A beloved novel on pointe in the Victorian houses of Heritage Square; new contemporary dance and music downtown; African diasporic and contemporary dance in Beverly Hills; a last tour stops in Santa Barbara and Westwood; contemporary dance in Mission Hills, Santa Monica, and Culver City; Aztec dance and Chinese opera dance articulate theater in Malibu and Downtown LA; more SoCal dance this week, plus a peek at next week.
Live Performance This Week (ending October 8)
Beyond angry
Whether her starting point is the current president’s recognizable repertoire of hand gestures or the isolating estrangement brought on by continual digital connection, choreographer Laurie Sefton and the dancers of Laurie Sefton Creates take an audience with them on their explorations. In her newest, Seeing Red, the subject is rage, specifically female rage, backed by an original score by Piper Rose Mann and onstage vocals from singer/poet Bossi. The program also reprises More Please and Supremacy Ride (the one about presidential mannerisms). The dancers are Carmen Callahan, Eleni Delucie, Camille Goldsborough, Stephen Kessler, Rose Lindblom, Zachary Medina, Catie Menes, Sofia Rochin and Dakota Wear. At LA Dance Project, 2245 E. Washington Blvd., Downtown LA Arts District; Fri.-Sat., Oct. 2-3, 8 pm, Sun., Oct. 4, 5 pm, $45-$75. Laurie Sefton Creates.
Not so little anymore
Three years ago, Little Women Ballet began as a passion project of choreographer Emma Andres and a small band of dancer/performers that transported the beloved Louisa May Alcott novel to the Victorian homes populating LA’s Heritage Square. The delightful, immersive dance theatre experience moved among and inside the vintage environment, ending with Meg’s wedding, a happy point in the story. That success propelled encore performances, a proscenium version, and showcasing new choreography by women. To launch its third season, the company returns its roots in those Victorian homes for an expanded version of Little Women with new costumes and lighting, some new dancers, and more story. At Heritage Square Museum, 3800 Homer St., South Pasadena; Fri.-Sun., Oct. 2-4, 6:30 pm, Sat.-Sun., Oct. 3-4, 3 pm, $68. Little Women Ballet.
Rare visit
With a signature movement vocabulary blending West African, Caribbean, and modern dance, New York-based Ronald K Brown/Evidence arrives for a rare West Coast appearance. The choreographer brings four of his works, including Come Ye (2002) set to Nina Simone and Fela Kuti, Tender Warriors created for the centennial of drummer Max Roach, Clear as Tear Water, a solo created for dancer Toni Pierce-Sands, and the ever-energized Upside Down. At the Wallis, Bram Goldsmith Theater, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills; Thurs.-Sat., Oct. 8-10, 7:30 pm, $35.20-$101.70 (includes fees). Ronald K Brown/Evidence.
Last visit
A choreographer known for his distinctive, mesmerizing blend of South Asian Bharatanatyam dance and contemporary movement, Akram Khan announced that after 25 years, this is the last tour for his Akram Khan Company. The final calling card is Thikra, a Night of Remembering, a ritualized nighttime gathering of women evoking threads observed through time that weave generations together. Part of Khan’s power is the world his designers and composers create for his dancers to inhabit. Thikra has an original score by Aditya Prakash, scenography and costumes by Saudi artist Manal AlDowayan, sound by Gareth Fry, lighting by Zeynep Kepekli, and dramaturgy by Blue Pieta. At the Granada Theatre, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara; Tues., Oct. 6, 7:30 pm, $20-$100. UCSB. Also at UCLA, Royce Hall, 10745 Dickson Ct., Westwood; Sat., Oct. 10, 8 pm, $45.08-$72.02. Akram Khan Company.
