DIAVOLO | ARCHITECTURE IN MOTION Will Return to the Music Center

The Music Center today announced the return of Diavolo | Architecture in Motion (Diavolo) to The Music Center's Ahmanson Theatre and the West Coast premiere of Voyage (October 12-14, 2018). Known for incorporating oversized structures into its performances to create the company's signature "architecture in motion" style, Diavolo uses dance to explore the relationship between the human body and its architectural environment. By weaving together contemporary dance, daredevil gymnastics and fearless acrobatics into performances that defy gravity, Diavolo's work reveals how people are affected emotionally, physically and socially by the spaces they inhabit. The three-day engagement follows Diavolo's recent appearances on Season 12 of NBC's hit series America's Got Talent where the company was one of the top 10 contestants to reach the show's finale, performing five new pieces by Artistic Director Jacques Heim.

Part of the Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center 2018/2019 season, Diavolo's October performances will feature the West Coast premiere of Voyage, a piece inspired by travel in space and the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing, along with Trajectoire, a visceral and emotional journey through the ebb and flow of the human experience. Called a "stunning juggling act of humanity" by Forbes Magazine, Diavolo creates its own language of movement that all audiences can appreciate and enjoy. Artistic Director Jacques Heim's inventive vision and skill in creating work that entertains is central to the company's more than 25-year history of captivating audiences across the globe.

"The Music Center is proud to present Diavolo, one of L.A.'s most highly regarded dance companies," said Rachel Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center. "Diavolo's innovative mix of modern dance, acrobatics and athleticism provides audiences of all ages with stunning performances and an entrée to the world of dance," she explained.

Michael Solomon, The Music Center's vice president of presentations and education commented, "Diavolo's approach to dance is unlike any other company performing today. Jacques Heim's ability to incorporate massive structures into his choreography takes movement and dance to a new level that is both artful and entertaining, while remaining completely accessible."

Inspired by space travel, Diavolo's Voyage is set in a surreal landscape of infinite possibilities with gravity-defying bodies that join a young woman on her journey into a universe that is bustling with energy, whimsy and surprising transformations. In Trajectoire, a 3,000-pound boat-like structure made of wood, aluminum and steel serves as the foundation of the piece. Dancers defy gravity and exhibit astonishing strength and balance as they are routinely flung into the air, relying only on one another to complete breathtaking acrobatics.

Diavolo is not only a Los Angeles treasure, but also a long-standing member of The Music Center family. The company has been a part of the performing arts organization's legacy school assembly program, The Music Center On Tour, for nearly 20 years. In 2012, The Music Center commissioned Diavolo to develop a special piece, "A Fanfare for Grand Park," in which the dancers performed in the park's iconic Arthur J. Will Memorial Fountain.

Tickets for Diavolo | Architecture in Motion® performances at The Music Center start at $20 and are available online at musiccenter.org/diavolo at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Box Office, 135 N. Grand Ave, 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.

Photo courtesy of George Simian

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