Category Archives: Dance

Pasadena Dance Theatre announces Jean Michelle Sayeg & Eric Shah as the newly appointed Co-Artistic Directors

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JEAN MICHELLE SAYEG & ERIC SHAH
Artistic Directors
PASADENA DANCE THEATRE
ANNOUNCES
JEAN MICHELLE SAYEG & ERIC SHAH
AS THE NEWLY APPOINTED CO-ARTISTIC DIRECTORS
 THE BELOVED CLASSIC
“THE NUTCRACKER”
WILL BE THEIR FIRST PRODUCTION WITH THE ACCLAIMED ORGANIZATION
4 PERFORMANCES ONLY – DECEMBER 20 – 22, 2024
PASADENA, CA (November 21, 2024) – Pasadena Dance Theatre (PDT) announced today, after a wide-ranging, multiple year search, the PDT Board appointed Jean Michelle Sayeg and Eric Shah as the acclaimed dance organization’s Co-Artistic Directors.
 “We are confident that Jean and Eric will honor and build upon the more than 65-year legacy and foundation of Pasadena Dance Theatre as well as bring in new ideas and creative pursuits for the future. Jean received her pre professional training at PDT and throughout their professional careers, she and Eric have worked together extensively,” said Nancy Schmieder, Vice President of the Pasadena Dance theatre Board of Directors. “We are looking forward to seeing what they do with that synergy of past and future, together with their collaborative working relationship, here at PDT.”
Jean Michelle Sayeg, a proud PDT alum has a deep connection to the organization’s legacy. “Returning to PDT feels like coming home. I was fortunate to have excellent training from age eight to seventeen.” She went on to train further at San Francisco Ballet and spent several seasons performing as soloist and in principal roles at State Street Ballet and Smuin Ballet SF. Sayeg has performed on prestigious stages such as the War Memorial Opera House, Lincoln Center, the Hollywood Bowl, and the Music Center. As she returns to lead PDT with co-director Shah, Sayeg is passionate about nurturing the next generation of students, just as her instructors did for her. “I’m so grateful to my mentors who developed our talents and gave us opportunities. They gave me the tools to have a successful career in dance, and now I’m driven to do the same for our students.
Eric Shah is excited to be co-directing this new production. Through his 20 years as a professional dancer and educator, he finds his greatest passion in the teaching, coaching, and mentoring of pre-professional and professional dancers. Together Eric and Jean will strive to connect and collaborate with local Pasadena arts organizations, and to grow and revitalize the legacy of the Pasadena Dance Theatre.
Alongside Sayeg & Shah, International Ovation Award Winning Lighting Designer Jared Sayeg will have full circle collaboration on the production, where his career began. “PDT embraced my eagerness as a young kid with a dream to work backstage: where I was fortunate to meet my mentor, lighting designer Liz Stillwell. The years I spent working on The Nutcracker and the relationships I made are some of my most memorable experiences that shaped my passion for design, dance, and theater. Coming back twenty-five years later with my sister and collaborating on the production where we got our start has been a gift. I hope the production continues to inspire audiences just as it did for us.”
In addition to announcing Sayeg and Shah’s appointment, Pasadena Dance Theatre announced that their annual holiday presentation of The Nutcracker will be the Co-Artistic Directors first production for the organization. The cherished tradition for families throughout southern California. Performances will take place at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse (320 South Mission Drive, San Gabriel, California) on Friday, December 20th at 7:30 pm, Saturday, December 21st at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm and Sunday, December 22nd at 2:00 pm. For information and tickets go to https://missionplayhouse.org.
Under their visionary leadership, this year’s Nutcracker will bring new life to the timeless tale. They have reimagined the production with fresh choreography and stunning design elements while honoring the classic Tchaikovsky score that has captivated audiences for generations. PDT’s Nutcracker tells the story of young Clara as she embarks on a magical journey to the Land of Sweets with her Nutcracker Prince. Filled with delightful characters, from the Sugar Plum Fairy to the Mouse King, and breathtaking performances by both world-renowned guest artists Aaron Smyth and Matisse Love.  The company includes PDT Alumni,  local professionals and the talented PDT conservatory dancers, this is a production that is not to be missed.
Added new elements, collaborations and cultural highlights will include The High Notes of the Pasadena Chorale singing live combined with the new choreography by Sayeg. In celebration of the Year of the Dragon, a time symbolizing good fortune, strength and power-two authentic Chinese Dragons will appear blending traditional movement with classical ballet.  Master Instructor Kin Lam will be coaching PDT dancers in the technical maneuvering of the Dragons. Arturo Fernandez, former Ballet Master Emeritus of Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet will be choreographing the sultry Arabian dance. Additionally, PDT is thrilled to collaborate with the U.S. National Men’s Four Acrobatic Gymnasts Team whose extraordinary athleticism will bring Russian dance to life with breathtaking skill.
Join Pasadena Dance Theatre for a spectacular holiday tradition and experience the magic of The Nutcracker. Proceeds from the performances will support PDT’s mission to enrich the cultural landscape of Southern California through exceptional dance education and performance.
Select a VIP ticket (available with any seat purchase and receive:
• A backstage tour
• Meet the dancers
• Photo opportunity on the Throne holding the Nutcracker
• A Sugar Plum Fairy gift bag
ABOUT PASADENA DANCE THEATRE:
Pasadena Dance Theatre (PDT) has been empowering and transforming lives through dance since 1958. As a vital cultural institution, PDT offers high-quality dance education and professional opportunities for dancers of all ages. Under the new leadership of Jean Michelle Sayeg and Eric Shah, PDT continues to inspire and enrich the community with dynamic programming and artistic excellence.
Follow PDT on Instagram and Facebook @pasadenadancetheatre
HEADSHOT AND ARTWORK COURTESY OF PASADENA DANCE THEATRE.
Note: Production Photos of The Nutcracker by Kirk Jackson.

