Check the website on week 3. Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, 2955 S. Sepulveda Blvd., WLA; Thurs.-Sat., Jan. 16-18, 8 pm, Sun., Jan. 19, 2 pm, $25. Odyssey Theatre.
Not in the gallery
Faustin Linyekula at UCLA Fowler Museum, 308 Charles E. Young Dr. North, Westwood; Thurs., Jan. 16, 6 pm, free. Concert at the Freud Theater is going forward (see above).
A Peek at Next Week (January 24-30)
Ellen Smith Ahern — Shell at Dance at the Odyssey fest, Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., West LA; Sat., Jan. 25, 8 pm, Sun., Jan. 26, 2 pm, $25. Odyssey Theatre.
Live Artists Live [5.0]: Bodies Making Space at USC Roski Graduate Building, 1262 Palmetto Street, LA Arts District; Fri., Jan 24, 1-7 pm, free w/reservation at Visions and Voices USC.
Los Angeles Ballet — Memoryhouse at The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd.; Beverly Hills; Thurs.-Fri., Jan. 30-31, 7:30 pm, Sat., Feb. 1, 2 & 7:30 pm, $64-$119. The Wallis.

Benita Bike’s DanceArt at Discovery Cube, 11800 Foothill Blvd., Sylmar; Sat.-Sun., Jan. 25-26, 1 pm, limited free tickets at benita@danceart.org.
Dance Camera West at Barnsdall Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., East Hollywood (venue for most events); Wed.-Sun., Jan. 29-Feb. 2, times, ticket price, and film specifics at website “schedule.” One event at The Philosophical Research Society, 3910 Los Feliz Blvd., Los Feliz; Sat., Feb. 1, 7 pm, 20. Dance Camera West.