Trumped Up Gestures

A female focused festival finale in Lincoln Heights, Hip Hop fest in Echo Park, a whale-centric show in West Hollywood,  dream states considered in Pasadena, star-crossed lovers who are not Romeo and Juliet downtown, presidential small hand choreography in Jefferson Park, tap and kathak in Santa Monica and much more SoCal dance this busy week.

5.  Floating about

In Drifting…A Suite of Dreamscapes, Deborah Rosen & Dancers present choreography by Diane Hula, Bernadette Sebastian, Matt Lara, Devin Ziel and Rosen who take inspiration from those dreamy states of mind that generate poems, give rise to fears, and yearning for connection. Saturday’s show also includes a guest turn by Cheryl Banks-Smith and Breeze Smith. ARC Pasadena, 1158 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena;  Fri.-Sat., March 23-24, 8:30 p.m., Sun., March 25, 3 p.m., $20, $15 students.  https://drifting.brownpapertickets.com/.

Deborah Rosen & Dancers. Photo by Denise Leitner.
Deborah Rosen & Dancers. Photo by Denise Leitner.

4.  Hip Hop happening

Returning for the third year, the shut up & dance festival features two evenings devoted to high energy and higher stepping Hip Hop dance. This year’s contributing choreographers are Aisha Bardge, Raélle Dorfan, Envy Dance Co., JanFam: The Movement, Kassy Francis, Keilah Glover, Kenneth Maloloyon, Rubi Morales, Cyrian Reed, Chris Scarver and Harry Weston. Bootleg Theater, 2220 Beverly Blvd., Echo Park; Fri., March 23, 7:30 p.m., Sat., March 24, 2 & 7:30 p.m., $12-$50. https://www.bootlegtheater.org/event/1653883-shut-up-dance-bootleg-dance-los-angeles/

shut up & dance festival's Harry Weston. Photo courtesy of the artist.
shut up & dance festival’s Harry Weston. Photo courtesy of the artist.

3.  A whale tale

Long known as the Blue Whale for its shape and cobalt exterior, the Pacific Design Center becomes the setting for site specific maven Heidi Duckler’s latest Once in a Whale. The quintet of dancers in this choreographed exploration of the Blue Whale’s interior architecture includes Tess Hewlett, Jillian Meyers, Ryan Page, Himerria Wortham and Raymond Ejiofor. Contemporary violinist Yvette Holzwarth and percussionist Nick Hon contribute the sound score. This Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre event is part of PDC’s annual WESTWEEK theme of Design is Global. A post performance reception is ticketed. Details at http://www.heididuckler.com  Pacific Design Center, 8687 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood; Fri., March 23, 8:30 p.m., $50, $25 students and West Hollywood residents, $25 for post-performance reception.  https://onceinawhale.eventbrite.com.

Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre's
Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre’s “Once in a Whale”. Photo courtesy of HDDT.

2.  Finale on the fringe

The 2018 month-long L.A. Dance Festival proclaimed the Rise of the Female, opening with three nights showcasing top notch local troupes in West L.A. Last week events moved back to Lincoln Heights to showcase the emerging generation of dancers with choreography from female dancemakers for high school and college students. For this final festival weekend adventurous SoCal female choreographers take the spotlight under the under the banner Fringe. Friday’s line-up includes The Iris Co., MashUP Dance, fabe dance, Leah Hamel, BrockusRED, Deep Blue and Catastrophe Dance. Saturday features Nanette Brodie Dance Theater, Jessica Harper, Charlotte Katherine & co., BrockusRED, Project 21DANCE, Akomi Dance and Kairos. Saturday also offers a fundraising dinner before the closing show. Classes and other activities continue into Sunday. Full festival details at http://www.LADanceFest.org or http://www.BrockusProject.org. Diavolo and Brockus Studios, 616 and 618b Moulton Ave., Lincoln Heights; Fri.-Sat., March 23-24, 8 p.m.,$25, $15 students.  http://www.LADanceFest.orghttps://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3365198.

L.A. Dance Festival's Akomi Dance. Photo courtesy of the artist.
L.A. Dance Festival’s Akomi Dance. Photo courtesy of the artist.

1.  Clarifying the gestures

Award-winning choreographer Lauri Sefton and her Clairobscur Dance are drawn to tough topics from bullying to Alzheimer’s memory loss, and in the Girl, Get Off, expanding gender/sexual orientation identifiers. Channeling her nightly news-generated anger and fear, the starting point for Sefton’s latest, Supremacy Ride, was President Trump’s choreographed gestures which then expanded into an exploration of the larger consequence and meaning of those gestures and those of world leaders past and present. The evening includes another Sefton collaboration with Hip Hop poet Jason Chu, a new work to Chu’s Word for Immigrant with Chu performing live. The evening concludes with  a reprise of the sensual Girl, Get Off.  Details at  https://www.clairobscurdance.org/upcoming-events/. Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, 4718 W. Washington Blvd., Jefferson Park; Sat. March 24, 8 p.m., $25, $30 at door.   http://www.itsmyseat.com/events/881591.html.

