Re”tour”ning Home With Great Reviews

A classic ballet film goes live action downtown, Icarus’ sister takes a final fall in Echo Park, physical storytelling in West L.A., a new touring exchange debuts downtown, a Chicago visitor celebrates in Irvine, and more SoCal dance.

5.  Storytelling gets physical

The contemporary Kybele Dance Theater showed its evocative storytelling abilities during the recent Laguna Dance Festival, so no surprise at its selection to open this theater’s dance series. Led by Turkish choreographer Seda Aybay, the troupe is known for the highly physical nature of its work. Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz, 10361 W. Pico Blvd., W.L.A.; Thurs., Oct. 5, 8 p.m., $25, $18 students. http://theatreraymondkabbaz.com.

Kybele Dance Theatre Photo courtesy of KBT.
Kybele Dance Theatre Photo courtesy of KBT.

4.  Capturing the Congo

After premiering Sur les traces de Dinozord (In Search of Dinozord) in New York, Congolese choreographer and writer Faustin Linyekula/Studio Kabako arrives for three performances of the dance theater exploration of the legacy of conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and specifically the murdered political prisoner Antoine Vumilia Muhindo. Jean Kumbonyeki Deba, Papy Ebotani, Yves Mwamba Bakadiasa, and Linyekula are the dancers, Serge Kakudji sings, and Papy Maurice Mbwiti, Antoine Vumilia Muhindo are the actors. REDCAT, Disney Hall, 631 W. 2nd St., downtown; Thurs.-Sat., Sept. 28-30, 8:30 p.m., $25-$30, $20-$24 students. 213-237-2800, http://redcat.org.

Faustin Linyekula/Studio Kabako Photo by Agathe Popeney
Faustin Linyekula/Studio Kabako Photo by Agathe Popeney

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3.   Flying to a final fall

The label choreographer has always been a bit of an understatement in describing Rosanna Gamson who has drawn on literature in many of her works and incorporated text, lighting and other visual elements in a distinctive hybrid of dance and theatre that reaches levels beyond most dancemakers. This round, Gamson takes the titles creative producer and dramaturge as she collaborates with author Carol Katz, two dancers and three actors in the dance play Daedalus’ Daughter. Struggles with madness and suicide in her own family fueled Katz’ starting point, the idea that beyond the overly ambitious, ill-fated son Icarus, Daedalus had a daughter who also tried to fly, fell into the sea and what happened after she survived. Bootleg Theater, 2220 Beverly Blvd., Echo Park; Thurs.-Sat., Sept. 28-30, 7:30 p.m., $20. 213-389-3856, http://bootlegtheater.org.

Lavinia Findikoglu in "Daedalus' Daughter" Photo by Marc Gabor
Lavinia Findikoglu in “Daedalus’ Daughter” Photo by Marc Gabor

2.  In the red zone

From its start as a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale to its life as a legendary ballet film, The Red Shoes’ tale of a ballerina torn between her passion for ballet and her love for a composer remains an unmatched tale of the attraction and costs of the art form. The Red Shoes pirouettes into a new retelling in the hands of choreographer Matthew Bourne. As the man who populated Swan Lake with male swans in feathered knickers and revealed that Sleeping Beauty was actually a vampire story, expect Bourne and his company New Adventures to bring a similar fever dream vision to the stage, the first endeavor in a new partnership between Bourne and Center Theatre Group. The announced cast includes Ashley Shaw and Cordelia Braithwaite as the ballerina, Dominic North and American Ballet Theater star Marcello Gomes as her love interest, with Sam Archer and Jack Jones as the Diaghilev-like impresario. Music Center, Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown;  Tues.-Fri., 8 p.m., Sat., 2 & 8 p.m., Sun., 1 & 6:30 p.m. thru Sun., Oct. 1, $30 – $130. 213-972-4400, http://CenterTheatreGroup.org.

Ashley Shaw in Matthew Bourne’s “The Red Shoes” Photo by Johan Persson.
Ashley Shaw in Matthew Bourne’s “The Red Shoes” Photo by Johan Persson.

1.  Opening a new LA/SF connection

An innovative touring exchange program pairs locally based L.A. Contemporary Dance Company with the bay area’s FACT/SF. The two contemporary troupes shared the stage in San Francisco two weeks ago, receiving very strong reviews, and reprise the show here this weekend. LACDC contributes a new work by company member Nathan Makolandra and excerpts from a new work from artistic director Genevieve Carson. FACT/SF provides two works by Charles Slender-White. While both SF and LA having vibrant dance scenes, there are few opportunities for LA to see SF troupes and vice versa. This effort promises to allow audiences in both cities to become more familiar with the other’s dance companies without having to go through airport security. L.A. Theater Center, 514 S. Spring St., downtown; Fri.-Sat., Sept. 29-30, 8:30 p.m., $25, $20 students. http://lacontemporarydancecompany.comhttps://web.ovationtix.com.

LA Contemporary Dance Company and FACT/SF Photo on left by Kegan Marling, on right by Taso Papadakis
LA Contemporary Dance Company and FACT/SF Photo on left by Kegan Marling, on right by Taso Papadakis

Other dance of note:

Mixing elements of a charismatic ballet star and the world of Andy Warhol, Freddy marks a new dance theater venture for The Fountain Theatre and its producer Deborah Lawlor. In addition to the sterling reputation for the venue’s productions, Lawlor also is the producer behind the long-running, mostly monthly Sunday flamenco series Forever Flamenco that has gone on, essentially forever. Now Lawlor takes on playwright duties as the Fountain Theatre partners with LACC’s Theatre Academy to explore new dance and theater possibilities. Carminito Theatre, L.A. City College, 855 N. Vermont Ave., E.Hollywood; opens Wed. & Fri., 8 p.m., Thurs. & Sat., 3 & 8 p.m., through Oct. 14. $25. 323-633-1525, http://FountainTheatre.com.

This venue has a special 27-year relationship with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago which makes it a happy stop on the company’s 40th anniversary tour. Originally it had a jazz emphasis under founding artistic director Lou Conte that overtime evolved in a contemporary/modern dance direction attracting choreographers from around the world. Current director Glenn Edgerton has assembled a program of works reflecting that international flavor from William Forsythe, Nacho Duato and Robyn Mineko Williams. Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Dr., Irvine; Sat., Sept. 30, 8 p.m., $55-$150, 949-854-4646×1, http://thebarclay.org.

Hubbard Street Dance Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Hubbard Street Dance Photo by Todd Rosenberg

It’s dancing at the library as Ballet Folklorico de Los Angeles offers the final free performance of Los Angeles Public Library’s summer series LA Made. Lincoln Heights Branch Library, 2530 Workman St., Lincoln Heights; Sat., Sept. 30, 3:30 p.m., free. 323-226-1692; Arroyo Seco Regional Library, 6145 N. Figueroa Street, Highland Park, Sat., Oct. 14, 3 p.m., free. 323-255-0537.

The stage will be filled with more than 100 performers as the Martial Artists and Acrobats of Tianjin, People’s Republic of China offer circus acts, illusions, aerial, juggling and feats of balance. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa; Sat., Sept. 30, 2 & 8 p.m., $19-$79. 714-556-2787, http://scfta.org.

Marking the 30th anniversary of Linda Rondstadt’s legendary album Canciones de Mi Padre, Ballet Folklorico Ollín joins Mariachi musicians and singer Marisa Ronstadt (Linda’s niece) in recreating scenes from the album’s oridinal tour. Ford Theatres, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood; Sat., Sept. 30, 8 p.m. 323-461-3673, http://FordTheatres.org.

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