The Music Center Showcases World-Renowned Dance Companies in A Bold, Dynamic New Dance Season

Southern California audiences will experience some of the most captivating and entertaining dance performances during The Music Center's upcoming dance season, with choreography that expresses deep emotions and movement that showcases the dimensions of both classical and contemporary dance. Featuring a wide range of popular and groundbreaking dance companies, including The Music Center premiere of Company Wayne McGregor and the return of The Royal Ballet to The Music Center's stages after a 20-year absence, along with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, L.A.'s own Diavolo/Architecture in Motion and George Balanchine's The Nutcracker by Miami City Ballet, the upcoming Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center (Dance at The Music Center) season is the most fearless and dynamic to date. Center Dance Arts is the founding supporter of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center.

The coming season opens with Company Wayne McGregor's Autobiography (October 5-7, 2018), a fusion of science and the human form that creates 23 choreographic portraits informed by the sequencing of choreographer and director McGregor's own genome. Following that, Diavolo/Architecture in Motion, fresh from its recent success as one of the top 10 finalists in season 12 of NBC's America's Got Talent, will explore the relationship between the human body and its architectural environment, pushing the limits of performance by incorporating architectural structures, gymnastics and acrobatics into its work (October 12-14, 2018). In November, the best holiday tradition returns to The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion with George Balanchine's The Nutcracker by Miami City Ballet (November 30 - December 2, 2018), featuring Balanchine's iconic choreography, Tchaikovsky's timeless score and live orchestra paired with whimsical sets and costumes by Cuban-American artists Isabel and Ruben Toledo. The season continues with the 60th anniversary season celebration for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, one of the world's most beloved dance companies, featuring three different programs of dynamic premieres, new productions and treasured classics, including the must-see American masterpiece Revelations (April 3-7, 2019). Finally, The Royal Ballet returns to The Music Center after more than two decades to perform Kenneth MacMillan's Mayerling (July 5-7, 2019), a dark and intense ballet with live orchestra that tells the tale of dangerous desires, family secrets and political intrigue. The Music Center will integrate a number of the dance engagements with arts education programs including school performances and teacher workshops.

Season subscribers will also have access to four bonus options including an unprecedented collaboration that has the LA Phil returning to perform at its original Music Center home at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion for the first time since it moved to The Music Center's Walt Disney Concert Hall. Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center will join with the LA Phil to present Adès & McGregor: A Dance Collaboration, featuring the LA Phil, The Royal Ballet and Company Wayne McGregor (July 12-13, 2019). Other subscriber options include UCLA's Center for the Art of Performance presentation of Dimitris Papaioannou's The Great Tamer (January 11, 2019) in association with The Music Center; New Adventures/Matthew Bourne's Cinderella (February 5 - March 10, 2019) presented by Center Theatre Group in association with Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center; and special pricing for The Music Center's annual Spotlight Grand Finale Performance (June 4, 2019).

"The Music Center has reshaped the landscape of dance in Los Angeles by bringing to our stages new choreographic visions and never-before-seen classical dance works, much of which are realized through distinctive partnerships," said Rachel Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center. "Our new dance season will continue to push the envelope with some of the most highly regarded companies and choreographers who use movement to capture the imagination."

According to Michael Solomon, The Music Center's vice president of presentations and education, the new season provides a taste of both the traditional and the highly innovative. "Whether Angelenos are seeing Wayne McGregor's work for the first time, experiencing the physicality and athleticism of Diavolo or sharing the holiday tradition of the Nutcracker with family or friends, they can expect to be entertained, surprised and amazed."

Dance at the Music Center 2018/2019 Season

Company Wayne McGregor's Autobiography

October 5 - 7, 2018

The Music Center's Ahmanson Theatre
Choreography and Direction: Wayne McGregor
Music: Jlin
Lighting Design: Lucy Carter
Set Design and Projection: Ben Cullen Williams
Costume Design: Aito Throup
Dramaturgy: Uzma Hameed

Dance at The Music Center opens the season with Company Wayne McGregor's Music Center debut featuring McGregor's Autobiography, a piece that examines the body as archive through genetics and movement. Autobiography layers choreography over personal memoir while addressing themes of aging, memory, sleep, past and future. Comprised of a cycle of 23 choreographic portraits informed by choreographer and director McGregor's own genome, this piece uses a bespoke computer algorithm to select and determine the order of each performance, making every show a unique experience for the audience and dancers alike.

McGregor balances bold set design and large-scale projections with powerful dance synched to industrial sounds and an electronic score, performed live by Jlin. The Guardian gave the world premiere five stars, describing the performance as "mesmerizingly good" and credits Company Wayne McGregor dancers as "...serving this material superbly, with miracles of poise and expertise."

