Athlete’s Feats

Gotta love a choreographer whose musical tastes swing from Grand Funk Railroad to Regina Spektor to Tchaikovsky — all in the same dance. The choreographer is Trey McIntyre. Never heard of him? You will after his troupe makes its SoCal debut at this year’s Laguna Dance Festival. Since starting at Houston Ballet, McIntyre has choreographed 75 ballets for companies all over the world, including Northern California, where he established his reputation with a series of new works set on Sacramento Ballet that had audiences literally on their feet cheering. Earlier this year, McIntyre gave up his freelance choreographer status to shoulder the Sisyphean task of establishing a new ballet company. With a base in Boise, Idaho, McIntyre assembled a small but awesome troupe filled with his type of dancer — athletic, fearless, extraordinarily musical and able to move seamlessly from classical ballet to the most contemporary movement on a downbeat. New York critics praised the troupe’s debut performance last month at the prestigious Jacob’s Pillow Festival, and that same program is scheduled to be performed Friday. The Laguna Dance Festival continues until Sunday, and other performances include American Ballet Theater II, sharing the bill with Hubbard Street 2; a gala on Saturday with dancers from all the participating companies plus a fistful of ballet luminaries; and a mixed bill matinee on Sunday. For video of McIntyre’s company and a sampling of his choreography, go to www.treymcintyre.com. For a complete schedule of festival performances and events and video of prior festival performances, go to www.lagunadancefestival.org or www.cadanceoc.com. Artists’ Theater, 625 Park Ave., Laguna Beach; Fri., Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m., $50, $45 seniors, $35 students. (949) 715-5578.
Fri., Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m., 2008