A 24 Shade Parade

Contemporary dance with live music in Torrance, a folkloric 15 in Hollywood, a trio of new works downtown, a modern collaboration in Santa Ana, a Russian classical ballet downtown, and more SoCal dance this week.

5.  A Southwestern quinceañera

Dance, music and other cultural traditions of the American Southwest are brought to the stage by Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet Company in La Ruta Del Norte . Celebrating its own 15th anniversary, the ensemble offers a special quinceañera waltz. Ford Theatres, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood; Fri., July 13, 8:30 p.m., Sat., July 14, 8 p.m., $34-$69. 323-461-3673. https://www.fordtheatres.org.

Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet Company. Photo courtesy of the artists.
Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet Company. Photo courtesy of the artists.

4.  Enough is enough

The latest 21st century exploration of classical plays involving movement mavens Not Man Apart Physical Theatre Ensemble considers another Greek classic in Lysistrata Unbound. Considered a comedy, Aristophanes’ original considers what would occur if Greek women withheld sex to protest the ongoing war with Sparta. Choreographer John Farmanesh is also directing with assistant choreographers Alina Bolshakova, Jones Welsh Talmage and the Not Man Apart company. See website for additional stray performances, special wine nights and other events. Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., W.L.A.; Fri.-Sat., 8, p.m., Sun., 2 p.m., thru Sat., Aug. 4, $32-$37, $25 seniors, $22 under 30, $17 students. http://www.odysseytheatre.com.

Not Man Apart Physical Theatre Ensemble in "Lysistrata Unbound". Photo by Enci Box.
Not Man Apart Physical Theatre Ensemble in “Lysistrata Unbound”. Photo by Enci Box.

3.  When objects move in sync

Two new works from choreographer Jessica Kondrath, both with live accompaniment highlight this performance by her eponymous company Jessica Kondrath/The Movement. Under the banner Synchronous Objects, the evening also includes several repertory works from the dancers plus a live musical performance Litronix and an art installation from visual artist Diana Baumbach. El Camino College, Campus Theater, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance; Sat., July 14, 8 p.m., $21, $10 students. http://elcaminotickets.universitytickets.com/user_pages/event.asp?id=679&cid=66

Jessica Kondrath/The Movement. Photo by Denise Leitner.
Jessica Kondrath/The Movement. Photo by Denise Leitner.

2.  Opening salvo for NOW

Each summer, the magical potential of a black box theater is explored by emerging artists in dance, music, theatre and that ever-elusive category multi-media during the three week New Original Works (NOW) Festival. The 15th annual NOW Fest is perhaps the most dance-drenched in recent years with dance the focus or major component of seven of the nine artists being presented and opening week’s three artists all also employ live music. Peter Deguzman and his Malaya Filipino-American Dance Arts contribute Pangalay shadow dance as Jasmine Orpilla combines a soprano arrangement with kulintang gongs in a work inspired by poet Carlos Bulosan. Animator/performer Miwa Matreyek and sound artist Morgan Sorne join forces for Eat Your Young. Choreography from Jmy James Kidd launches 22 dancers in solid, like a rock backed by composer/instrumentalist Tara Jane O’Neil. Weeks 2 and 3 include Milka Djordjevich, Oguri, and Carlon. Program details at https://www.redcat.org. REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd St., downtown; Thurs.-Sat., July 19-21, 8:30 p.m., $20, $40 for festival, $16 students. https://www.redcat.org. 

New Original Works (NOW) Festival's Jmy James Kidd. Photo courtesy of the artist.
New Original Works (NOW) Festival’s Jmy James Kidd. Photo courtesy of the artist.

1.  24 shades of white

American Ballet Theatre returns with the full length classical ballet La Bayadère. Set in India, the ballet’s tragic love triangle bears strong resemblances with the better known opera/musical theatre Aida where a triumphant warrior is his sovereign’s choice to marry the ruler’s daughter, but the warrior is in love with another, here a sacred temple dancer who is also being eyed in an unpriestly manner by the temple’s head priest. The demanding choreography and sumptuous production showcase efforts at bribery, a flower basket with a poisonous snake, an opium induced vision and the ballet’s signature mystical procession of ballerinas descending like a mirror image of the temple dancer. Opening night Misty Copeland dances the Raja’s daughter Gamzatti with Isabella Boyston as the temple dancer Nikiya and Jeffrey Cirio as the warrior Solor. Saturday Hee Seo is Nikiya, Gillian Murphy is Gamzatti and Cory Stearns is Solor. Sunday matinee the leads are Devon Teuscher, Christine Shevchenko, and Joo Won Ahn, respectively. Music Center, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Fri.-Sat., July 13-14, 7:30 p.m., Sun., July 15, 2 p.m., Limited ticket availability as of press time $38-$60. https://www.musiccenter.org

Dancer Joseph Gorak in American Ballet Theater's La Bayadère. Photo by Marty Sohl.
Dancer Joseph Gorak in American Ballet Theater’s La Bayadère. Photo by Marty Sohl.

Other dance of note:

Under the banner Co-Creation LAB, the young dancers of the Wooden Floor join David Dorfman Dance for a new collaborative work.  The evenings also include excerpts from choreographer Dorfman’s Around Town plus a preview of a new work in progress.   The Wooden Floor Studio Theatre, 1810 N. Main St., Santa Ana; Thurs.-Sat., July 19-21, 8 p.m., $20, $10 students.  http://www.thewoodenfloor.org.

A collection of short works from Vihu Dance and an impossible infatuation from The Hubbard Collective are the calling cards for these two dance companies. Highways Performance Space, 1651 18th St., Santa Monica; Fri.-Sat., July 13-14, 8:30 p.m., $20, $15 students & seniors. https://highwaysperformance.org.

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