Dancers and military veterans join forces on film, Afro-Brazilian dance in Anaheim, a folkloric Christmas celebration in Orange, dancing out the rats in Palm Springs, also a busy week for rats in the Nutcrackers, local dance news, a peek at next week, and more SoCal dance.

Live This Week

’Tis the season

Dance, music and song celebrating the season as Ballet Folklórico de Los Ángeles and Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar take the stage in Nochebuena: Christmas Eve in Mexico. Musco Center for the Arts, Chapman University, 415 N. Glassell, Orange; Wed.-Thurs., Dec. 21-22, 7:30 pm, $21.50-$83. Musco Center.

Dance to the piper

Humor and contemporary dance are promised as Palm Springs Dance Project and InMovement Dance Company join forces in retelling The Pied Piper. The Coachella Valley Philharmonic provides live music. Palm Springs Cultural Center, 2300 E. Barista Rd., Palm Springs; Sat., Dec. 17, 5:30 pm, $15-$25. Eventbrite.

How many times must the cannonballs fly?

The forceful physicality of choreographer Jacques Heim and the dancers of Diavolo/Architecture in Motion found soulmates in its Veterans Project. Even before the pandemic, the collaboration with military veterans produced breathtaking performances filled with raw yet disciplined power. With underwriting from several sources, one of the most stunning productions SOS: Signs of Strength put the dancers and veterans in front of the camera of three-time Emmy winner Aaron Mendez to bring a cinematic perspective to these true tales from the vets. Performed live at the Wallis in March, this screening shares the experience at a time when the war in Ukraine is creating, damaging, and destroying another generation of military veterans. Screening on Thurs., Dec. 22, 5 pm, $20-$30 Diavolo.

Dancing in the street

The Rockettes\’ stamina in their multi-performance show days has met its match in the Afro-Brazilian dancers of Viver Brasil. For the 9^th year, the LA-based troupe is performing as part of Disneyland’s  ¡Viva Navidad! street fiesta. That means six performances a day until early next year. If Disneyland is in the holiday plans, find time to enjoy the always exuberant dancing and cheer on this home team. Disneyland, California Adventure Park, 1313 Disneyland Park Dr., Anaheim; daily to Jan. 8, 12:05, 1:15, 2:15, 3:50, 4:45, & 5:45 pm, free with park admission. . Info on Viver Brasil at Viver Brasil. Park ticket info at Disneyland.

A house made of cloth

A posting on the website of Pieter Performance promised Cloth House, a Maria Nordman reenactment from 1967 connected with the Joan Didion exhibit at Hammer Museum in Westwood. The description suggests three cloth-covered dancers walking for 30 minutes from the bus stop on Wilshire and Westwood Blvd to the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine on the corner of Le Conte and Hilgard. The posting indicates the event is on Dec. 21, 2-3pm, free. Wish I could tell you more, but neither Pieter nor the Hammer responded to e-mail inquiries. Bus stop at Wilshire and Westwood, Wed., Dec. 21, 2 to 3 pm, free. Info on the Didion exhibition at Hammer Museum.

And This Week’s Professional Nutcrackers

(See full 2022 Nutcracker round-up at Nuts and More Nuts!!)

Los Angeles Ballet — At UCLA Royce Hall, Westwood; Fri., Dec. 16, 8 pm, Sat.-Sun., Dec. 17-18, noon & 5 pm. Also at Dolby Theatre, Hollywood & Highland, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; Thurs., Dec. 22, 2 pm, Fri., Dec. 23, 2 & 8 pm, Sat., Dec. 24, noon,  Mon., Dec. 26, 2 pm, $44-$144, discounts for seniors, students, children under 12 years, & military. Los Angeles Ballet.

American Ballet Theatre — At Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa; Wed.-Fri., Dec. 14-16, 7 pm, Sat., Dec. 17, 2 pm & 7 pm, Sun., Dec 18, 12:30 & 5:30 pm, $29-$250. 714-556-2787, SCFTA.

