Broadway finds its Fela, thanks to Bill T. Jones, Jay-Z, et al.

Until the mid-1970s, the music and dance of Africa was largely “folkloric” to Bill T. Jones.

“It was beautiful people in the bush, dancing and singing," says the modern dance choreographer. “I was much more preoccupied with the rock counterculture at the time.”

That is, until Jones heard the music of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, the Nigerian human rights activist and recording star.

“Modern Africa hit me in the face with the music of Fela,” says Jones. “This was a man who was using horns like James Brown and Sly and Family Stone, the jazz saxophones of Max Roach, and the drums of Africa. This was no maiden dance from some small village in Africa. Fela's music was an instant education.”

The Tony Award-winning choreographer (“Spring Awakening”) is now bringing that music to Broadway in “Fela!,” the part-concert, part-fever dream, for which Jones is also acting as director and co-librettist (with longtime collaborator Jim Lewis). The show received rave critical notices for its off-Broadway tryout run in September 2008, during which it attracted a number of celebrities. Three of them -- Jay-Z, Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett-Smith -- have signed on as producers, bringing with them a sizable investment in the show.

But Jones says what really makes him excited about the project is the cast itself. “Everybody on that stage is either African, Carribbean or African-American, a first for me, and that in itself is an incredibly rich communal experience,” he says.

“All sorts of subconscious and psychological elements are at work because of this confluence of cultures and beliefs. And all that too goes into a work that is dreamlike in aspiration and yet, amazingly, of Africa and its people.”

Click here for the full story on "Fela."

-- Patrick Pacheco

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Photo: "Fela." Credit: Monique Carboni.

Dancing about illness, the debate that never dies

In the U.K. next month, a dance artist who has epilepsy will attempt to induce a seizure on stage. Rita Marcalo has stopped taking her medication ahead of the event at the Bradford Playhouse, according to the BBC News. "If she has a seizure, an alarm will sound and the audience will be invited to film on their mobile phones," said the report.

Not surprisingly, the event, scheduled to take place Dec. 11, has sparked controversy. Epilepsy Action, a charity group, has asked the dancer "to reconsider" the event. But the Arts Council of England, which is funding the performance, stated that the project is intended to raise awareness of the illness and that it supports the artist's choice.

All this prompts the question: Is it really art?

The question is the same one that New Yorker dance critic Arlene Croce asked in 1994 in her nonreview of Bill T. Jones' AIDS-themed work "Still/Here." Taking issue with the choreographer's decision to put his illness front and center on stage, Croce refused to attend the show and instead ended up penning what is perhaps the most divisive piece of dance criticism ever written.

Whether dealing with AIDS or epilepsy, a work of art that explores the artist's illness is by definition a self-reflective work steeped in identity politics, that most thorny of creative themes. What Croce had to say about "Still/Here" (pictured above) can seem harsh and cruelly dismissive, but it also feels surprisingly relevant today. 

Daniel Day-Lewis says he avoided dancing in 'Nine'

The promotional juggernaut behind the movie "Nine" shifted into high gear today when cast members of the film -- including Daniel Day-Lewis -- appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" to discuss their work on the movie musical. 

One can hardly hope for a moment of unscripted candor in such a scenario. (Can you imagine the number of publicists working behind the scenes in Oprah's green room?) 

Still, Day-Lewis -- always refreshingly unpredictable -- was able to slip the fact that he managed to avoid dancing in a movie directed by Rob Marshall, who happens to be an accomplished Broadway choreographer. That's kind of like signing up for swimming lessons and then not getting in the water. His co-stars -- including Penelope Cruz and Kate Hudson -- did not get off so easy, as early footage from the movie has shown.

We can assume that at this stage in his career, Day-Lewis isn't going to do what he doesn't want to do. While the Oscar-winning actor (who seemed to spend the entire hour stifling giggles at Oprah's questions) doesn't dance in the movie, he does participate in several dance numbers. And based on clips featured during the show, he also speaks with a strong Italian accent while in character as Guido Contini, a burned-out film director who has more than his share of woman problems.

The rest of the show was given over to the usual celebrity sycophancy. At one point, Hudson compared Marshall to the late, great Bob Fosse -- surely one of the most cultured things the actress has said on the air. Marion Cotillard looked mostly lost. Nicole Kidman talked about living in Nashville. And Cruz gushed about Pedro Almodovar.

