The 21st Season of Glorya Kaufman Dance at The Music Center
The Music Center continues its 21st Season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center, with a major presentation and dance residency, co-produced by the Pina Bausch Foundation, École des Sables and Sadler’s Wells, of two dance works choreographed by women-Pina Bausch’s The Rite of Spring and Los Angeles premiere of common ground{s}. Germaine Acogny, founder of École des Sables and Malou Airaudo, an original member of Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, choreographed common ground{s}.
By Ricky Richardson | Contributing Writer
(Los Angeles, CA) The Music Center continues its 21st Season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center, with a major presentation and dance residency, co-produced by the Pina Bausch Foundation, École des Sables and Sadler’s Wells, of two dance works choreographed by women-Pina Bausch’s The Rite of Spring and Los Angeles premiere of common ground{s}. Germaine Acogny, founder of École des Sables and Malou Airaudo, an original member of Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, choreographed common ground{s}.
The Rite of Spring (Photo Credit: Maarten Vanden Abeele)
The performances, which will take place at The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion from February 8-11, 2024, spotlight a specially assembled group of more than 30 dancers-united for these performances and for the first time ever-who hail from 13 African Countries, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Togo.
The Rite of Spring (Photo Credit: Maarten Vanden Abeele)
You don’t want to miss this thrilling production of Pina Bausch’s 1975 Groundbreaking Work ‘The Rite of Spring” plus the L.A. premiere of common ground{s}! This production is sure to captivate audience during the boldest Season To-Date of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center.
“Works about strong, dynamic women, by strong incredible women are the essence of our dance season. Angelenos will experience something remarkable as they watch Pina Bausch’s The Rite of Spring perform entirely for the first time ever, by an African dance corps breaking new energy into her groundbreaking work,” said Rachel S. Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center. “Add to the mix the Los Angeles premiere of a piece that showcases the lived experience of tow remarkable women of dance arena, and we end up with a pair of riveting performances that will not only grip audiences, but also reinforce the 21st season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center as our boldest yet.”
The iconic 1975 work of the late choreographer Pina Bausch, The Rite of Spring examines the notion of unyielding ritual when the sacrifice of a “chosen one” changes the season from winter to spring. When creating her 35-minute work nearly five decades ago, Bausch asked her dancers this central question: How would you dance if you knew you were going to die? This pioneering piece, establishing Bausch’s iconic approach, has flourished to become one of the 20th century’s most significant and important works in dance. Faithful to Stravinsky’s visceral score, Bausch’s monumental choreography’s is giving a thrilling new life by a specially assembled company. Dancing on a peat-covered stage at The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, they clash and engage in a poetic struggle of life, ritual and sacrifice that pays tribute to Bausch unparallel genius.
Rite is paired with a new work, common ground{s}, created, performed and inspired by the lives of two remarkable women who have each juggled roles as choreographers, professors, and grandmothers: Germaine Acogny, the founder of Senegalese École des Sables, who is widely considered to be “the mother of contemporary African dance,” and Malou Airaudo, who performed leading roles in many of Bausch’s early works as a member of Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch. Their tender choreographic response to Rite of Spring reflects their shared histories, emotional experiences and common ground.
When: Thursday, February 8, 2024, 7:30p.m. *ADDED PERFORMANCE DATE
Friday, February 9, 2024, 7:30p.m.
Saturday, February 10, 2024, 7:30p.m.
Sunday, February 11, 2024, 2:00p.m.
Tickets are on sale now, starting at $34! To purchase tickets, call 213-972-0711 or visit https://www.musiccenter.org/riteofspring.
Chef John Cleveland (Photo Credit: Erica Allen)
On a related note, The Music Center continues its prestigious Emerging Chefs Program at Abernethy’s restaurant with the announcement of Chef Cleveland’s residency, from January 28, 2024, through June. Chef Cleveland is head chef and co-owner of the critically acclaimed Baldwin Hills restaurant Post and Beam. At Abernethy’s, located at Jerry Moss Plaza in Downtown Los Angeles, chef Cleveland will serve the California Comfort Food he is known for, showcasing classic Post and Beam dishes as well as beloved off-the-menu specials.
The Music Center’s Emerging Chefs Program has become renowned for highlighting talent from around Los Angeles County, providing each new chef a platform to uplift a concept unique to them, from menu to art to music. The Music Center’s Culinary Advisory Committee-comprised of Chef Shirley Chung, Govind Armstrong, Susan Feniger and Ray Garcia, along with Music Center board members-select the chefs. Chef Armstrong nominated his mentee Chef Cleveland for the esteemed opportunity. The two chefs met when Cleveland joined Post and Beam team in 2017, where he trained under his future mentor.
At Abernethy’s, Chef Cleveland’s menu will blend the flavors of traditional Southern fare with the freshness of California’s seasonal produce, showcasing finds from local farmers markets. For more information, please visit https://www.abernethysla.com.
