Ann HaskinsSee also:
*5 Artsy Things to Do in L.A. This Week
*5 Best Comedy Shows to See in L.A. This Week
*Our Calendar Section, Listing More Great Things to Do in L.A.
This week's dance highlights includes the answer to the question, Does L.A. need another dance festival?
5. Awakenings and Beginnings
L.A.'s pop-up dance festivals offer an opportunity to savor small samples from different dance companies without committing a whole evening to one troupe. Noelle Andressen and her Rubans Rouges (Red Ribbons) Dance Company host Awakenings and Beginnings, a new entry on the local festival scene, showcasing 10 SoCal troupes for one night only. The starting aesthetic is modern dance, but each ensemble incorporates physical theater, video, ballet, hip-hop and other elements. Some familiar faces include Amanda Hart's Hart Pulse Dance Company and Nancy Evans Dance Theater, both of which have hosted their own festivals. Other participants include Santa Barbara-based ArtBark International, which evolved from the physical-theater ensemble SonneBlauma; Megill & Company, known for wryly blending dance with theatrical antics; Wendi Baity's Relentless Dance Theater, which injects a hip-hop audacity into a modern-dance aesthetic; Robert Salas' newly organized Movement Theatre CoLab; and Alex Floyd's OdDancity, which celebrates its first anniversary with this show. This is the debut festival, but Andressen has big plans for its future. At The Brewery, 616 Moulton Ave., dwntwn.; Sat., Jan. 19, 7 p.m.; $15, $12 seniors & students; brownpapertickets.com/event/296599.
4. Liz Glynn: [De]-lusions of Grandeur
Liz Glynn selected Auguste Rodin as the starting point for the first in a series of site-specific performances under the banner [De]-lusions of Grandeur, responding to some of the B. Gerald Cantor Sculpture Garden's large-scale sculptures and considering the equally large-scale human effort involved in their creation. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., mid-Wilshire; Sat.,-Sun., Jan. 19-20, noon, free. 323-857-6000, lacma.org.
3. Suchi Branfman
It's cozy on the couches and warm by the fire as choreographer Suchi Branfman hosts an evening of contemporary dance as the informal arts series Fireside at the Miles returns for its fourth year. Doors open at 7:15 p.m. for refreshments and conversation before the show. Reservations are held up to 15 minutes before the show. At the Miles Memorial Playhouse, 1130 Lincoln Blvd., Santa Monica; Thurs., Jan. 24, 8 p.m., $10, $5 students & seniors, milesplayhouse@smgov.net. 310-458-8634, milesplayhouse.org.
2. Shen Yun
Backed by a live orchestra, this richly costumed spectacular celebrates Chinese culture At Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, scfta.org.; Fri., Jan. 18, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., Jan. 19, 2 & 7:30 p.m.; Sun., Jan. 20, 2 p.m., $60-$180. Also at Fred Kavli Theater, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks; Jan. 22-23, 7:30 p.m., $50-$150. 800-880-0188. laspectacular.com.
1. Teatro Zinzanni
Bringing the idea of dinner theater into the 21st century, Teatro Zinzanni has taken over the plaza area of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts with a three-hour extravaganza that combines fine dining with dance, cabaret, improv comedy, cirque and vaudeville. The show is ever-changing, encouraging repeat visits. The price includes the five-course meal but not beverages or gratuity. At the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa; Wednesdays-Saturdays, 7 p.m. Thru Feb. 16, $122.85-$163.80. 714-556-2787, scfta.org.
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