Inland Pacific Ballet — At Fox Performing Arts Center, 3801 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside; Sat., Dec. 17, 2 pm & 7:30 pm, Sun., Dec. 18, 2 pm $24-$84, discounts for seniors, students, groups & children 12 & under. Info & tickets at Inland Pacific Ballet.

American Contemporary Ballet, The Nutcracker Suite — At ACB Studios, ACB Studios, Two California Plaza, 350 S. Grand Ave., 28th Floor, downtown; Thur. & Fri., 8 pm, Sat.-Sun., 2 & 5 pm, thru Thurs.-Fri., Dec. 22-23, 8 pm, then Sat. Dec. 24, 1 pm $65-$140. American Contemporary Ballet.

Long Beach Ballet — At Terrace Theatre, 300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach; Fri., Dec. 16, 7:30 pm, Sat., Dec. 17, 2 pm & 7:30 pm, Sun., Dec. 18, 2 pm, Thurs.-Fri., Dec. 22-23, 7:30 pm, $34-$125. Long Beach Nutcracker.

State Street Ballet — At Granada Theater, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara; Sat., Dec. 17, 2 & 7:30 pm, Sun., Dec. 18, 2 pm, $26-$106. State Street Ballet.

World Ballet Series — At the Saban Theatre, 8440 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills; Fri.-Sat., Dec. 16-17, 7 pm, $55-$135. Also at La Mirada Theatre,14900 La Mirada Blvd., La Mirada; Tues., Dec. 20, 7pm, $35-$175. Also at Oxnard Performing Arts Center, Fri., Dec. 23, 7pm, $35-$89. Also at the Alex Theater, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, Sat., Dec. 24, 2pm. $30-$185. World Ballet Series.

A Peek at Next Week

63^rd LA County Holiday Celebration at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Sat., Dec. 24, 3 to 6 pm, free (admission & parking). Also live streaming on KCET and PBS SoCal and later rebroadcast. Dance and other performers at Music Center.

Lula Washington Dance Theatre Kwanzaa 2022! At Lula Washington Dance Studio Theatre, 3773 Crenshaw Blvd., Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw; Thurs.-Sun., Dec. 27-30, 7:30 pm, $15-$75. Performance details at Lula Washington Dance Theatre. Tickets at Brown Paper Tickets.

SoCal Dance Notes

Online meet and reflect

After a year noted for increased antisemitism, the Dance Resource Center invites Jewish dancers, dance makers, educators and allies to nosh (nashn) virtually and reflect on community and resilience. Tues., Dec. 20, from noon to 1:30 pm. Register at Dance Resource Center.

Applications open now

#1

Applications are still open for the two-day National Master Audition where artistic directors from ten mid-size ballet companies assemble to audition dancers for their professional companies and trainee companies. The final day includes an audition open to pre-professional students for summer intensive programs. Lauridsen Ballet Centre, 1261 Sartori Ave., Torrance; Professional Division: Dec. 28-30, Pre-professional Division: Dec. 30, 3pm. Info and registration at Ballet California.

#2

Dance Camera West announced applications are open for Dance Film Lab, a session with award-winning filmmaker Gabri Christa on the final day of this year’s three-day dance film festival in January. Originally from the Dutch Caribbean, Christa has a background in film and choreography that informs her Screendance classes at Barnard College of Columbia University in NYC. The three-hour Dance Film Lab will explore the single shot camera for filming dance. Attendance is limited and open to students as well as professionals. Barnsdall Theatre and Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; Sat., Jan. 21. Info & application at  Dance Camera West.

#3

Choreographers are among the performers and cultural artists invited to apply to create, develop, and manage cultural programs during 2023 at the Goethe-Institute Project Space in Westlake/MacArthur Park. With funding from Germany, the Goethe-Institute fosters international cultural cooperation. Awardees receive a ten-week program in the project’s Westlake space, plus funding for an honorarium and production budget. Deadline is January 10, 2023. Details and application requirements at Goethe Institute Project Space.

#4