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This week's dance highlights the power of “yes.”
5. Affirmative Action
At last summer's Santa Cruz Fringe Festival, L.A.-based Nugent Dance performed Yes Is Not Passive and Other Stories six times and received six standing ovations. SoCal gets a chance to see what brought Fringe Festival audiences to their feet as choreographer Stephanie Nugent and her troupe reprise the evening-length exploration of the positive and sometimes aggressive event involved in speaking the word “yes” and its power against an individual's sense of isolation and emptiness. Well known for her work in contemporary dance, particularly contact improvisation, Nugent requires dancers with strong contemporary and classical training; sometimes, as in Yes Is Not Passive and Other Stories, her dancers are called upon to speak as well as move. Catch a video preview of how Nugent Dance says yes at nugentdance.com. The full affirmation is at ARC Pasadena, 1158 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena; Sat., Jan. 12, 8 p.m.; Sun., Jan. 13, 7 p.m.; $20, $15 students. nugentdance.com.
4. Silver Linings, Silver Anniversary
Long Beach-based modern dance ensemble Nannette Brodie Dance Theater celebrates its silver anniversary with a concert drawing from its rich repertoire of choreography by Nannette Brodie. Scheduled danceworks include Polymorphic, Romantic Reruns, There & Back, Émigré, Dark to Light and Let Them Eat Cake. Dancers include Bobby Avalos, Javier Gonzalez, Claire Hanson, Cristina Kole, Amy Yen Kuo, Alexis Loffer, Stephanie Maxim, Megan McLean, Ismael Murillo, Kelly Ray, Joseph Szekula, Jennie Sustaita and Erica Villalpando. At Cal State Long Beach, Martha B. Knoebel Dance Theater, 1250 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach; Sat., Jan. 12, 8 p.m.; Sun., Jan. 13, 2 p.m., $25, $20 students & seniors. 562-985-4111, csulb.edu.
3. Rosanna Gamson/World Wide's Latest Gambols
Known for weaving a thought-provoking tapestry of movement, music and text, choreographer Rosanna Gamson and her ensemble of dancers, musicians and actors ply their talents in this preview and beta test of Layla Means Night. The finished show will debut later, but this is for dance fans who enjoy the process as much as the product. The showing includes a postshow reception. At Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Ave., Venice; Sat., Jan. 12, 4 p.m., $10. 310-306-1854, electriclodge.org.
Forever Flamenco; Credit: Photo by Bruce Bisenz
2. And the Beat Goes On
Forever Flamenco! the long-running flamenco series launches the new year with dancers Timo Nuňez, Elena Osuna and Mizuho Sato, singer Vicente Griego “El Cartucho,” percussionist Gerardo Morales and guitarist Gabriel Osuna, who is also the artistic director. At the Fountain Theatre, 5060 Fountain Ave., Los Angeles; Sun., Jan. 13, 8 p.m., $40. 323-663-1525, fountaintheatre.com.
1. Hear the Dance, See the Singing
Choreographer Paula Thomson joins stage director Maurice Godin, music director Eric Sedgwick and artistic director Ann Baltz for Opera Works' annual Arias in Motion, blending dance and opera arias. At Cal State Northridge, Cypress Recital Hall, 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge; Sat., Jan. 12, 2 & 7:30 p.m.; $20, $15 students, seniors, military. 818-831-9597, operaworks.org.
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