100 SECONDS TO MIDNIGHT at The Ford

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Blue13 Dance Company

The Celebrated Contemporary Dance Ensemble Presents a
New Program Inspired by the Doomsday Clock

100 Seconds to Midnight

One Night Only – The Ford, September 28, 2024, 8 p.m.

WHAT:
Blue13 blends contemporary and traditional dance forms with everything from hip-hop to Bollywood and ballet, challenging perceptions of South Asian American dance. In 100 Seconds to Midnight, a new contemporary dance project choreographed by Achinta S. McDaniel, the company delves deep into the complexities of the human experience, drawing inspiration from the infamous Doomsday Clock. Made famous by J. Robert Oppenheimer, Albert Einstein, and other concerned scientists, the clock measures how close the planet is to global catastrophe, marked as midnight. McDaniel turns the metaphor inward to examine the notion of “doom” as it pertains to South Asian communities. Repeatedly erased but resilient, these communities often grapple with cyclical trauma and the unrelenting anxiety of impending loss. Through a triptych of movements, 100 Seconds to Midnight confronts misogyny, unpacks the generational effects of colonization, and scrutinizes the expectations placed upon women regarding duty, tradition, and assimilation.

WHO:
Blue13 Dance Company presents American dance through performance, outreach, and education. For over 20 years, Blue13 has connected audiences through the power of live, aesthetically and culturally daring dance, performing in the U.S. and abroad in its highly energetic and theatrical modern dance style that is inspired in part by the classical and cultural art forms of the Indian subcontinent.

A first-generation South Asian American, Blue13’s Artistic director, Achinta S. McDaniel pulls precision, humor, and deep emotion from her ensemble to create work as rebellious and unconventional as its architect. Storytelling through dance is central to the company, as is a continual exploration of technique with its cast of dancers of many backgrounds. The work is moody, rhythmic, and charged, presenting the audience with an intelligent experience of performance that turns the cultural stereotype of Indian dance on its head.

