It’s rare that a “Nutcracker” should be a standout work in any year, but American Contemporary Ballet’s “Nutcracker Suite,” choreographed and directed by Lincoln Jones and recently seen at the troupe’s downtown studio, is that exception. Pared down to 70 minutes and dubbed “immersive,” the ballet featured a bevy of gorgeous gals, two stellar male dancers, including the divine cavalier, Maté Szentes, along with plenty of complimentary champagne, popcorn, ice cream, candy—and fake snow!
In this year of numerous original creations, special shout-outs also go to: Congress X, the dance salon that serves as a platform for cross-genre movement artists co-founded by Denna Thomsen and Zak Ryan Schlegel, which rocked the LADP space with a potpourri of exceptional dancers and choreographies; and Millepied’s “Me. You. We They,” for the very gifted dancers of his LADP.
And speaking of LADP, the company returned to Vibiana for its annual gala, which was presented by Van Cleef & Arpels, and featured an hour’s worth of wonderful dancing, including a special excerpt from “Resonance,” a gorgeous trio by choreographers Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber. On the other side of town, American Ballet Theatre threw its grand bash at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, with some of its dancers taking star turns: Cassandra Trenary and Herman Cornejo brilliantly performed a passage from Twyla Tharp’s “Sinatra Suite,” and Brady Farrar danced his own sensational solo to Rimsky-Korsakov’s electrifying, “Flight of the Bumblebee.”
And finally, kudos to filmmakers Zeva Oelbaum and Sabine Krayenbühl, whose magnificent documentary, “Obsessed with Light,” explores the life and work of groundbreaking artist, dancer and theatrical maverick Loïe Fuller—she created the Serpentine Dance—and who also revolutionized the visual culture of the early twentieth century.
So, while we bid adieu to 2024, and though we may feel uneasy about the political state of the world, we can rest assured that dance, in all of its glories, is alive and well, and is still able to fill our hearts with every possible emotion to help carry the day.
Hello Victoria, So glad to know that you are writing about our vibrant dance scene.
Happy New Year!
Terrific roundup of LA dance over the last year. Sorry I’ve been on the other side of the abyss between us and missed so much. Happy new dance year.