You have not experienced ballet like this unless you’ve been a ballet student (or the dutiful parent of a ballet student). There are numerous reasons to attend an American Contemporary Ballet presentation.
But first, let us get this out of the way: American Contemporary Ballet (ACB) is not a modern dance company. ACB founder and creative director Lincoln Jones refers to his work as “contemporary classical” ballet because he produces new works that strive for a classical aesthetic. He very much pursues the American tradition of George Balanchine, where ballet morphed from a theater-driven art form to a music-driven art form.
An ACB event is an up-close & personal, first-row education in ballet. This is, in part, due to the studio setting (more on that in a moment). The usual curriculum is Lincoln Jones will describe a specific dance move or series of dance moves and has each dancer execute the moves. Jones will point out the real challenge of each move and point out each dancer’s strengths and weaknesses in the series. The dancers will then re-do the series with corrections. You truly get to see how each dancer leaps, lands, etc. in slightly different ways depending on the dancers’ individual strengths (and these are professional dancers near the top of their game). You also get to see just how challenging the moves are and how much the dancers sweat. You would not catch these differences in typical auditorium seating.
The other educational aspect to this event is Lincoln Jones’ presentation style. He is one of the most articulate, engaging and crisp speakers on dance you will ever hear, even if you are totally new to dance. You will know exactly what he is talking about and will have a sharper eye for ballet by the conclusion of the event. That sharper eye means all your future ballet experiences will richer and more informative. Bring your friends who are new to ballet – they may become new fans to the art form.
These events are held at ACB’s studio. The seating is comfortable folding chairs, placed inches away from the stage. Past events have been limited to about 200 seats, so these are intimate events and often sell out. The ACB studio is on the 32nd floor of the Bloc building in downtown LA, so you will be fantastic views in the background. You should know that the building is undergoing renovation. The studio is exposed concrete and heating/ventilation, but this adds an urban-loft allure to the experience.
A reception with wine, appetizers and live music immediately follows the show. You can mingle with the dancers and 200 other kindred spirits. This is important! I’ve learned that it is one thing to enrich your life with the arts. Having a tribe to share the experience with you takes that enrichment to another level. So, attend this event, find your kindred spirits and enrich your life!
ACB’s Dancing School occurs on February 25, March 26, May 31 and July 16. Note that there is one show only per date and each show presents a different dance variation. Buy your tickets while they are still available.