A pioneer of contemporary Indian dance in the United States, a prolific choreographer, performer, and instructor, McDaniel’s powerful and fresh style draws from diverse techniques including ballet, jazz, tap, modern, hip hop, Bhangra, Kathak, and Bollywood, to create spectacular and theatrical dance. She is known for her experimentation with international styles and for inventive staging of her signature contemporary Indian forms. Her choreography is highly dramatic and a real reflection of her upbringing: Eastern and Western, exotic, mysterious, wild, rebellious and unconventional. McDaniel’s work is fearless and inventive, ever exploring the boundaries of contemporary dance as a first-generation Indian woman. McDaniel is also a Professor at the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance at the University of Southern California. Achinta has expanded Blue13 for over fifteen years, creating one of the country’s first professional contemporary Indian dance theatre ensembles and touring on stages around the world. McDaniel also lectures and teaches contemporary Indian, Bollywood, and Bhangra styles internationally, and works as a choreographer in the film and television industry when not touring with Blue13.

About The Ford

The Ford is one of the oldest performing arts venues in Los Angeles, with an outdoor 1,200-seat amphitheater and a rich history dating back to 1920. Situated in a 32-acre park and under the stewardship of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association and Los Angeles County Department of Parks & Recreation, The Ford presents an eclectic summer season of music, dance, film, and family events that are reflective of the communities that comprise Los Angeles.

WHEN:  Saturday, September 28, 2024 @8 p.m.

WHERE:  The Ford
2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood, CA  90068
(just off the 101, between Hollywood and Universal Studios in the Cahuenga Pass)

TICKETS:
Reserved seating: $10 – $65
To learn about discounts for groups of 10 or more call 323-850-2050 or visit theford.com.

PARKING:

A FREE shuttle to The Ford picks up at Hollywood & Highland from Orange Court, 1736 N Orange Dr, Los Angeles 90028 and Universal City/Studio City Metro Station from the “kiss and ride” area, 3913 Lankershim Blvd, Studio City 91604. Parking fees may apply. Shuttle service starts two hours before show time and runs approximately every 20 minutes, ending once the show begins. The shuttle does not run throughout the show. When the show is over, catch the shuttle at the front gates; follow signs and staff directions.

HOW:
• https://www.theford.com or (323) 850-2000
• https://www.Blue13Dance.com
• info@Blue13Dance.com
• facebook.com/Blue13Dance
• Video Trailer from 100 Seconds to Midnight Movement II – 1947: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjI2dQcJ7d4&t=38s
• https://www.YouTube.com/@Blue13DanceCompany

OTHER:
Dress warmly for outdoor seating

Little Women Ballet

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Little Women Ballet

Autumn Site-Specific Immersive Experience

Returns with its Second in the Trilogy

Where New and True Fans of the Beloved Novel are Transformed into Active Participants, Traversing the Grounds and Historic Manors of Heritage Square

Five Performances between September 27 – 29, 2024; Heritage Square Museum

WHAT:
Little Women Ballet returns with an Autumn site-specific immersive experience – the second in the Trilogy – at the Heritage Square Museum where audiences enjoy being inside the beloved story of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. Each immersive experience is entirely unique featuring a different season, different music, different desserts and refreshments, and different parts of the Little Women story told through dance. Audiences will venture into this classic tale for an immersive ballet experience. Join Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy inside the Victorian houses of Los Angeles as they tell their story of sisterhood, love, loss, and family. Meet all the characters up close, go on an immersive walking tour of the Heritage Square Museum, enjoy autumn-themed desserts and refreshments, and join the cast in Victorian dancing at the end of the evening. A wonderful experience for fans, young and old, within this timeless coming-of-age story.

WHEN:
• Friday, September 27; 6:30pm
• Saturday, September 28; 3pm; 6:30pm
• Sunday September 29; 3pm & 6:30pm

WHERE:
Heritage Square Museum
3800 Homer Street, Los Angeles, CA 90031

TICKETS:  $60.00 (plus $4.00 service fee)

OTHER:
• Heritage Square Museum welcomes visitors who use mobility aids such as wheelchairs. However, traveling over long stretches of gravel is necessary to access all the structures on the property. In addition, only three buildings (Perry House, Palms Depot, and Colonial Drugstore) have ramps; all other structures on the tour have stairs.