On the road
Throughout the year, the modern dance troupe Benita Bike’s DanceArt tours mostly to untraditional venues throughout metro LA, bringing a program of dance and commentary that seeks to demystify dance and build new audiences. Starting with solos and duets, Bike guides the audience to larger group works, including her newest, Flock Struck, set to gamelan music. At LA Mission College, AMP Theatre, 13356 Eldridge Ave., Sylmar; Tues., Oct. 6, 4 pm, free. Benita Bike’s DanceArt.
After dark
In the Night Shift, a world of insomniacs, overnight workers, late-night wanderers, and strangers is explored by Cantilever Collective. In this dance theater work, dancer/choreographers Andrea Burr, Himmeria Wortham, Kaitwan Jackson bring to light what goes on after dark. At Highways Performance Space, 1651 18th St., Santa Monica; Fri.-Sat., Oct. 2-3. 8 pm, $30.75 (includes fee). Cantilever Collective.
Not quite done
Since 2023, WIP 023 has quietly perked along as an artist-led, work-in-progress platform. This edition hosts current endeavors by choreographers Gurmukhi Desai Bevli and Felicia St. Cyr. A post show discussion includes choreographer Kevin Williamson, who previously presented his own work. The venue and WIP founders Kate Wallich, Stephanie Zaletel, and Belize Wilhelm provide a much needed environment nurturing new dance. At the Wende Museum, 10858 Culver Blvd., Culver City; Mon., Oct. 5, 7:30 pm, free w/reservation at WIP 023.
Simply folkloric
The Mexican folkloric dance ensemble Pacifico Dance Company brings colorful dance and music to the stage. At McCallum Theatre, 7300 Fred Waring Dr., Palm Desert; Fri., Oct. 2, 7 pm $15-$25. Pacifico Dance Company.
Shag on over
Dancers who know their stuff are a big part of the musical Shag with a Twist. Led by Shag (Josh Agle), a Tupperware party in the 1960s becomes the scene of the murder, a mystery that must be solved amid the pupu platters and bouffant hair styles. Guests are encouraged to come in their best ‘mod’ fashion and enjoy the fun. At the Grand Annex Music Hall, 434 W. 6th St., San Pedro; Sat., Oct. 3, 8 pm, $55-$65.87. Shag with a Twist.
Canadian visitors
Ice skating in a proscenium theater? Well, sort of. A little known 1990s prototype roller skate that allows for the athletic virtuosity of figure skating along with contemporary dance, and a bit of street performance is the métier of Le Patin Libre. Led by Alexandre Hamel and Maude Poulin, the touring Montreal-based skaters stop off with Melt. At Epstein Family Amphitheater, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla; Thurs., Oct. 8, 7:30 pm, $21-$55. Epstein Family Amphitheater. Also at Irvine Barclay Theatre, UC Irvine, 4242 Campus Dr., Irvine; Sun., Oct. 11, 5 pm, $34-$115. The Barclay Theatre.
Moving scuptures
This month’s edition of the city’s Art Walk finds the dance sculptures at one gallery augmented by live dancers from Laguna Dance. At Dawson Cole Fine Art Gallery, 326 Glenneyre St., Laguna Beach; Thurs., Oct. 1, 6:30 pm, free. Laguna Dance-Art Walk.
It’s a ten
Ten performers, frequently including dancers, each with ten minutes to win over the audience. It’s the long-running, mostly monthly, first Monday series Max 10. At the Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Ave., Venice; Mon., Oct. 5, 7:30 pm, $10. Max 10.
On the Rails
Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang drew on the 1867 Chinese Railway Workers strike as the backdrop for The Dance and the Railroad where dance-infused Chinese opera becomes a bond for two striking railroad workers building the transcontinental railroad. The western portion was built by a labor force, at least 80% of which were Chinese immigrants. They faced harsher duties, longer hours, made less than half the pay of white workers, and in 1867, went on strike over working conditions after an explosion killed one white and five Chinese workers. The play requires actors who also can meet the dance demands of classical Chinese opera. Presenters Artists at Play & Latino Theater Company found those actors/dancers in Tony Jin and Scott Keiji Takeda, who appeared together this summer in East West Players’ Hwang’s updated Flower Drum Song where Chinese opera dance also played a central role. The duo now reapply those Chinese opera and dance skills in this new revival of another Hwang work. At LA Theater Center, 514 S. Spring St., Downtown LA; Thurs.-Sat., 8 pm, Sun., 2 pm, thru Nov. 1, $48 (+fee). The Dance and the Railroad.
