LANG LANDS IN LA LA LAND
Jessica Lang has no doubt made a name for herself in the dance world as an independent choreographer, but dance patrons in Los Angeles may find this in-demand dancemaker difficult to place. Because the majority of troupes that visit here offer programs by the company’s namesake (Paul Taylor, Lar Lubovitch, Bill T. Jones), Lang’s work had yet to make a name for itself. Continuously working with ballet companies across the U.S. and abroad since 1999, Lang—who has created more than 90 pieces—ultimately decided in 2011 to form her own company: Jessica Lang Dance. Based in New York City, the nascent company, dedicated to creating and performing the work of its founder, made its official debut at the 2012 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in Becket, Mass. I caught this exciting company when at its West Coast debut at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills in 2014, and I couldn’t recommend it more.
Now, Jessica Lang Dance comes to The Music Center ’’s Ahmanson Theatre for a three-day engagement (February 17-19, 2017). Included in the program is the West Coast premiere of Tesseracts of Time, created in collaboration with world renowned architect Steven Holl; Thousand Yard Stare, a new work created by choreographer Jessica Lang in 2015; audience favorite, Droplet; and Lang’s iconic gem, The Calling.
These four works offer the elements that have made Lang such an in-demand choreographer: She transforms classical ballet language into artfully crafted, emotionally engaging contemporary works utilizing an amalgam of her disparate backgrounds—jazz, ballet, modern, and her years with Twyla Tharp’s company, THARP!—with an uncanny knack for integrating stunning visual design.
One hour prior to each performance, Kroma Quartet will perform outside the Ahmanson playing a mix of classical music and an arrangement of contemporary songs.
photos by Todd Rosenberg and Takao Komaru
Jessica Lang Dance
Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center
Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave
Friday, February 17, 2017 at 7:30
Saturday, February 18, 2017 at 7:30
Sunday, February 19, 2017 at 2:00
for tickets, call 213.972.0711 or visit The Music Center