CAP UCLA Presents ETHIOCOLOR and CONRAD TAO & CALEB TEICHER: COUNTERPOINT Back-to-Back Performances at The Nimoy

UCLA's Center for the Art of Performance (CAP UCLA) will present two exceptional performances that promise to captivate and inspire audiences at The Nimoy in September including, the nine-member Ethiopian ensemble Ethiocolor on Friday, September 29 at 8 pm, followed by Counterpoint, a collaboration from pianist-composer Conrad Tao and dancer-choreographer Caleb Teicher on Saturday, September 30 at 8 pm. Tickets for the entire season are available now at cap.ucla.edu, by phone 310-825-2101 or at the UCLA Central Ticket Office. 

On Friday, September 29 at 8 pm, immerse in the mesmerizing world of Ethiocolor, led by the charismatic Melaku Belay. With deep roots in Ethiopia's rich Azmari culture, this nine-member ensemble transcends time, fusing ancient traditions with modern sensibilities. Through a spellbinding synergy of dance and music, Ethiocolor takes audiences on a journey that defies boundaries and unites hearts across cultures. Melaku Belay, acclaimed as a "walking earthquake" by The New York Times, brings to life the rhythmic marvel of eskista, a shoulder-shimmying dance, while his Fendika Cultural Center in Addis Ababa has become a global hub of artistic exchange.

Ethiocolor is part of Center Stage, a public diplomacy initiative of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs with funding provided by the U.S. Government, administered by the New England Foundation for the Arts in cooperation with the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations. General management is provided by Lisa Booth Management, Inc.

Conrad Tao and Caleb Teicher present a captivating collaboration on Saturday, September 30 at 8 pm, as the two merge their exceptional talents to create Counterpoint. A harmonious convergence of pianistic brilliance and dynamic choreography, Counterpoint showcases the artistic fusion of two distinct worlds. Tao's evocative piano compositions, ranging from Bach to Gershwin, intertwine seamlessly with Teicher's expressive dance, as they explore the fluid boundaries between their respective disciplines. The result is an experience that pushes artistic frontiers and extends the realms of both music and dance.

Conrad Tao has appeared worldwide as a pianist and composer and has been dubbed “the kind of musician who is shaping the future of classical music” by New York Magazine and an artist of “probing intellect and open-hearted vision” by The New York Times. Tao has performed as soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic and Boston Symphony. As a composer, his work has been performed by orchestras throughout the world; his first large-scale orchestral work, Everything Must Go, received its world premiere with the New York Philharmonic and its European premiere with the Antwerp Symphony and he was the recipient of a New York Dance and Performance “Bessie” Award, for Outstanding Sound Design / Music Composition, for his work on More Forever, in collaboration with dancer and choreographer Caleb Teicher. 

Caleb Teicher is a NYC-based dancer and choreographer specializing in musically-driven dance traditions and interdisciplinary collaboration. Teicher began their career as a founding member of Michelle Dorrance's critically acclaimed tap dance company, Dorrance Dance, while also freelancing in contemporary dance (The Chase Brock Experience, The Bang Group), Lindy Hop (Syncopated City Dance Company) and musical theater (West Side Story International Tour and London). As a solo performer and collaborator, Teicher is known for choreographic collaborations with diverse musical talents: world-champion beatboxer Chris Celiz, composer/pianist Conrad Tao; the National Symphony Orchestra and indie rock legends Ben Folds and Regina Spektor.

The CAP UCLA 2023 spring programs continue on Saturday, October 7 with Edgar Arceneaux: Boney Manilli and Saturday, October 7 and Sunday, October 8 with Ann Carlson + inkBoat: These Are the Ones We Fell Among.

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