A captivating new production choreographed by Raiford Rogers, set to the entrancing sounds of the Philip Glass masterpiece, “Glassworks.” The landmark composition serves as the heartbeat of this innovative ballet performed by Raiford Rogers Modern Ballet. Pianist Hui Wu brings the music to life with virtuosic flair, providing a sonic track that enhances the emotional depth of Rogers’ choreography.
Spain’s Compañía Nacional de Danza is one of the world’s most prestigious dance companies renowned for its exceptional artistry.
The Marat Daukayev Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker features dancers whose artistry and poise belie their young ages. This full-length ballet complete with battling mice and soldiers, an enchanting snowy forest, and Tchaikovsky’s beloved score, is an audience favorite.
The Luckman will present the world premiere of Études by choreographer Raiford Rogers, set to Philip Glass’ Études 5 & 12, and Prophecies from Koyannisquatsi (a Hopi word meaning “life out of balance”).
Études, a coda for Rogers’ acclaimed ballet Seeds of Rain, are constantly evolving abstract narratives. Glass described them as being about the language of music itself. Performed by pianist Hui Wu.
An encore performance of Seeds of Rain will complete the program. The ballet is set to Philip Glass’ masterwork Mad Rush with Mark Alan Hilt (organ) and Czech composer Zbyněk Matějů’s Three Stones Concerto featuring pianist Helena Suchárová-Weiser and the Hradec Králové Philharmonic Orchestra (created specifically for this ballet collaboration).
The artwork (painting progressions) for both ballets is by painter Mike Nava.
LACHSA Dance presents its annual Spring Dance Concert.
Ballet Nepantla presents “Valentina”: a collection of stories that speak to the strength and resilience of women during Revolutionary Mexico. By fusing contemporary ballet with traditional Mexican folklorico, “Valentina” tells stories of wealth and power, hope and despair, struggle and loss, and triumph.
The Luckman Fine Arts Complex will present the world premiere of Seeds of Rain by choreographer Raiford Rogers, with musical compositions by Philip Glass and Zbyněk Matějů — featuring organist Mark Alan Hilt and pianist Helena Suchárová-Weiser. The performance will feature guest dancers Tetyana Matyanova (Ukraine) and Tigran Mkrtchyan (Armenia).
The music for Seeds of Rain (part 1) is a special arrangement of Philip Glass’ masterwork Mad Rush performed by Los Angeles organist Mark Alan Hilt and recorded at the First Presbyterian Church in Santa Monica.
Seeds of Rain (part 2) is set to Czech composer Zbyněk Matějů’s Three Stones Concerto featuring pianist Helena Suchárová-Weiser with the Hradec Kralové Philharmonic Orchestra — recorded specifically for this ballet collaboration.
The title for the ballet-diptych Seeds of Rain is a line from the D.H. Lawrence poem Autumn Rain about hope and renewal.
The artwork by painter Mike Nava is projected animations showing the chronologic evolution of a series of paintings each photographed layer by layer. The hundreds of stages of the painting’s development slowly fade from one to the next without a static moment providing a living environment for the dancers and visual embodiment of the music.
n 2022, Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández celebrates its 70th anniversary. To commemorate the occasion, the company returns to the Luckman for three evenings featuring renewed performances of their most celebrated classic choreography.
Founded in 1994 by C. Brian Williams, Step Afrika! is the first professional company dedicated to the tradition of stepping. Under Mr. Williams’ leadership, stepping has evolved into one of America’s cultural exports, touring more than 60 countries across the globe, and the Company now ranks as one of the top ten African-American dance companies in the United States.
Step Afrika! blends percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities; traditional African dances; and an array of contemporary dance and art forms into a cohesive, compelling artistic experience. Performances are much more than dance shows; they integrate songs, storytelling, humor and audience participation. The blend of technique, agility, and pure energy makes each performance unique and leaves the audience with their hearts pounding.
Step Afrika! promotes stepping as an educational tool for young people, focusing on teamwork, academic achievement and cross-cultural understanding. The Company reaches tens of thousands of Americans each year through a 50-city tour of colleges and theaters and performs globally as Washington, DC’s one and only Cultural Ambassador.
Step Afrika! has earned Mayor’s Arts Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Arts Education, Innovation in the Arts, Excellence in an Artistic Discipline and headlined President Barack Obama’s Black History Month Reception at The White House. The Company is featured prominently at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African-American History & Culture with the world’s first stepping interactive exhibit.
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