Clairobscur Dance. Photo by Denise Leitner.
Clairobscur Dance. Photo by Denise Leitner.

Other dance of note:

The Joffrey Ballet is done with Romeo and Juliet, but continues with another tale of other star-crossed lovers dancing John Neumeier’s choreography for the Los Angeles Opera’s performances of Orpheus and Eurydice. Complete details at musiccenter.org. Music Center Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Sat., March 24, 7:30 p.m., Sun., March 25, 2 p.m., $29-$289. http://laopera.org.

Speak: Tap & Kathak Unite is not a a call to arms. Well, perhaps a call to feet as the percussive genres of American tap dance and classical Kathak dance from India join forces in an all-female cast. The line up includes Kathak dancers Rina Mehta and Rachna Nivas joining Domeshia Sumbry-Edwards and MacArthur ‘genius’ grant recipient Michelle Dorrance. Expect some interesting rhythmic explorations with the dancers backed by live music ranging from jazz drumming to South Asian sitar and tabla. The Broad Stage, 1310 W. 11th St., Santa Monica; Thurs-Sat., March 22-24, 7:30 p.m., $45-$95. http://www.thebroadstage.org.

Speak: Tap & Kathak. Photo courtesy of the artists.
Speak: Tap & Kathak. Photo courtesy of the artists.

The mostly monthly Forever Flamenco returns with dancers Lakshmi “La Chimi” Basile and Briseyda Zarate, singers Antonio de Jerez and Bruno Serrano, guitarist  José Tanaka and standup bass Jeff Basile. Fountain Theatre, 5060 Fountain Ave., East Hollywood; Sun., March 25, 8 p.m., $40-$50, $30 seniors & students. 323-663-1525 or http://fountaintheatre.com.

Founded by Tina Ramirez and now led by Eduardo Vilaro, Ballet Hispanico marks its special relationship with this campus in a program celebrating Latino culture. Luckman Center for the Performing Arts, 5151 University Dr., East L.A., Sat., March 24, 7:30 p.m., $20. https://www1.ticketmaster.com/ballet-hispanico-los-angeles-california-03-24-2018/event/0B0054429A9A3084?artistid=803503&majorcatid=10002&minorcatid=12.

Jose Costa’s Contempo Ballet brings Herencia Latina, a program celebrating Latino American dance. Robert B. Moore Theater, Orange Coast College, 2701 Fairview Rd., Costa Mesa; Sat., March 26, 8 p.m., reservations at jcostas@contempoballet.org

Celebrate the spring equinox with the L.A. Dance Collective’s combination dance, ceremony and celebration dubbed GAIA Rising. Georgianne Cowan and Miguel Rivera are joined by musicians Peter Walden on cello, Evan Greer on African drums and singer Sheila Govindarajan. Culver City Masonic Lodge, 9635 Venice Blvd., Culver City; Sat., March 24, 10 a.m., $15.

In this Counterpointe ConcertColburn Dance Academy students perform choreography by George Balanchine including Valse-Fantaisie, Tarantella, and excerpts from Four Temperaments. Zipper Concert Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown; Sat., March 24, 5 p.m., free.  https://www.colburnschool.edu/calendar/locations/zipper-hall/

The music video game JUST DANCE becomes a live performance in JUST DANCE LIVE with the game’s characters, costumes, moves and music onstage. Plus audience involvement promises to be a distinctive feature. Hollywood Paladium, 6215 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood; Thurs., March 29, 7 p.m., $20, Fri.-Sat., March 30-31, 2 & 7 p.m., $31.85-$99. https://www.ticketmaster.com.

A charming story of a young man whose eye wanders from his true love to a mysterious beauty who sits on a balcony, Coppelia is filled with delightful Delibes music and endearing dancing. Ballet West principals Beckanne Sisk and Chase O’Connell guest in the leads with Festival Ballet’s accomplished students. Irvine Barclay Theater, 4242 Campus Dr., Irvine, Sat., March 24, 7 p.m., Sun., March 25, 2 p.m.,$42-$55. http://thebarclay.org.

Following her recent show as part of the Odyssey Dance Festival, choreographer Corina Kinnear and her collaborators reprise Naked. Part fully nude dance performance, part art installation, part musical performance, the project sets up for a four week run, mostly Thurs., Saturday and Sunday, but check the schedule at http://www.picounionproject.org.  The Pico Union Project, 1153 Valencia St., Pico Union; Thurs.-Sun., thru March 25, 8 p.m., $30.

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