A Midsummer Night's Dance

Brockus Project Dance Company brushes up its Shakespeare

Comments (0) By Ann Haskins Tuesday, May 13 2008

A midsummer night's dance

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Over the years, Deborah Brockus’ Spectrum series has provided a direly needed showcase for local dancemakers to present choreography in a theatrical setting. Her New Perspectives series opened similar possibilities for local training companies and high school dance departments, and her Spectrum Nutcracker carved up the holiday classic among a diverse group of contemporary and traditional dance companies, each taking on one section of the show for a curious but nobly collaborative effort. Responsibilities in the Idylwild School’s dance department recently have cut into her producing activities, and Brockus has been missed on the local scene. Happily, she returns with her newest, a contemporary jazz dance rendition of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream. Don’t expect the familiar Mendelssohn music. Patrick Xenakis has contributed an original jazz score to accompany Brockus’ dancers, who are joined by Seda Aybay, Jonathan Sharp and Bernard Brown. It may be another six weeks until it’s officially midsummer’s night, but this is one way to get an early start on both summer and Shakespeare. Diavolo Performance Space, 6161 Moulton Ave., dwntwn.; Sat., May 17, 8 p.m.; Sun., May 18, 7 p.m.; $20. (562) 531-8949.—Ann Haskins