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Jean Lenihan: dance and other movements

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Equal Parts Hip-Hop and High Art, Seattle’s Amy O’Neal Tours “Opposing Forces”

January 26, 2015 by Jean Lenihan

At quick glance, the dance lineup for this year’s Off Center Festival at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa might appear underwhelming. There’s the Barcelona-based performance group Agrupación Señor Serrano, which advertises “minimalist choreography” among its many attributes. And then, as the concluding act of the festival, there are … [Read more...]

The Will of Eva Perón, Painted in Tango

January 20, 2015 by Jean Lenihan

If it's coming your way, you won't do wrong to grab tickets to Tango Buenos Aires' current touring show, "Song of Eva Perón." Already immortalized in music and on film, Evita's physical portrait here -- mostly an energetic one, as considered here through the lens of Argentine tango --  adds subtle dimension to her mystique. Eva Perón’s … [Read more...]

A Great Guy Created Sia’s Creepy Videos

January 18, 2015 by Jean Lenihan

Meet Ryan Heffington, the beloved, unapologetic L.A. dance studio owner behind Sia's eerie "Chandelier" and "Elastic Heart" videos (and subsequent live performances). I profiled him for KCET's Artbound.   … [Read more...]

Best Dance of 2014

December 30, 2014 by Jean Lenihan

Norwood Pennewell, of the Garth Fagan Company, danced exquisitely in "Prelude," performed at the Nate Holden Center -- it's my no. 1 pick.  Now in his 50s, Pennewell's continuing power and delicacy raises the hairs on the back of my neck. It's thrilling to watch. How glorious to see Pina Bausch's "Kontahkof," captured in both radiant … [Read more...]

Perform or Die

December 16, 2014 by Jean Lenihan

Raushan Mitchell

Concert dance is ridiculously evaporative. It enters through your eyes, yet you can't study it. Repeated music phrases might linger, but live movement performance can barely be held or stored. It’s why people ask to see “Revelations” or “Serenade” again and again, year after year.   And what of the dancemakers -- are they struggling … [Read more...]

Smokin’ Ivan Vasiliev Manifests “The Flames of Paris”

December 2, 2014 by Jean Lenihan

By the third performance of the West Coast debut of Mikhail Messerer’s 2013 revival of “The Flames of Paris” (1932), the engine of the recently revamped Mikhailovsky Ballet and Orchestra was running incredibly hot. Never before has a three-act ballet burned by so fast, alternating multilayered scenes of street rebellion and palace treachery … [Read more...]

Ira Glass’ Dance Theater Follies To Tour Through 2015

December 1, 2014 by Jean Lenihan

It feels like it might have been a dare. The group of quirky, brainy folks who produce “This American Life” radio show week after week, challenge its creator/host, the wildly popular Ira Glass, to produce a piece on an impossible to produce subject. “Federal Reserve regulators!” Already done that, he says. “Nine shows about poultry!” … [Read more...]

Rare Early Soviet Ballet in High Demand

November 22, 2014 by Jean Lenihan

Segerstrom Center for the Arts Executive Vice President Judy Morr adores Russian ballet and loves to make history. She was the first U.S. presenter of Eifman Ballet – also appearing this season at the center – and she makes sure the Mariinsky and Bolshoi ballets perform as often as possible. But past Segerstrom Center events could barely … [Read more...]

What’s the Answer to Abstract Dance?

November 3, 2014 by Jean Lenihan

Batsheva Dance Company 50th Anniversary Tour “Sadeh21” U.S. Premiere Royce Hall, UCLA Thurs Oct 30, Sat & Sun Nov 1-2   Touring the U.S. for the company’s 50th anniversary year, Batsheva Dance Company performed 3 shows at UCLA last week. The first was an invitation-only event: a rare assemblage of L.A.-area dance artists and … [Read more...]

On Bessies Night, L.A. Cheers for Keen Presenters

October 20, 2014 by Jean Lenihan

On the night of the Bessie Awards, New York City once again feels to eclipse all, sending L.A. into dark orbit. At the end of the night, however, L.A. dance-lovers have to come away with renewed appreciation for the great programmers out here who recognized the evening's genius, prize-winning solo artists from the U.S. and beyond, way before they … [Read more...]

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About Jean Lenihan

Formerly the staff dance critic for the Seattle Times, Jean Lenihan now lives in Los Angeles where she's written for the … [Read More...]

About Fresh Pencil

This blog began as an aggregation of published freelance pieces on a wide range of dance-makers and touring troupes, from Miss Prissy to ABT premieres to  Benjamin Millepied to Ryan Heffington. Nowadays I often review and write straight into this blog.

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Recent Comments

  • Jean Lenihan on Phantasmic Freaks and Geeks in ABT’s Scrumptious “Whipped Cream”: “One more quick hit: Isn’t there something in Ryden’s creatures that makes them quietly imploring? Like they’re stuffed with impossible…” Mar 17, 07:54
  • Michael Wilson on Could an L.A. Dance Hub Grow from a Mapping Tool?: “There are not nearly enough respondents to draw any real conclusions. This strikes me as a mostly pointless exercise with…” Apr 2, 19:44
  • m. beth on Los Angeles Ballet’s Notable “The Sleeping Beauty”: “I know it’s pricey, but you should REALLY go see Allynne Noelle dance the role of Aurora in The Sleeping…” Mar 10, 17:07
  • m. beth on Los Angeles Ballet’s Notable “The Sleeping Beauty”: “You are certainly right!!! The casting was amiss!” Mar 10, 16:05
  • Diana Batista on Los Angeles Ballet’s Notable “The Sleeping Beauty”: “Overall really enjoyed LAB’s Sleeping Beauty at Valley Performing Arts Center last Saturday night. I’ve also seen their Swan Lake…” Mar 3, 12:52

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