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Photo: Grant Barbeito/courtesy of the company
The almost-new kids on the LA concert dance block, calling themselves Body Traffic, are presenting renowned Israeli choreographers Guy Weizman and Roni Haver's Transfigured Night at the Sinai Templein Los Angeles this Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Set to Arnold Schoenberg's Verklarte Nacht, the six member company will be accompanied by a live string sextet from the Los Angeles Jewish Symphonyunder the direction of concertmaster Mark Kashper. With a set designed by Ascon de Nijs that was inspired by paintings that depict crumbling architecture during the Nazi regime, the costumes reflect the designer’s own experiences during the Silent Marches of Berlin (Swinda Reichelt).
The powerful music that catalyzed the creation of this work was banned in Nazi Germany during the years of the Holocaust. And the six performers (Lillian Barbeito, Tina Finkelman Berkett, Liony Garcia, Alexa Kershner, John Mercke and Julie Rose Shulman) mean to match that fortitude. These dancers have backgrounds that list the Julliard School as well as performances with Aszure Barton & Artists, American Repertory Ballet and Les Grandes Ballets Canadians, among others.
The year old company's recent history also includes showings at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, the World Festival of Sacred Musicat the Aratani/Japan America Theatre and the Laguna Dance Festival.
All of this promises a welcome high performance standard and a healthy injection into the middle of the week...Check it out!
