Ann Haskins
This week’s dance events include a the return of BODYTRAFFIC, a hip hop troupe’s paen to sneakers and the world premiere of Los Angeles Ballet’s Sleeping Beauty.
4. Cultivating locavore dance
The hip hop troupe Antics shares the stage with the contemporary Multiplex Dance in the debut production Homegrown, a potentially important partnership between Bootleg Theater and Pentacle, a non-profit that provides administrative support for dance companies, but now is moving into presenting. The intent is to establish the Bootleg Theater as a go-to venue for local dance akin to New York’s Joyce Theater. During the summer, the Ford Amphitheater somewhat serves that function, but this might fill that role the rest of the year. For this show, Antics offers Sneaker Suites combining street dance and spoken word poetry from Mark Gonzales. Multiplex Dance brings From Darkness to Light with video projections by Chad Michael Hall and music by composer David Karagianis. Bootleg Theater, 2220 Beverly Blvd., Hllywd.; Thurs.-Sat., Feb. 19-21, 7 p.m.; $20 in advance, $25 at door. 213-289-3856, bootlegtheater.org.
Frank Van de Ven in Touching Images; Credit: Photo courtesy of Frank Van de Ven
3. Touch in motion
Like local Butoh figure Oguri, Frank Van de Ven spent many years in Japan with the legendary Min Tanaka and the Mai-juku Performance Company. Van de Ven then returned to Europe to establish Body Weather Amsterdam as a platform for training and performance. L.A.’s own Body Weather Laboratory led by Oguri presents Van de Ven in this solo performance Touching Images. Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Ave., Venice; Fri.-Sat., Feb. 20-21, 8 p.m., Sun., Feb. 22, 4 p.m.; pay what you can. 310-823-0710, electriclodge.org.
Los Angeles Ballet's Alyssa Bross and Kenta Shimizu in Sleeping Beauty; Credit: Photo by Reed Hutchinson
2. And Sleeping Beauty makes three
His music is everywhere in ballet, but Tchaikovsky wrote music specifically for only three ballets—the Nutcracker, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty. For its 2014-2015 season, Los Angeles Ballet took on the challenge of presenting all three. With the first two under its belt, LAB’S Tchaikovsky Trilogy continues with the world premiere of its Sleeping Beauty with choreography from co-artistic directors Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary after Marius Petipa. (Look for Neary as the evil fairy Carabosse.) After this week’s opening in the South Bay, the production moves to LAB’s other home theaters touring the Valley, Glendale and West L.A. At Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, 1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Redondo Beach; Sat., Feb. 21, 7:30 p.m.; Also at Valley Performing Arts Center, 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge; Sat. Feb. 28, 7:30 p.m.; Also at the Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale; Sat., March 21, 7:30 p.m.; Also at UCLA Royce Hall, 340 Royce Dr., Wstwd.; Sat., March 28, 7:30 p.m., $35.50-$103.50; $29-$83 seniors, students & children. 310-998-7782; losangelesballet.org.
BODYTRAFFIC IN Once Again; Credit: Photo by Christopher Duggan
1. An L.A. brand of human trafficking
Named one of Dance Magazine’s 25 to Watch, the L.A. based contemporary company BODYTRAFFIC has drawn national attention, partly for the dancing, partly for the ability of its directors Lillian Barbeito and Tina Finkelman Berkett to attract internationally recognized choreogaphers to set works on its dancers. The troupe returns with the program that had a successful, sold out run last month at New York City’s Joyce Theater including new works from hot choreographers Hofesh Shecter, Victor Quijada and Richard Siegel. While the choreographers are compelling, so are the dancers. The New York Times reviewer praised BODYTRAFFIC’S “wonderfully precise dancers; they shimmer even when the choreography dims.” Broad Stage, 1310 11th Street, Santa Monica; Thurs.-Fri., Feb. 26-27, 7:30 p.m.; $32-$55. 310-434-3200, thebroadstage.com.
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