Jessica Lang To Perform at The Music Center, 2/17-19

The Music Center continues its 2016-2017 season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center with performances by Jessica Lang Dance (February 17-19, 2017) at The Music Center's Ahmanson Theatre, including the West Coast premiere of Tesseracts of Time, created in collaboration with world renowned architect Steven Holl. The three-day engagement also includes Thousand Yard Stare, a new work created by choreographer Jessica Lang in 2015, audience favorite, Droplet, and Lang's iconic gem, The Calling. The program highlights Lang's keen ability to create emotionally accessible work using modern themes. From incorporating architecture, shapes and patterns into her work, to developing pieces based on veterans' battle experiences, Lang offers a fresh perspective on contemporary dance for the 21st century.

Inspired by music, poetry, architecture and the physical connection between two individuals, Lang is described as a visual artist whose medium is dance. Her work often blends contemporary dance and ballet to present striking visual images and express an emotional experience through movement. In Tesseracts of Time, Lang collaborated with Holl to develop a piece that fuses choreography with architecture. Thousand Yard Stare sheds light on the theme of war and those who have been affected by it, while Droplet, an intimate excerpt from i.n.k., crosses genres by incorporating mixed media and connecting dancers and video through dramatic, highly fluid interaction. Finally, The Calling stuns audiences with its delicate grace and impactful beauty.

"Jessica Lang Dance brings a level of passion and creativity to the Ahmanson stage that will inspire Angelenos to explore emotions and complicated themes expressed by her dancers through simple movement," said Rachel Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center. "The Music Center is thrilled to present such an evocative choreographer who shapes dance into an approachable and meaningful experience for aficionados, as well as those who may be experiencing a dance performance for the first time."

"The Music Center is challenging the preconceived notions of classical ballet and exploring the realm of contemporary expression with its 2016-2017 dance season," said Michael Solomon, vice president, presentations and education. "Jessica Lang Dance provides the balance between traditional and modern forms of expression, and does so in a beautiful and meaningful way that appeals to audiences both visually and viscerally."

Project Runway Season 12 finalist and Lang's fellow Julliard classmate, Bradon McDonald designed costumes for both Tesseracts of Time and Thousand Yard Stare. McDonald and Lang worked together to create costumes inspired by the choreography and subject matter of each dance. Tesseracts of Time pushed McDonald to reimagine the shapes of traditional clothing so that, much like a tesseract, the items look simple at first glance, but become much more complicated and fluid once the dancers start moving. For Thousand Yard Stare, McDonald incorporated sketches collected from a veterans' art therapy class into the fabric of the androgynous fatigues worn by each dancer. His goal was to create a uniform presence, much like a military troop, for the dancers from the front, while but revealing veterans' individual perspectives from the back of the costume.

The Calling
Choreography: Jessica Lang
Music: Trio Mediaeval
Lighting Design: Nicole Pearce
Costume Design: Jessica Lang

The Droplet
Choreography: Jessica Lang
Music: Jakub Ciupinski (Commissioned Score)
Lighting Design: Nicole Pearce

Thousand Yard Stare
Choreography: Jessica Lang
Music: Ludwig van Beethoven
Lighting Design: Nicole Pearce
Costume Design: Bradon McDonald

Tesseracts of Time
Choreography: Jessica Lang
Music: David Lang, Morton Feldman, John Cage, Iannis Xenakis, Arvo Pärt
Set Design: Steven Holl
Lighting Design: Nicole Pearce
Costume Design: Bradon McDonald

Tickets start at $31 and are available online at musiccenter.org/jessica; at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Box Office, 135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90012; or by calling (213) 972-0711. For groups of 10 or more, call (213) 972-8555 or email mcgroupsales@musiccenter.org.

Photos available upon request.

About Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center
Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center is one of the leading presenters of dance on the West Coast. The celebrated series offers significant works by prestigious ballet and contemporary dance artists from around the world. Entering its second decade, Dance at The Music Center continues to be a powerful commissioning force through the support of new works and artists-in-residence projects by today's most influential companies and choreographers. Performances take place throughout The Music Center, including the historic Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the distinctive Ahmanson Theatre and the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall, providing the ideal setting for inspiring dance experiences.

About The Music Center
As L.A.'s performing arts destination, The Music Center is L.A.'s home to the world's greatest artistic programs and events. With four iconic theaters and four renowned resident companies - Center Theatre Group, the LA Master Chorale, the LA Opera and the LA Philharmonic - and recognized for its illustrious dance programming, Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center, The Music Center is a destination where audiences find inspiration in the very best of live performance, as well as nationally recognized arts education and participatory arts experiences. The Music Center also programs and manages Grand Park, a 12-acre adjacent greenspace, with year-round free programming. For more information, visit musiccenter.org Follow The Music Center on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (@MusicCenterLA).

Calendar Listing/Jessica Lang Dance at The Music Center

Where:
The Music Center's Ahmanson Theatre
135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012
When:
Friday, February 17 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 18 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 19 2:00 p.m.
Ticket prices start at $31
Box Office:
The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Tickets will be available at The Music Center's Ahmanson Theatre box office an hour and a half prior to each performance.
Online:
musiccenter.org/jessica
Phone:
(213) 972-0711
For 10 tickets or more, call (213) 972-8555 or email mcgroupsales@musiccenter.org

One hour prior to each performance, Kroma Quartet will perform outside the Ahmanson playing a mix of classical music and an arrangement of contemporary songs.

Photos available upon request.