Ann HaskinsThis week's dance events include dance festivals plus National Dance Day.
5. Have dance festival, will travel
Now in its third year, the ADaPT Festival has grown from its roots in Santa Barbara to an international event, and this year returns as a multi-week, tri-city festival with performances in New York, Santa Barbara and L.A. This weekend, the L.A. component hosts more than a dozen companies. West Coast participants include Marilyn Romeo, Got Country!, Nancy Evans Dance Theater, ArtBark International, No Strings Attached Dance Company, The Union Project Dance Company, Rubans Rouge Dance Company, Movement Theater CoLab and Hart Pulse Dance Company. Mojca Majcen from Europe and The Raving Jaynes and Anri Nakano from the East Coast complete the lineup. Come early for the 4:30 p.m. preshow, which includes social dance with audience participation. Details and links to the companies' websites at www.adaptfest.com/2013-participants. Get tickets at adaptfestprogramray.eventbrite.com/#. See the festival at ARC Pasadena, 1158 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena; Sun., July 28, 5 p.m., $5-$22. www.arcpasadena.org.
See also:
*5 Artsy Things to Do in L.A. This Week
*Our Calendar Section, Listing More Great Things to Do in L.A.
Dancer Cihtli Ocampo; Credit: Photo courtesy of El Cid flamenco festival
4. Silver Lake flamenco
For 50 years, El Cid has been an L.A. institution with its Spanish-themed decor, food and programs of flamenco dance with live music. For its golden anniversary, El Cid recruited Ethan Margolis of Arte y Pureza Flamenco Company to organize a two-day festival, with professional performances preceded by master classes on flamenco hand and arm movement, as well as flamenco guitar accompaniment. Each evening is devoted to performances by some of L.A.'s best-known flamenco artists. Saturday's roster includes Timo Nuñez, Briseyda Zarate, Antonio Triana, Gabriel Osuna and José Cortés with music shows before and after. Sunday offers two dance shows: At 4 p.m., dancers Cihtli Ocampo and Mizuho Sato are backed by Ethan Margolis, José Cortés and Antonio de Jerez, while at 6 p.m., Yaelisa and Fanny Ara get support from Jason McGuire, Cortés and de Jerez. Traditional Spanish food and beverages are part of the festival. Full list of events and ticket prices at www.elcidfestival.brownpapertickets.com. At El Cid, 4212 W. Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake; Sat., July 27, 6 p.m.; Sun., July 28, 4 & 6 p.m., $45-$55. festival passes available, 323-668-0318, www.elcidla.com.
NCI dancers; Credit: Photo courtesy of the National Choreographers Initiative (NCI)
3. Choreographers with initiative
Over the past 10 summers, Molly Lynch's National Choreographers Initiative has presented the often unfinished result of four choreographers working for three weeks with a dozen or so dancers. Of the dances created by 37 dancemakers over the past decade, 22 works begun at NCI have gone on to be performed by ballet companies across the country. Two weeks ago, NCI celebrated its 10th anniversary with an impressive program excerpting nine of those 22 works. Now it's time for David Fernandez, Susan McCullough, Petr Zahradnicek and L.A.'s Kitty McNamee, this year's quartet of choreographers, to put their moves onstage. Get a preview peek at www.nchoreographers.org. See the show at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine; Sat., July 27, 8 p.m., $30-$60, $20 students. 949-854-4646, www.thebarclay.org.
Samantha Goodman's Depth of Surface at REDCAT's New Original Works (NOW) Festival; Credit: Photo by Isaac Oboka
2. Three weeks of NOW
The folks who love acronyms at REDCAT (Roy and Edna Disney/Cal Arts Theatre) also like double entendres. The annual NOW (New Original Works) Festival reflects the first time nature of the presentations as well as the cutting edge emphasis of the nine L.A. innovators invited to participate. Divided into trios for three successive weekends, this year's invitees include dance with spoken word, puppets and live music in the mix. The opening week includes Mecca Vazie Andrews channeling her alter ego Molly Delilah Roundtree with help from her dancers in Molly Maps Erratic. Choreographer Samantha Goodman gets help from jazz pianist Reggy Woods, cellist Isaac Takeuchi and video projections in Depth of Surface. Week two look for Waewdao Sirisook & Ronnarong Khampha, who employ Northern Thailand's traditional fingernail dance, Fauwn Leb, as a starting point for their exploration of the conflicting traditional and contemporary forces on that culture. In week three, Los Angeles-based Meg Wolfe and Minneapolis-based Morgan Thorson explore distance and human connection. For a complete lineup of the three-week festival and links to the individual websites for previews, go to www.redcat.org. At REDCAT: Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater, 631 W. Second St., dwntwn; Thurs.-Sat., 8:30 p.m. through Aug. 10, $18, $14 students. 213-237-2800, www.redcat.org.
National Dance Day hosts Nigel Lythgoe and Adam Shankman; Credit: Photo courtesy of the Music Center
1. Dance goes national
Among today's array of choices, the chance to beat the heat and dance in Grand Park fountain may prove the most popular, led by stars from television's So You Think You Can Dance as part of National Dance Day. Nigel Lythgoe, Adam Shankman and Napoleon and Tabitha D'umo are among the SYTYCD luminaries leading four hours of free performances and dance classes (including that fountain dance class). Classes are geared to all levels, with YouTube videos already posted for one routine (sort of a line dance) and a hip-hop master class. Later in the evening, SYTYCD-related Dizzy Feet Foundation sponsors a gala performance with SYTYCD alums onstage and a post-performance supper for VIP ticket holders. Check links to the routines at www.dizzyfeetfoundation.org to practice beforehand. National Dance Day at Grand Park, 200 N. Grand Ave., dwntwn.; Sat., July 27, 10 a.m., free. 213-972-8080, www.grandparkla.org. Dizzy Feet Foundation Gala at Music Center, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Sat., July 27, 6:30 p.m., $34-$105 (show only) $400 (show & supper) 213-972-0777 www.musiccenter.org
See also:
*5 Artsy Things to Do in L.A. This Week
*Our Calendar Section, Listing More Great Things to Do in L.A.
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