Out and About

Finale for a new works festival downtown, a ballet fest launches in Carson, commissioned world premieres in Santa Monica, flamenco in North Hollywood, dance and film in El Sereno, city-sponsored dance in Culver City, more SoCal dance this week and a peek at next week.

Live This Week

Sit or Stroll

No less than this month’s cover article in Dance Magazine, choreographer Emily Johnson comes to town with her troupe Catalyst. A member of the Yup’ik Nation (largely from Alaska), Johnson is here to unveil world premieres performed inside a theatre and on a college campus. Appropriately, both venues on land once home to California’s Gabrielino, Tongva, and Kizh peoples. The theater event, Being Future Being, combines movement, visuals, sound, and story focused on “Indigenous thrivance.” The host venue commissioned the works from this award-winning choreographer and although ticketed, it is a “pay-what-you-choose” in the theater. The related site-specific event, Being Future Being:Land/Celestial, is free with a reservation. Centered on three trees planted on the campus in the 1950s, the two daytime events involve performance and other activities, including some walking (comfortable shoes advised). Being Future Being at BroadStage, 1310 11-th St., Santa Monica; Thurs.-Sat., Sept. 8-10, 7:30pm, ticketed ‘pay what you can’ (up to $100). Being Future Being: Land/Celestial at Santa Monica College, Main Campus, South Quad by the Circle Fountain, 1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica; Thurs., Sept. 8, 11:15am, Sat., Sept. 10, 1pm, free, reservation advised. Tickets for both shows at BroadStage.

Two women dance outdoors
Emily Johnson/Catalyst. Photo courtesy of the artists.

Finale for a fest

The closing weekend of REDCAT NOW Festival Week #3 offers three highly theatrical takes on subjects ranging from Sarahjeen François’ exploration of the African tradition of hair braiding to Sara Lyons consideration of feminist histories. In their portion, The Rock Collection (Erik Speth, Sarri, Sanchez, Arletta Anderson, Finn Murphy, Jamar Morris, and Nguyễn Nguyên) manipulate light to create a dance landscape that bathes their bodies in light and darkness in Fault/Lines. More on the artists and the festival at the website. REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd St., downtown; Thurs.-Sat., Sept.1-3, 8:30pm, $20, $16 students. REDCAT.

Dancers in orange fill a stage
Ballet Fest’s Kenneth Walker Dance Project.

A late summer bloom

Ballet continues its late summer bloom around SoCal with the debut of Ballet FestCurated by choreographer Kenneth Walker and hosted by the venue and Kenneth Walker Dance Project, the invited choreographers include José Costas, Jestoni “Jet” Dagdag, Joyce Lo, Zoe Marinello-Kohn, Maté Szentes, Stella Sing Yiun Ng, and Marine de Vachon. From its repertoire, the host company performs two ballets by respected choreographers Salvatore Aiello and the late Gerald Arpino. University Theater, Cal State University Dominguez Hills, 1000 E. Victoria St., Carson; Sat., Sept. 3, 7pm, $30. Kenneth Walker Dance ProjectTix.

Dancers look up with hands covering their faces
Stage & Screen. Photo courtesy of the artists

The more the merrier

Promising to present the full spectrum of LA dance from concert to commercial and from live performance to film, the choreographer showcase Stage & Screen made its debut last March. Presented by Malia Baker, this edition features dancemaker Courtney Darlington, EJ Rose Hoffman, Khayla Jordan, Stephanie Landwehr, Nathan Madden, Hannah Millar, Aaron Quini, Keilan Stafford & Monica Williams. Scheduled films are from Shuana Davis, Haley Bergeson, Connor Pierce, and Madaline Riley. Stomping Ground LA, 5453 Alhambra Ave., El Sereno; Sat., Sept. 3, 8pm, $30. Malia Baker.

A group of Samba dancers
Dance DTLA-Samba. Photo courtesy of the Music Center

Samba out the summer

The popular summer series concludes with Dance DTLA: Samba. Last chance for a free lesson followed by open dancing. Come to dance or to enjoy the music and free show. Music Center, Jerry Moss Plaza, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Fri., Sept. 2, 7-11pm, free. Music Center.

A group of dancers toss colorful scarves
LA Dance Festival’s BrockusRED. Photo by Denise Leitner

Ferris wheel, corn dogs & dance

Amid the activities and entertainment at this year’s Culver City Fiesta la Ballona, look for a performance by BrockusRED. In addition to the limited parking around the park, a shuttle runs from the Sony Picture Studios garage. Entertainment Tent at Veterans Memorial Park, Sun. Aug. 23, 1pm., free; Fiesta la Ballona.

Two dancer bend backwards
Mojácar Flamenco’s “Cantan Los Fuegos.” Photo courtesy of the artists

Stepping in the fire

Manuel de Falla’s legendary ballet El Amor Brujo (Love the Magician) gets a dance theater presentation as Mojácar Flamenco presents Cantan Los Fuegos (The Fires Sing). The LA-based flamenco ensemble also incorporates Latin dance, jazz and ballet  at El Portal Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood; Fri.-Sat., Sept. 2-3, 8pm,  Mojácar FlamencoEl Portal Theatre. (Note: As of press time, neither the theater nor the company website had ticket information)

A Peek at Next Week

Faye DriscollThank You For Coming: Space at REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd St., downtown; Thurs.-Sat., Sept.15-17, 8:30pm, $25, $20 students, online Sat., Sept. 17 only, $15, $12 students. REDCAT.

Milka Djordjevich — Ever Present at Getty Center, Sat., Sept., 10, 5pm, free w/timed entry ticket. Getty Center.

Heidi Duckler Dance — Ebb & Flow at Baldwin Hills Scenic Outlook, 6300 Hetzler Rd., Culver City, Sat.-Sun., Sept. 10-11, 3-5pm, free w/rsvp at Eventbrite.

Dancers in a green space
Heidi Duckler Dance. Photo by Rush Varela

Fulcrum Festival (formerly the AxS Festival) — Deep Ocean/Deep Space. Various venues; Thurs., Sept. 15 to Sun. Sept. 25. Opening at Zebulon, 2478 Fletcher Dr., Frogtown; Thurs., Sept. 15, 7:30pm, free with reservation and info at Fulcrum Festival.

Complexions Contemporary Ballet at Musco Center for the Arts, Chapman University, 415 N. Glassell, Orange; Wed., Sept. 14, 7:30pm, $38-$68. Musco Center for the Arts.

Two dancers inn the spotlight
Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Photo by Hagos Rush

Maria Gillespie, Nguyễn Nguyên & Kevin Williamson — to get there from here at the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery, 251 E. 11th St., Claremont; Wed.-Sun., 1-5pm, official opening Sat., Sept. 17, 5pm. Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery.

LA Dance Shorts Film Festival — Dance Films on the Lawn at California Heritage Museum lawn, 2612 Main St., Santa Monica; Tues., Sept. 13, 7:30pm, free w/rsvp at Eventbrite.

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