Alvin Ailey, Joffrey and ABT part of Music Center’s 2012-13 season
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Christopher Wheeldon’s acclaimed version of “Alice in Wonderland,†danced by the National Ballet of Canada, plus an array of repertory programs by Alvin Ailey, the Joffrey Ballet and the American Ballet Theatre, are among the highlights of the 2012-2013 Music Center season being announced Monday morning at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Also on the bill are some firsts for the 10-year-old Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center: a rare onstage collaboration between two acclaimed contemporary companies -- Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet; the first inclusion of a musical theater hybrid piece, “Traces,†by the Montreal-based troupe 7 Fingers; and the center’s funding role with the L.A. Dance Project, a newly formed arts collective by choreographer Benjamin Millepied.
The bill for L.A. Dance Project’s first performances, which will kick off the Music Center season (Sept. 22-23), includes “Quintett†by William Forsythe, “Winterbranch,†by Merce Cunningham plus a new work by Millepied with composer Nico Muhly, graphic artist Christopher Wool and the fashion house Rodarte.
Christopher Wheeldon’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland†(Oct. 19-21), a contemporary full-length ballet, will have its U.S. debut (with live orchestra) with these performances. A co-commission of the Royal Ballet and the National Ballet of Canada, ‘Alice’ premiered in London and Toronto in 2011. Also performing with a live orchestra, the Joffrey Ballet (Feb. 1-3) is bringing a reconstruction of the original 1913 Ballet Russes production of Stravinsky’s “Le Sacre du Printemps/The Rite of Spring,†along with Wheeldon’s “After the Rain†and William Forsythe’s “In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated.â€
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s five-night run (April 17-21) will feature three distinct programs, including Ohad Naharin’s “Minus 16.â€
The company will be followed by the acrobatic street-circus, “Traces,†(April 26-28), which dazzled critics during its off-Broadway run and was recently seen at Orange County’s Segerstrom Center for the Arts. ‘Traces’ will also be shown at a children’s festival, where it will be seen by more than 18,000 fifth-graders.
The teaming of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Alonzo King LINES Ballet (June 21-23) is set to premiere a new work by King.
America Ballet Theatre (July 11-14), with live orchestra, closes the series with two bills: the full-length “Le Corsaire,†which plays three nights, plus a mixed-repertory program (to be announced) for opening night.
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-- Jean Lenihan
[For the record: ‘Alice in Wonderland’ is a co-commission of the Royal Ballet and the National Ballet of Canada.]