A concept album goes dancing in the Hollywood hills; a flamenco fest returns in Silverlake; Japanese folk dance in Little Tokyo; an eclectic dance gathering in Santa Monica; hip hop hosted downtown; more SoCal dance this week, plus a peek at next week.
Live This Week
A sweet suite
Directed by renown choreographer Bill T. Jones, The Motherboard Suite gathered seven choreographers to bring seven perspectives to live music by actor/slam-poet-turned-musician Saul Williams. The choreographers are Maria Bauman, Kayla Farrish, Marjani Forté-Saunders, d. Sabela grimes, Jasmine Hearn, Shamel Pitts, and Jade Solomon Curtis. The music is from Williams’ albums MartyrLoserKing and Encrypted & Vulnerable. The adventurous endeavor was first presented by New York Live Arts on the city streets, later in Seattle, and now here. The Ford Theatre, 2850 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood; Fri., Aug. 9, 8 pm, $25-$55. The Ford Theatre.
Mixing it up
Except for a three year hiatus (remember Covid?), the Mix Match Dance Festival has been a summer fixture since its inception in 2007. The brainchild of producer Amanda Hart, the festival offers a kaleidoscopic mix of dance genres arranged in different configurations over three shows. As of publication, each show’s line up was not available, but will draw from Temper Tantrum Dance Company, Rachel Pace-Ham, Chengyao Zhou, Nrityanvita Kathak Academy, Waeli Wang, Authentic: Grooves, LA Dance Moves, Maha and Company, Pacifico Dance Company, AlignDance Theatre, Pearly Mitnasala Mounarath, Powell Dance, Pas d’ASL, Megill & Company, Erick Morales, Heather Dale Wentworth, Sonia Ochoa, Cerritos Dance Repertory Theater, Coalescence Dance Festival, Erin Kracht, Maya Kell-Abrams, Orphee Georgah AHEHEHINNOU, Martha L. Z. Pamintuan, Mar Lopez Tovar, Dimple Kaur, and Tanz Groupe. Highways Performance Space, 1651 18th St., Santa Monica; Fri.-Sat., Aug. 9-10, 7 pm, Sun., Aug. 11, 2 pm, $20. Hart Pulse Dance Company.
Headed west
Based in the South Bay, the Kenneth Walker Dance Project is a frequent presence at venues throughout SoCal, but not as often as desired in West LA. For this visit, the choreographer and his contemporary ballet company offer selections from their extensive repertoire including Soft Ambient Pulse and Teletype. Westside Ballet Black Box Theater, 1709 Stewart St., Santa Monica; Sat., Aug. 10, 7:30 pm, $20. Tickets.
Forever-ing
Over three decades, Deborah Culver Lawlor was lauded for incubating Tony-award winning theater as the Fountain Theatre’s co-artistic director with Stephen Sachs. During those 30 years, Lawlor also indulged in a secret passion, mostly once a month, when the 80-seat theater hosted Forever Flamenco. Lawlor curated the series behind the scenes while artistic direction of each show moved among a roster of LA’s flamenco notables who brought in local and visiting flamenco-istas for an evening of live dance and music. With Lawlor’s death last year and Sach’s announced retirement, the fate of the flamenco series was bleak until the recent announcement that Forever Flamenco will return with weekly shows throughout August in honor of Lawlor and her legacy. This week, dancer/artistic director Timo Nuñez is joined by singer/dancer Clare Rodriguez, singer Pelele Mendez, and guitarist José Tanaka. The series future after August is up in the air, but at this moment, Forever Flamenco is for now. The Fountain Theatre, 5060 Fountain Ave., Silverlake; Sat., Aug. 10, 8 pm, $40-$50, $35 seniors, $25 students. Fountain Theatre.
Festival folk dance
Japanese folk dance is part of the annual Nisei Week Parade. Full parade details and surrounding events at the website. Parade in Little Tokyo starts on Central Avenue heads down 2nd St. then north on San Pedro, downtown; Sun., Aug. 11, 4-7 pm, free. Nisei Week.
Summer dancing
Part performance, part participatory event, the free, al fresco summer series Dance DTLA continues this week with hip hop. A beginner/refresher lesson at 7 pm is followed by a chance to dance or just watch and enjoy until 11 pm. If this week is not your style, the full line up of upcoming dance options is at the website. Music Center, Jerry Moss Plaza, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Fri., Aug. 9, 7 pm, free. Music Center | Dance DTLA.
A Peek at Next Week (August 16 to 22)
Raiford Rogers Modern Ballet at Luckman Fine Arts Complex, Cal State LA, 5151 State University Dr., East LA; Sat., Aug. 17, 8 pm., $38-$67. Ticketmaster.
Forever Flamenco — Casta Flamenca at the Fountain Theatre, 5060 Fountain Ave., Silverlake; Sat., Aug. 17, 8 pm, $40-$50, $35 seniors, $25 students. Fountain Theatre.
Caleb Teicher & Conrad Tao — Counterpoint II at Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, 7600 Fay Ave., La Jolla; Fri., Aug. 16, 7:30 pm, $48-$108. La Jolla Music Society.
Ansuya — Cabaret Soiree at Westside Ballet, 1709 Stewart St., Santa Monica; Fri.-Sat., Aug., 16-17, 7 pm, $33.85 Fri. tix at Eventbrite, Sat. tix at Eventbrite.
Relámpago del Cielo with Mariachi Santa Monica in La Cultura Colorida at Musco Center for the Arts, Chapman University, 415 N. Glassell, Orange; Sat., Aug. 17, 7:30 pm, $63. Musco Center for the Arts.
Dance DTLA — Disco at the Music Center, Jerry Moss Plaza, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Fri., Aug. 16, 7 pm, free. Music Center | Dance DTLA.
Debbie Allen Dance Academy Gala — Remember My Name Ball at Debbie Allen Dance Academy, Rhimes Performing Arts Center, 1850 S. Manhattan Pl., Sat., Aug. 17, 6 pm, $65-$100. Debbie Allen Dance Academy.