• Appropriate for ages 12+ (Guardians must remain with children under 18 at ALL TIMES)

Little Women Ballet Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptz3HHRRSfk

HOW:
• https://www.littlewomenballet.com
• 626-792-0873
• littlewomenballet@gmail.com
• https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090956834889
• https://www.instagram.com/littlewomenballet

‘Forever Flamenco’ returns to the Fountain Theatre

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‘Forever Flamenco’ returns to the Fountain Theatre
with four sizzling performances in August 

LOS ANGELES (July 11, 2024) — The summer just got even hotter! The Fountain Theatre’s beloved Forever Flamenco series returns, paying homage to series founder Deborah Culver Lawlor with four blow-out performances in August.

Dubbed the “Fountain Theatre’s godmother of flamenco” by the Los Angeles Times, Lawler, who passed away last year at the age of 83, curated the series for over 30 years, producing hundreds of authentic Spanish flamenco performances at the Fountain’s intimate, 80-seat venue. “Flamenco comes out of the life of a gypsy,” she once said in an interview. “It’s an extremely difficult dance form that requires years to get into your body.”

Forever Flamenco regulars will recognize their favorite performers, many of whom were first introduced to the Fountain stage by Lawlor, as well as some exciting new faces. Four scorching performances are set for Saturday, Aug. 3; Saturday, Aug. 10; Saturday, Aug. 17; and Friday, Aug. 23. All performances begin at 8 p.m.; details below. Olé!

WHEN:
All performances at 8 p.m.

• Saturday, Aug. 3: “Amor”, artistic direction by Reyes Barrios
Dancers: Yaelisa and Rocio Carrera
Singer/Dancer: Reyes Barrios
Singer: Antonio de Jerez
Guitarist: Antonio Triana
Violin: David Morales Boroff

• Saturday, Aug. 10: “Camino, Caminas” artistic direction by Timo Nuñez
Dancer: Timo Nuñez
Singer/Dancer: Clare Rodriguez
Singer: Pepele Mendez
Guitarist: José Tanaka

• Saturday, Aug. 17: “Casta Flamenca” artistic direction by Lakshmi Basile
Dancer: Lakshmi Basile “La Chimi”
Dancer: Cristina Moguel
Dancer: Briseyda Zarate
Guitarist: José Tanaka
Singer: Pepele Mendez

• Friday, Aug. 23: “Caminos Flamencos” artistic direction by Yaelisa
Dancers: Yaelisa, Vanessa Albalos and Alexandra Rozo
Guitarist: Jason Mcguire
Singer: Felix de Lola

WHERE:
The Fountain Theatre
5060 Fountain Ave.
Los Angeles CA 90029
(Fountain at Normandie)

TICKETS:
• VIP seating (first two rows): $50
• Regular seating: $40
• Senior: $35
• Student: $25

PARKING:
• Secure, on-site parking: $5
• Street parking available in the neighborhood north of Fountain Ave.
• No parking after 6 p.m. on Mariposa or Alexandria Avenues south of Fountain Ave.
• Allow extra time to find street parking; make sure to read all parking signs

HOW:
FountainTheatre.com
(323) 663-1525

Dance at the Odyssey

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NEWS RELEASE


‘Dance at the Odyssey’ summer mini–fest: first looks
at cutting edge work over the course of 3 weekends

LOS ANGELES (May 28, 2024) — Odyssey Theatre Ensemble’s ongoing Dance at the Odyssey series, curated by series co-founder Barbara Mueller–Wittmann, has established West L.A.’s Odyssey Theatre as the go-to place to view contemporary dance. This summer, the series presents first looks at new work by cutting-edge choreographers over the course of three weekends.

Saturday, June 29 at 8 p.m.

♦ Marianna Varviani and Selcouth Dance Theatre Company present MARK. What marks do we carry? What marks do we leave behind? Inspired by street dance vocabularies and Krump, everyday gestures and contemporary dance perspectives, MARK is conceived and choreographed by Marianna Varviani with movement vocabulary co-creators Tyler Law, Maya Peterson and Kai Toles. Performed by McKenzie Barkdull, Ariana Chavez, Mason Lee, Sophia Fan Lin and Anna Simonova. Original music composed by Yvonne Yifeng Yuan. Watch the promo trailer here.

