L.A. Dance Project (LADP), the global dance company led by Artistic Director Benjamin Millepied, announces Drive-In Dances as the performing arts adjust to the shifting social landscape. During these unprecedented times, LADP has quickly re-imagined their 2020-2021 season with this intimate live series of new works from choreographers Bobbi Jean Smith in collaboration with Or Schraiber, and Jermaine Spivey and Spenser Theberge. Performances will also be available worldwide on the recently launched LADP digital platform as a pay-per-view event to non-subscribers, with free access to subscribers.
“We are thrilled to bring back live dance to the LA community during these challenging times,” said Lucinda Lent, Executive Director for LADP. “Recognizing the need to keep the health and safety of our community and dancers at the forefront, we also believe that the arts are essential to the health of a community, especially in times like these. We are proud to have reimagined our 2020 season safely, with an innovative, breathtaking and unforgettable experience that keeps dance alive in Los Angeles.”
“I strongly believe that dance should be accessible; that it is essential,” said Benjamin Millepied, Artistic Director for LADP. “While COVID-19 has brought its challenges, it has also driven us to reimagine the way we create and share our work with our community, both locally and globally. The result is Drive-In Dances, featuring compelling new works that explore the space and time we find ourselves in as we isolate, while demonstrating the ways in which we can still experience beauty, movement and community, together.”
The world premiers of Drive-In Dances is scheduled for Thursday, September 10 and will be performed in an intimate setting in the space surrounding LADP’s DTLA studio. Each drive-in performance will be limited to 8 cars per show.
Learn more here at – http://ladanceproject.org/
Show highlights include:
Two shows a night, 4 nights a week, for a 4 week run
Each performance will run 30-35 minutes starting at dusk
Earlier performances are scheduled on Sundays to accommodate families
The series will feature two different shows:
Solo at Dusk choreographed by Bobbi Jean Smith and Or Schraiber, performed by L.A. Dance Project, and accompanied by musician and composer Alex Somers. Costumes from COS and original masks designed by Janie Taylor.
The Betweens choreographed by Jermaine Spivey and Spenser Theberge and performed by L.A. Dance Project. Live accompaniment from composer and sound designer Maxwell Transue and sound designer Gahyae Ryu. Costumes by 69.
Bobbi Jene Smith is an award winning choreographer and Julliard alum whose work has been presented around the world; she has starred in and choreographed several feature films
Or Schraiber has starred in and co-choreographed the feature film, AVIVA, as well as written and directed several short films presented at film festivals around the world
Jermaine Spivey is a 2001 Princess Grace Awardee and a 1998 National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts 1st Level Awardee. Jermaine has choreographed new works for Rambert 2, Salt Dance Company, and Westside Dance Project, and his work with partner Spenser Theberge has been commissioned and supported by LA Dance Project, The Broad, NAVEL, DISJECTA, Reed College, Hollins University, CalArts, and The Frankfurt Lab.
Spenser Theberge is a member of the dance faculty at California Institute of the Arts, and conducts master classes at conservatories, schools, and summer programs across America, Europe, and Asia. Spenser is a Young Arts award winner, a Presidential Scholar in the Arts, and a Princess Grace Award winner.
A livestream of the performances and documentary film will share the experience virtually with worldwide audiences. For a limited number of tickets and days in October, these performances will be made available on the LADP Digital Platform for $24.99. Subscribers to LADP digital can access the performances for free as part of their membership.
