Dance Preview: MOVES AFTER DARK (Disney Hall)

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by Gregory Bernard on July 22, 2018

in Dance,Theater-Los Angeles

GET YOUR MOVES ON

It had to happen one day: L.A. is truly becoming a metropolis, with incredible events difficult to find anywhere else. To wit, the dance world is springing to new heights, and while site-specific dance has been going on for years, The Music Center goes a step further by selecting three L.A.-based dance companies known for their exciting work in unconventional spaces, and having them create new pieces highlighting the companies’ strengths, all performed in one evening.

The triad of world premiere contemporary works is done around The Music Center where audiences are split in three so that they can enjoy the dance “up-close and personal.” The evening, Moves After Dark, has become so popular that it returns this year to celebrate three L.A.-based women choreographers: Laurie Sefton of Clairobscur Dance; Holly Rothschild of Strange & Elegant Dance; and Janet Roston of Mixed eMotion Theatrix. The works — each which runs 20 minutes — are taking place at different outdoor locations around the architecturally stunning Walt Disney Concert Hall for four performances only — July 24, 25, 31 and August 1, 2018 at 8:30. Dress comfortably so you are prepared to stand or move while watching the amazing dancers in the beautiful Blue Ribbon Garden, around Frank Gehry’s curvy architecture, and on the stairs at the nifty Carson amphitheater and at the Grand Avenue entrance.

And now you can save 30% on select tickets to The Music Center’s Moves After Dark with an exclusive offer that you can use online, in person, or over the phone with the following code: 37252. (The 30% off is valid for the Tuesday, July 24 and Wednesday, July 25 performances only. Other restrictions may apply. No refunds, cancellations or exchanges.)

Ms. Roston, whose amazing work is on display at Celebration Theatre’s production of Cabaret, is one of L.A.’s best choreographers. Her Gatsby Redux will transport the audience to a 1920s’ evening garden party, creating choreography filled with love triangles, intimate dance among the trees, and waves of movement from a large ensemble. Using The Great Gatsby as a theatrical departure point, Roston’s piece clearly is not a literal retelling (I hope she puts that on her next-project list!), but you will still find in this vintage yet contemporary dance experience women in flowing 20s’ dresses and men in white linen.

Ms. Sefton’s work Concert Walls responds to the visible and invisible energy of Los Angeles and reflects the now-ness of this vibrant city with its intrinsic inequities and inequalities. Each audience member will receive a unique perspective and view of the work. Created to an original score by Bryan Curt Kostors (who will play live with three other musicians), the choreography reacts to the dynamic space created by the Hall’s soaring contours which become more than a backdrop, but a context, a barrier, a frame and a partner for the dancers, musicians and the audience.

Expect minimalistic expression from the eight dancers in Ms. Rothschild’s Under/Current, which will be performed on Disney Hall’s Grand Avenue stairway. The choreography will incorporate and complement the architecture of the iconic entrance, including the juxtaposition between linear and curvilinear space. The group will perform to an electronic soundscape score by Luke Rothschild, designed to co-exist with the ambient noises found on the streets of Downtown Los Angeles.

photos from previous works courtesy of the Music Center
Clairobscur Dancer Evan Swenson photo by Denise Leinter

The Music Center’s Moves After Dark
Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S Grand Ave
July 24, 25, 31 and August 1, 2018, at 8:30
for tickets ($30), call 213.972.0711 or visit The Music Center

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