We all think of Colorado and New Mexico as having beautiful mountains topped with crystalline white snow, skiing and sunset-scenic vistas in every direction. Rarely do we visualize those states as centers for the performing arts. While that may have been true up until the middle 1990s, the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet was created in 1996 and has since made a globally respected name for itself as an exciting, dynamic and forward-thinking contemporary ballet company.
Let’s welcome them to Los Angeles!
The company of 12 dancers makes a brief appearance at the Luckman Theater on the Cal State LA campus Saturday, March 28, for one performance at 8 p.m. It brings the choreography of three international artists — Jorma Elo’s “Over Glow,” Alejandro Cerrudo’s’ “Last” and Nicolo Fonte’s “The Heart(s)pace” — and, judging from the ASFB website, the dancers look strong, focused, articulate and ensemble-tight. These ballets include music by classicists Beethoven and Mendelssohn, and contemporary composers Henryk Gorecki and Ezio Bosso.
The Southland doesn’t get a lot of nationally renowned small ballet companies passing through its doors showing high quality work danced by refined movers. In fact, there aren’t a lot of touring repertory companies like this in our entire ballet nation. LA Dance Project is one of them. It offers its own interpretation of this contemporary genre, its own artists, dancers and choreographers. The ASFB program looks well crafted, well produced and well performed.
Worth checking out.
—Benn Widdey, Culture Spot LA
The Luckman Fine Arts Complex at Cal State LA is at 5151 State University Drive, LA 90032. Tickets are $25 to $54.75 and can be purchased at https://www.luckmanarts.org/order/ or https://www.ticketmaster.com/aspen-santa-fe-ballet-los-angeles-california-03-28-2015/event/0B004D3EC35B1F58?artistid=930814&majorcatid=10002&minorcatid=12&tm_link=search_msg-0_0B004D3EC35B1F58.