DIAVOLO/Architecture in Motion

October 12 -14, 2018

The Music Center's Ahmanson Theatre
Concept and Direction: Jacques Heim
Choreography: Jacques Heim and the Company
Music: Moby, The Crystal Method and Nathan Wang
Set Design: Jeremy Railton, Adam Davis, Mike McCluskey and Tina Trefethen
Lighting Design: Evan Ritter and John Bass

DIAVOLO returns to The Music Center following its success as one of the top 10 finalists in season 12 of NBC's America's Got Talent. The Los Angeles-based dance company continues to push a new edge of performance with Artistic Director Jacques Heim's inventive genius and his fearless, athletic daredevils. The program includes DIAVOLO's signature work Trajectoire and the California premiere of Voyage, featuring meticulously designed architectural structures that have become DIAVOLO's hallmark.

With a style that encompasses modern dance, acrobatics and gymnastics, DIAVOLO explores the relationship between the human body and its architectural environment. Broadway World called Trajectoire "full of incredible feats of daring and acrobatics ... the dance equivalent of going down a roller coaster ... a pure shot of adrenaline." DC Metro Theatre Arts called DIAVOLO "a masterful examination of conquering and negotiating altered environments through acrobatic movement and sublime strength and physicality."

George Balanchine's The Nutcracker Performed by Miami City Ballet

November 30 - December 2, 2018

The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
Live Orchestra Choreographer: George Balanchine© The George Balanchine Trust
Music: Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky
Production and Costume Design: Isabel and Ruben Toledo
Projection Design: Wendall K. Harrington
Lighting Design: James F. Ingalls

The Music Center continues to build the timeless holiday tradition of enjoying a Nutcracker performance with George Balanchine's The Nutcracker by Miami City Ballet. These performances become L.A.'s own with student dancers from two L.A.-based arts academies, Colburn School and The Gabriella Foundation's everybody dance! program. Balanchine's iconic choreography, Tchaikovsky's timeless score and beautiful, reimagined sets and costumes by artists Isabel and Ruben Toledo, bring the favorite story to life with more than 100 dancers and cast members along with live orchestra.

Miami City Ballet brings to life a spectacular performance that the Los Angeles Times said "And by bringing the George Balanchine 'Nutcracker' back to Los Angeles, The Music Center and Miami made the venture absolutely indispensable...".

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

April 3-7, 2019

The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

For six decades, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has embodied the complexities and contradictions of the human condition and forever changed the perception of American dance. Guided by the expansive vision of Artistic Director Robert Battle, Ailey's extraordinary dancers enlighten, unite and inspire all people with passionate performances featuring a diverse repertory. As one of the world's most beloved dance companies, Ailey has performed for an estimated 25 million people in 48 states, 71 countries and six continents and has reached millions more through television broadcasts, film screenings and digital platforms. Designated by U.S. Congressional resolution as a vital American "Cultural Ambassador to the World," Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater blends the African-American cultural experience and the American modern dance tradition in a universal celebration of the human spirit.

The 60th anniversary engagement will feature three different programs of dynamic premieres, new productions and treasured classics. Each performance will culminate with three different programs of mixed repertory including classic Ailey works and contemporary masterworks. Each performance will culminate with the soulful must-see American masterpiece Revelations. The Chicago Sun-Times said, "...Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has created a unique and enduring bond with its audiences."

Kenneth MacMillan's Mayerling Performed by The Royal Ballet

July 5 -7, 2018

The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
Live Orchestra
Choreographer: Kenneth MacMillan
Music: Franz Liszt
Set Design: Gillian Freeman
Lighting Design: John B. Read

The Royal Ballet returns to The Music Center for the first time in more than 20 years with its production of Mayerling. A tale of dangerous desires, family secrets and political intrigue, Mayerling is based on the true story of the 1889 deaths of Austro-Hungarian Prince Rudolf and his teenage mistress Mary Vetsera. Set in the brilliant backdrop of the Viennese palace, the performance brings to life the incident that shook the royal courts of the 19th century. Accompanied by live orchestra, this dark ballet was first created by Kenneth MacMillan in 1978.

MacMillan's large-scale crowd and court scenes present the entire company at its dramatic finest. According to The Spectator, one can expect "Intelligence, nuance and white-hot energy" in Mayerling, the 20th century masterpiece that The Daily Telegraph described as "the Hamlet of ballet." In the words of The Financial Times, "The Royal Ballet is at its finest in Kenneth MacMillan's dance drama."

Additional Subscriber Opportunities

The Great Tamer

January 11, 2019

Royce Hall, UCLA
Presented by UCLA's Center for the Art of Performance in association with The Music Center Director: Dimitris Papaioannou
Music: Johann Strauss II, An der schönen blauen Donau, Op. 314
Set Design and Art Direction: Tina Tzoka
Lighting Design: Evina Vassilakopoulou

Dimitris Papaioannou's The Great Tamer is a stunning and surreal piece that grapples with the meaning of life and the mystery of death, destruction and reconstruction. Internationally recognized for his work on the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, Papaioannou's latest work uses the human body to create vignettes that are at once macabre and beautiful, infused with humor, horror, circus-like stunts and optical illusions.

