CalArts Winter Dance Concert at REDCAT

The Sharon Disney Lund School of Dance’s Winter Dance Concert Dress Rehearsal | Image: CalArts

This Friday and Saturday (Dec. 15-16), The Sharon Disney Lund School of Dance brings their annual Winter Dance Concert to the REDCAT stage. Featuring pieces by Dance Faculty Laurence Blake, Nina Flagg and Julie Bour, as well as guest choreographer Rauf ‘RubberLegz’ Yasit, this year’s collection also includes a “flash-mob” style performance of HHUMAN, choreographed by Dean of the Dance School Dimitri Chamblas.

The massive ensemble performance of HHUMAN takes place on the steps and sidewalk surrounding the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown Los Angeles, at 8 pm on both nights before Winter Dance. The 12-minute dance piece demonstrates how movement can bring urban, public spaces to life and will feature the entire student body of CalArts Dance. (The outdoor performance is free, but the dance concert at REDCAT is a ticketed event.)

Winter Dance, which is encapsulated by four long-form dances, showcases the many talents of the school’s choreographers and dancers through various styles including hip-hop, modern, post-modern and jazz.

This year’s concert is an interdisciplinary affair with works from the schools of Theater, Film/Video and Art. Acting students Tyler Riggan (Theater MFA 18), Gabriel Jimenez (Theater MFA 18) and Chris Yarrow (Theater MFA 18) join forces with Theater Faculty Member Anthony Nikolchev in Bour’s piece, A Desire for Air, which includes techniques taught in Nikolechev’s acting and performance classes.

—Mackenzie Rasmus