LDF 2019: Parsons Dance, RUBBERBAND, and Ballet West
Laguna Beach’s premier dance festival brings world-quality programming to Irvine: experience the technical beauty of George Balanchine’s “Rubies,” the fearless flight of David Parsons’ “Caught,” and the gravity-defying world of Victor Quijada’s “Vic’s Mix,” all among our stunning program of innovative world-class dance companies. Dance your way over to thebarclay.org for tickets, or call the Irvine Barclay Theatre box office at (949) 854-4646 x1
Acclaimed for its life-affirming, inspiring performances, Parsons Dance is a contemporary company, internationally renowned for its energized, athletic ensemble work. The New York Times called Artistic Director David Parsons “one of the great movers of modern dance.” The program includes the iconic, breathtaking Caught, with a soloist leaping more than 100 times in six minutes, appearing never to touch the ground as a precisely timed strobe light catches the dancer in midair. Parsons Dance performs a full evening at Laguna Dance Festival hosted by the Irvine Barclay Theatre on Friday, September 27 at 7:30 p.m. LDF Founder & Artistic Director Jodie Gates will host a pre-show talk at 6:30 p.m. with Parsons Dance Founder & Artistic Director David Parsons.
With its dynamic and storied legacy, Ballet West showcases contemporary and classical ballet. The program includes Sweet and Bitter by África Guzmán, along with George Balanchine’s “Rubies” duet performed by OC’s favorite ballerina, Beckanne Sisk.Ballet West performs at Laguna Dance Festival hosted by the Irvine Barclay Theatre on Saturday, September 28 at 7:30 p.m., in a triple bill with world-renowned dance companies Parsons Dance and RUBBERBAND.
RUBBERBAND is an exciting Montreal-based company exploring the fusion of contemporary ballet and hip-hop. “Vic’s Mix” is a remix of Victor Quijada’s work, orchestrating the clash between hip-hop and classical composition. Quijada defies notions of theatricality and audience expectations. The Guardian describes the company’s style: “Super-stretched jumps morph into crouching rolls; top-rocking footwork muscles in on high stepping bourrées; and below the movement’s surface, silky classical phrasing is worked into the choppy rhythms of street dance. The result is a unique dynamic that’s both tough and elastic…true to their name, the group’s performers move together as if connected like a rubber band.” RUBBERBAND performs a full evening at Laguna Dance Festival hosted by the Irvine Barclay Theatre on Sunday, September 29 at 2:00 p.m. LDF Founder & Artistic Director Jodie Gates will host a pre-show talk at 1:00 p.m. with RUBBERBAND Founder & Artistic Director Victor Quijada.
PARSONS DANCE COMPANY
September 27
6:30 PM Pre-show discussion with David Parsons and Jodie Gates
7:30 PM Performance Parsons Dance
RUBBERBAND
Parsons Dance
Ballet West
September 28
7:30 PM Performance RUBBERBAND, Parsons Dance and Ballet West
RUBBERBAND
September 29
1:00 PM Pre-show discussion with Victor Quijada and Jodie Gates
2:00 PM Performance RUBBERBAND, Vic’s Mix