Lula Washington News

The LA Phil’s Ford Digital Festivals are curator-led virtual programs offering an in-depth exploration of a single theme through multi-disciplinary performances, workshops and conversations captured for video.

An exhibition and series of four performances by multi-disciplinary artist Chris Emile, AMEND explores Black male identity through movement, cinema, sculpture and sound.

Director of The Ford Cynthia Fuentes today announced the launch of a new season of digital programs celebrating the diverse community of artists served by The Ford. The online programs were created in response to the venue's closure due to COVID-19 and will be posted on a variety of platforms.

In celebration of Black History Month 2020, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas honored seven creative visionaries for their contributions in arts and entertainment. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors presented scrolls to Actress, Choreographer, and Television Director Debbie Allen; Actor Wren Brown; Actor and Artistic Director Ben Guillory; LA Poet Laureate Robin Coste Lewis; Actress, Author, and Activist Sheryl Lee Ralph; Actress Wendy Raquel Robinson; and Lula Washington Dance Theatre Founder and Director Lula Washington.

On April 15, 2020, the inaugural Los Angeles International Dance Festival (LAIDF) a?' a 16-day dance experience across 12 venues and 30 performances across Southern California a?' will feature a special one-off performance called a?oeLadies Night,a?? at Royce Hall at 8:00pm, showcasing three extraordinary LA dance companies: ATE9, TL Collective and Barak Ballet. All three dance companies were founded by women (Danielle Agami, Micaela Taylor and Melissa Barak), who bring a wealth of diverse perspectives to their choreography, attributed much to their different ethnic backgrounds and past experiences.

The Los Angeles International Dance Festival (LAIDF) presents Debbie Allen's FREEZE FRAME, Lula Washington Dance Theatre and Chloe Arnold's Syncopated Ladies together onstage for one night only in 'Dancing For Life!' at The Orpheum Theater on Friday, April 24, 2020 at 7:30pm.

The venerated Los Angeles-based Lula Washington Dance Theatre returned to the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts to celebrate its milestone 40th anniversary with a dynamic and powerful program exploring social and humanitarian issues from January 30 through February 1 in the Bram Goldsmith Theater. The program, which launched The Lula Washington Dance Theatre's year-long anniversary celebration, included three world premieres and a West Coast premiere, with new works from new voices, some of whom are a generation younger than co-founders Lula and Erwin Washington, which mixed jazz, hip-hop, African movement, ballet, modern, tap and other dance styles to perfection.

The International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD) has partnered with Philadanco!, The Philadelphia Dance Company to bring the 32nd Annual International Conference and Festival of Blacks in Dance to Philadelphia, PA in January 2020. During this conference, emerging, established, and legendary Black Dance companies from all over America will convene in the City of Brotherly Love for Then Now Next a one of a kind festival where dance lovers can experience over forty diverse companies and styles from January 15-18, 2020. This four-day conference and festival celebrates the brilliance of Black Dance companies while enhancing audiences' understanding of Black Dance history and technique.

The venerated Los Angeles-based Lula Washington Dance Theatre returns to the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts to celebrate its milestone 40th anniversary with a dynamic and powerful program exploring social and humanitarian issues.

The venerated Los Angeles-based Lula Washington Dance Theatre returns to the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts to celebrate its milestone 40th anniversary with a dynamic and powerful program exploring social and humanitarian issues. The company performs for three nights only, from Thursday, January 30 through Saturday February 1, 2020, 7:30 pm, in The Wallis' Bram Goldsmith Theater. The program, which includes three world premieres and a West Coast premiere, celebrates the dance company's past with some repertory gems and is also decidedly forward-looking, with new works from new voices, some of whom are a generation younger than co-founders Lula and Erwin Washington.

MainStreet Theatre Company, the resident professional company at the Lewis Family Playhouse, is excited to open their 19/20 season with the West Coast premiere of OLIVERio: A Brazilian Twist, running October 12 a?" 27, 2019.

Giraffes strut, birds swoop, gazelles leap - the entire Serengeti comes to life on stage each night in The Lion King. The Tony Award-winning musical adaptation of Disney's much-loved film transports audiences to a dazzling world of glorious colors, stunning effects and enchanting music to tell the story of Simba and his epic journey from wide-eyed cub to his destined role as King of the Pridelands.

Ford Theatres presents Rennie Harris Funkedified on Saturday, July 20 at 8:00 pm as part of its IGNITE @ the FORD! series. Celebrating the funk music and street dance of the 1970s, Funkedified challenges stereotypes and invites the audience to view hip-hop through a new lens.

MainStreet Theatre Company, the resident professional company at the Lewis Family Playhouse, has three unique offerings in store for the thousands of school groups and families who make up the bulk of their audiences.  "I'm so excited to announce our 14th season", says Mireya Hepner, MainStreet's Artistic Producer. "We always aim to tell a variety of stories for different ages, full of ideas that will resonate with young people and their families. Each of our shows next season is unique, but they share one common theme: that even under adverse circumstances, people have the capacity for hope. I'm thrilled to be sharing these wonderful pieces with our audiences".

Ford Theatres presents Rennie Harris Funkedified on Saturday, July 20 at 8:00 pm as part of its IGNITE @ the FORD! series. Celebrating the funk music and street dance of the 1970s, Funkedified challenges stereotypes and invites the audience to view hip-hop through a new lens.

National Endowment for the Arts Acting Chairman Mary Anne Carter has approved more than $80 million in grants as part of the Arts Endowment's second major funding announcement for fiscal year 2019.

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts announced today the 2019/2020 season, expanding its reach with twelve months of groundbreaking produced and presented works in dance, music, theater, cinema, and contemporary circus from renowned artists and companies around Southern California, the country, and the world. The season begins September 17, 2019, marking the fourth year of programming under the leadership of Artistic Director Paul Crewes and Executive Director/CEO Rachel Fine, and the seventh for the institution.

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts announced today the 2019/2020 season, expanding its reach with twelve months of groundbreaking produced and presented works in dance, music, theater, cinema, and contemporary circus from renowned artists and companies around Southern California, the country, and the world. The season begins September 17, 2019, marking the fourth year of programming under the leadership of Artistic Director Paul Crewes and Executive Director/CEO Rachel Fine, and the seventh for the institution.

What happens when refugees, dancers, artists and community leaders get together? Find out atThe Global Village Experience, a community celebration and performance that explores transportation, home and connection, April 27 in Mountain View. 

The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet presents four world premieres in the culmination of Joffrey's national call for ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab and Native American) artists to submit applications for the Joffrey Academy's Ninth Annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition. This year's Competition winners-Tommie-Waheed Evans, Marissa Osato, Xiang Xu and Edgar Zendejas-each have choreographed an original work created on the Joffrey Academy Trainees and Studio Company. Winning Works returns to the Museum of Contemporary Art's Edlis Neeson Theater (220 E. Chicago Avenue) for three performances, Saturday, March 9 at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM and Sunday, March 10 at 2:00 PM. Tickets for Winning Works are $25 and now available for purchase at joffrey.org/winningworks.