New Adventures/Matthew Bourne's Cinderella

February 5 - March 10, 2019

The Music Center's Ahmanson Theatre
Presented by Center Theatre Group in association with Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center
Director & Choreographer: Matthew Bourne
Music: Sergei Prokofiev
Set & Costume Design: Lez Brotherston
Lighting Design: Neil Austin
Sound Design: Paul Groothuis
Projections: Duncan McLean

Matthew Bourne's Cinderella is one of New Adventures' most popular and beloved productions. A modern interpretation of the classic fairy tale set in London during the Second World War, Cinderella is an evocative love story where a chance meeting results in a magical night. With Lez Brotherston's Olivier Award-winning designs, lighting by Olivier Award-winning Neil Austin, video and projections by Duncan McLean, and the original score by Prokofiev, Cinderella is performed in surround sound designed by Paul Groothuis. Bourne's heart-stopping story telling brings the realities of love and war to life. The Guardian commented, "As Bourne unfolds his narrative, every detail of the story feels rooted in history."

The Music Center's Spotlight Grand Finale Performance

June 4, 2019

The Music Center's Walt Disney Concert Hall
Co-producers: Jeri Gaile and Michael Solomon
Musical Director/Spotlight Orchestra: Jamey Tate

For more than 30 years, The Music Center's Spotlight program has fostered excellence and personal growth for new generations of young artists. Southern California high school students have come to The Music Center for world-class arts training, scholarships and college and career guidance, culminating in the Spotlight Grand Finale Performance. An evening of performances from finalists in seven categories including acting, ballet, non-classical dance, classical voice, non-classical voice, classical instrumental and jazz instrumental, the Spotlight Grand Finale Performance will feature Southern California's rising young stars at The Music Center's Walt Disney Concert Hall for this powerful one- night celebration.

Adès & McGregor: A Dance Collaboration
July 12 - 13, 2019

Featuring the LA Phil, The Royal Ballet and Company Wayne McGregor
The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion A co-presentation of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center and the LA Phil

New work (choreography world premiere) with dancers of The Royal Ballet Company
Choreographer: Wayne McGregor
Music: Thomas Adès, Leila Josefowicz (violin), Kirill Gerstein (piano)
Designer: Tacita Dean
Lighting Design: Lucy Carter

New work (choreography world premiere) with dancers of Company Wayne McGregor
Choreographer: Wayne McGregor
Music: Thomas Adès
Other collaborators to be confirmed

Outlier with Company Wayne McGregor and dancers of The Royal Ballet
Choreographer: Wayne McGregor
Music: Thomas Adès
Set Design: Wayne McGregor & Lucy Carter
Costume Design: Moritz Junge
Lighting Design: Lucy Carter

Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center, The Royal Ballet, Company Wayne McGregor and the LA Phil will join together in an unprecedented collaboration, featuring the world premiere of a Wayne McGregor commission set on The Royal Ballet; the world premiere of Wayne McGregor commission set on Company Wayne McGregor; and the West Coast premiere of Outlier, performed by dancers of The Royal Ballet and Company Wayne McGregor. As part of the two-night engagement, the LA Phil will return to its original Music Center home, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, for the first time since 2003, to perform the music for three pieces, conducted by Thomas Adès.

Season tickets/subscriptions for Dance at The Music Center are on sale now. Single tickets will be available for purchase on July 30, 2018, for the 2018 engagements. Single tickets for the 2019 engagements will go on sale October 15, 2018. For tickets and information, call (213) 972-0711 or visit musiccenter.org.

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 Center Dance Arts

Center Dance Arts is proud to celebrate 12 years as the founding supporter of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center. Center Dance Arts offers members the opportunity to support world class dance engagements and commission future masterpieces, inspire thousands of children with student performances, school assemblies and masterclasses, as well as interact with celebrated dancers and distinguished dance luminaries at exclusive events that enrich audiences' passion for dance. For more information, visit musiccenter.org/centerdancearts

About The Music Center

The Music Center is Los Angeles' home to the world's greatest artistic programs and events with four iconic theatres and an outdoor plaza. In addition to its four-renowned resident companies - Center Theatre Group, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, LA Opera and the LA Phil - The Music Center presents an international dance series, free and low-cost public programming and special events and activities for all ages. From its early days, The Music Center has been a pioneer in arts education and offers a multi-faceted program from K-12. With The Music Center On Location, the non-profit performing arts organization brings programming to locations outside of its Downtown Los Angeles campus. The Music Center also programs and manages Grand Park, a 12-acre adjacent greenspace, with year-round free programming. For more information, visit musicenter.org Follow The Music Center on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (@MusicCenterLA).

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