Emperors will be emperors
Exploring parallels between classical Greece and pre-Hispanic Mexico, LA’s Latino Theater Company reimagines and adapts Sophocles’ Antigone, using dance to bring onstage the battles and other important actions that usually are offstage and only described. Set in the Getty Villa’s replica Greek amphitheater, Antigone: The Language of Kings employs subtitles as the actors move among English, Spanish, and the Aztec language Nahuatl to tell the timeless tale of someone caught between a new emperor’s decree to leave a vanquished rival unburied and Antigone’s family and religious duty to observe burial rituals despite the penalty of her own death. And complicating matters, the emperor is Antigone’s uncle and the unburied body is her brother. The annual fall amphitheater events have a history of adventurous presentations of classical theater that capture the past and resound with today. Getty Villa Amphitheater, 17985 Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu; Thurs.-Sat., 8 pm, thru Sat., Oct. 3, $30-$45. Antigone: In the Language of Kings.
Club dancing
Choreographed by Jeremy Lucas (who also directs and co-wrote), Club 27 is an original, dance-drenched, rock musical. The production boasts music arranged and conducted by James Lent. At Jaxx Theatre, 5432 Santa Monica Blvd., East Hollywood; Thurs.- Sat., 8 pm, Sun., 7 pm, thru Fri., Oct. 30, $29-$75. Club 27.
Lit by LED
Don’t expect the three-act Petipa ballet as Ballet of Lights brings dancers draped in LED lights to perform its version of Sleeping Beauty. The website lacks info on choreographers or dancers. At the BroadStage, 1310 11th St., Santa Monica; Sun., Sept. 13, Sun., Oct. 4, 4 & 6 pm, $43-$69. Ballet of Lights.
A future fest
Dance films from local choreographers are among those screening at FALA (Future Artists of Los Angeles) Film Festival at LACAE Theater, 11031 Camarillo St., North Hollywood; Fri., Oct. 2, 7 pm, Sat., Oct 3, 11 am-10 pm, $10-$40, Festival pass $50. FALA Film Festival.
A Peek at Next Week (Oct. 9-15)
Georgian National Ballet (with Georgian Orchestra) – Sukhishvili at the Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale; Sat., Oct. 10, 7 pm, $64-$139. Georgian National Ballet. Also at the Ebell Theatre, 4401 W. 8th St., Hancock Park; Sun., Oct. 11, 7 pm, $99-$179. Georgian National Ballet-Ebell.
Heidi Duckler Dance — ¡ORDENA! at Culver City Art Walk, Washington Blvd. between Helms Ave. & McManus Ave., Culver City; Sat., Oct. 10, 11:45 am, 12:45 pm, 1:45 pm, & 2:45 pm, free. Ordena!.
Houston Ballet —Sons de L’âme at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa; Thurs.-Fri., Oct. 15-16, 7:30 pm, Sat., Oct 17, 2 & 7:30 pm, Sun., Oct. 18, 1 pm, $44-$169. Houston Ballet.
Dancing Through Parkinson’s — Circe & The Gang at Glorya Kaufman Performing Arts Center, Vista Del Mar Child & Family Services, 3200 Motor Ave., Palms; Sat., Oct. 10, 8:30 pm, Sun., Oct. 11, 3:30 pm, $25. Dancing Through Parkinson’s.
Flamenco Arts Festival — Tablao Zano Flamenco at Center Stage Theater, 751 Paseo Nuevo, Santa Barbara; Sat., Oct. 10, 7:30 pm, $27-$62. Tablao Zano Flamenco.