Sunday, June 30 at 2 p.m.

♦ Choreographers Breayre Tender and Anthony Hernandez present Dear Life,. In this interactive dance experience inspired by deufert&plischke’s “Letters to Dance” project (seen at the Odyssey in 2018) and other of their works, dancer/choreographers Tender and Hernandez, joined by Lisa Gwynn–Tender and Andante Petit–Homme, will guide the audience through a reflection of our past and present to collectively write a message to the future we wish to create.

Saturday, July 6 at 8 p.m.

♦ Queer Black choreographer Bernard Brown presents Sugar Odyssey (or the undrowning), a multi-sensory experience excavating our society’s contemporary relationship to power, slavery, and otherness created in collaboration with Black Queer sound artist DeFacto X.
AND
♦ Mexican American dance artists Joey Navarrete–Medina and Rosa Rodríguez–Frazier present Fluid Identities: a dance of belonging, a collaborative project that celebrates and explores the fluidity of identity, gender, composition and energy through dance.

Sunday, July 7 at 2 p.m.

♦ Choreographer Olivia Liberati presents Mafiosi, exploring the hidden work of the Italian-American mafia, a world in which five families evolved into one of the most in-depth criminal organizations of its century. Danced by Amy Magsam, Tori Gorny, Tayler McGuire, Ande Godwin, Julia Gaspari and Olivia Liberati
AND
♦ Intrepid Dance Project presents Taking Flight. Based on the belief that everyone can dance, Intrepid welcomes all performers, including those who may have previously been turned away from the traditional world of dance and performing arts, regardless of age, size, ability, training or gender.

Thursday, July 11 at 8 p.m.

♦ Choreographer Leah Zeiger explores the body’s memory, daily habits and mindsets, both physically and emotionally, with You Live in My Spine. Zeiger’s somatic technique, the Body Memory Method, was crafted from her approach to understanding her own body’s lived experience as a survivor of an abusive relationship and sexual violence. Featuring dancers Alexis Amundarain, Alondra Perez, Amanda Sun and Amina Yufanyi. Original music composed by Max Berlin.

Friday, July 12 at 8 p.m.

♦ hasten dance and Kaia Makihara delve into a shared physical theater work exploring human grief, regret and finality with Bounded by Intervals. Dance artists include Makihara, Chelsea Roquero and Krystal Masteller (“hasten dance”), Jen Lacy, Orlando Agawin and Toby Echevarria, with music composed by Echevarria.

Saturday, July 13 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

♦ T O R R E N T and choreographer Caitlin Javech present Rupture, a highly physical duet that investigates the impact of catastrophic events and ruptures — in nature, in our lives and in our relationships — on the body and psyche. Featuring dancers Joe Davis and Rebecca Lee, with an original composition by Tyler Sanders.
AND
♦ Choreographer Gianna Burright presents As if everything was perfect, created in collaboration with performers Natalie Allen, Nicole Hagen and Alex Rix. Raw and intimate, the work reveals a sense of curiosity, joy and despair, silliness and serenity, revealing fantasies, nightmares, memories and utopias, real and imagined. Original music is composed by Sio Tepper.

Sunday, July 14 at 2 p.m.

♦ Choreographer Hélène Bouboulis dances Dégagez, il n’y a rien à voir (“Move along, there is nothing to see”), revisiting the precision, speed, balance and control of classical ballet after a 28-year hiatus.
AND
♦ Genna Moroni and G.U.M. (Gorgeous Ugly Movement Collective) present calling from the void. Welcome to the void. Where we all experience absurd contradictions, the complexities of the human condition, and grapple with life’s toughest questions. Featuring Marlie Couto, Maija Knapp, Baylie Olsen, Jordan Saenz and Marirosa Crawford.

WHERE:
Odyssey Theatre
2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90025

PARKING:
On-site parking lot: $5.
Street parking available.

TICKET PRICE:
Single tickets: $25
Dance Festival Pass: Choose 3 shows for $60

HOW:
www.OdysseyTheatre.com
(310) 477-2055 ext. 2