Dance

FANTASM’S FANTASTIC FORAY INTO BELLYDANCING Bellydance Evolution’s  Fantasm’”Odyssey of Dreams  is a well-interpreted and abridged re-telling of  One Thousand and One Nights,  the Arabian tale that combines the legend of Queen Scheherazade with her stories about fictional celebrated sailor Sinbad. Portrayed by a multi-cultural cast assembled by choreographer Jillina Carlano, the ensemble successfully brings the story-telling aspects of bellydancing…

BALLETNOW AND FOREVER New York City Ballet (NYCB) principal dancer Tiler Peck’s curation of BalletNOW was an elegant and enticing mash-up of well-known excerpts that would satisfy both first-timers and connoisseurs expecting excellence from ballet’s best performers. Three days of shows at L.A.’s Music Center featured a varied repertoire of fast- and slow–paced dances with…

PRIMA PARTE PASSA, SECONDA È MIGLIORE Primo Passo explores life’s first steps through a compilation of dance features from choreographer Daniel Ezralow’s 30-year repertoire in a hit-and-miss retrospective that ranged from trite to enthralling. The seven pieces fit the theme of “new beginnings” well, showcasing movements that reflected an air of childlike curiosity or enthusiasm…

BALLET’S HIDDEN BEGINNINGS “There is only now.” American Contemporary Ballet (ACB)’s Artistic Director, Lincoln Jones, quoted famed choreographer George Balanchine at the premiere of the company’s latest performance high above the Los Angeles skyline on the 32nd floor of downtown’s BLOC building. The quote described the fleeting nature of dance, which has always been difficult…

THE RITE OF JOFFREY One hundred years ago, a new ballet took place in Paris’ Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. This highly controversial work – for both its music and choreography – would revolutionize dance and thrust ballet and classical music into the modern era. As if the avant-garde nature of the dance was not enough to…