Mixed 'Nut'
International dancers at the Alex Theatre prove there’s more than one way to present ‘The Nutcracker
International dancers at the Alex Theatre prove there’s more than one way to present ‘The Nutcracker
By Carl Kozlowski 12/24/2009
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF DANCE TRADITIONS AROUND THE PLANET, BUT AMID the christmas holiday season each year, it often seems like the only one in existence is ballet and its use in performances of “The Nutcracker.”
This year, local fans of the terpsichorean arts can rejoice in knowing there’s actually a show that,
while presenting some highlights from Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet, also offers a stunning array of dance styles.
“A World of Holiday Dance,” Tuesday night at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, offers performances by five diverse Los Angeles-area dance companies, ranging in style from break dancing to Indian Bollywood musical numbers to Irish, Armenian and Mexican troupes in the first half of the evening. Then, in the second act, Media City Ballet presents excerpts from the Tchaikovsky classic.
The night kicks off with the blue13 dance company of Venice, which has brought experimental and nontraditional contemporary Indian dance styles to audiences around the globe, using its own signature styles known as Bollywood-Tech and Neo-Kathak.
They’re followed by the Cleary Irish Dance troupe, performing since 1988 under the direction of Margaret Cleary and capturing five Irish national titles for Ceili dancing. Performing reels, jigs and hornpipes in traditional Irish style in both hard and soft shoes, they have appeared all across the US and on Irish television.
The Burbank-based Ballet Folklorico Mexico Azteca takes the stage next, building on their 22-year tradition of performing Folklorico dances under director Amy Navarrete, who has seen the group grow from six to 53 members during her tenure. The Nairi Dance Studio has preserved the Armenian culture through dance numbers since 1997 under choreographer Luiza Khachatryan, and precedes the first act’s closing performance by break-dance artist Lamonte “Tailz” Goode. Tailz is best-known for doing a dramatic head-slide move in the hit dance film “You Got Served” and has shown his skills everywhere from MTV and BET to stages around the world.
Finally, the Media City troupe performs the most memorable routines from “The Nutcracker,” with artistic director Natasha Middleton guiding her dancers through the classic styles of the famed Ballet Russe de Serge Diaghilev.
Add it all up and you’ve got a toe-tapping world tour sure to fill you with the Holiday spirit.
“A World of Holiday Dance” is performed at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale. Tickets are $20 to $45. Call (818) 243-ALEX or visit alextheatre.org.
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