Incidentally, Marshall didn't direct the hit 2003 revival of "Nine" on Broadway. That job went to David Leveaux, who was nominated for a Tony.

-- David Ng

Photo: Daniel Day-Lewis in a scene from "Nine." Credit: David James / The Weinstein Company

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Dancer Yvonne Mounsey honored by L.A. County Board of Supervisors

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors' ballet lover Zev Yaroslavsky conferred a scroll of recognition Tuesday to former Balanchine dancer and venerable ballet instructor Yvonne Mounsey.  The scroll honors Mounsey’s lifelong contribution to ballet and marks the longtime Los Angeles resident’s 90th birthday.

The strawberry-blond ballerina, looking slim, elegant and happy, accepted Yaroslavsky’s tribute in her lilting accent: “I enjoy my work and look forward to continuing,” she said. “We have a strong outreach program that brings in children to see our annual 'Nutcracker.' Giving children exposure to ballet is what we’re all about.” 

The South Africa-born Mounsey got her start in pre-World War II Europe when Leonide Massine hired the English-trained dancer for a stint with Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, rehearing in Paris and performing on the Côte d’Azur. During the war, Mounsey danced in ballet exile in South America, and, hooking up with Colonel W. de Basil’s Original Ballet Russe, performed in Australia under the stage name Irina Zarova. Mounsey then participated in the post-war artistic blooming of New York City, dancing for George Balanchine.  

She met Balanchine in 1941 (he was then a struggling freelance choreographer) and was invited to join his new troupe in 1948. Her name appeared on New York City Ballet’s first roster, alongside legends Maria Tallchief, Melissa Hayden, Tanaquil LeClercq and Patricia Wilde.

Monster Mash: Getty partners with Egypt; architect Kazuyo Sejima going to Venice; fatal art stabbings

-- Five-year project: The J. Paul Getty Trust has partnered with Egypt to help preserve and manage the tomb of King Tutankhamen. (Bloomberg)

-- Architectural first: Japanese architect Kazuyo Sejima is the first woman to be named director of the Venice Architecture Biennale. (Art Info)

-- Suspicious deaths: A British art curator and his daughter were found dead with multiple stab wounds near Sydney, Australia. (Times Online)

-- Violent assault: A San Francisco artist chosen by the city to paint a mural was stabbed while working on the project. (San Francisco Examiner)

-- Leg room: The Houston Ballet's new $53-million home will be the largest facility in the U.S. devoted to dance, according to the company's leaders. (Bloomberg)

-- One-woman show: Dame Edna's "It's All About Me" has set a Broadway opening date of March 23. (Playbill)

-- Sour note: A labor dispute has arisen between producers and musicians on the off-Broadway musical "Tony 'n Tina's Wedding." (Variety)

-- Money talks: Same-sex couples are leaving their mark in the Boston arts community through philanthropic donations. (Boston Globe)

-- New leader: The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art has named Tim Rodgers as its new director. (The Arizona Republic)

-- Messy split: A German art collector has settled a lawsuit with his former mistress involving two works by Damien Hirst valued at about $48 million. (Bloomberg)

-- And in the L.A. Times: Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne on the possibility of a football stadium in City of Industry; the Museum of Contemporary Art's big 30th-anniversary celebration.

-- David Ng

Photo: the burial chamber of King Tutankhamen in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor, Egypt. Credit: Chris Bouroncle / AFP/Getty Images

Kings of the Dance coming to Ahmanson Theatre in February

The dance world's equivalent of a star-studded action franchise is coming to Los Angeles.

The Kings of the Dance -- which is not to be confused with the Kings of Comedy or the Lord of the Dance -- will play for two nights only at the Ahmanson Theatre on Feb. 16 and 17 as a new addition to the current Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center season.

Six renowned dancers -- David Hallberg, Nikolai Tsiskarideze, Marcelo Gomes, Dennis Matvienko, Guillaume Cote and Desmond Richardson -- will star in this three-act performance that include numbers by some of dance's top choreographers.

Local dance fans will no doubt recognize Gomes and Hallberg as members of New York's American Ballet Theatre, which has made numerous visits to L.A. and Orange County. Richardson, who is co-artistic director of Complexions Contemporary Ballet, may be recognizable to viewers of Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance," on which he appeared in 2008.

Various versions of Kings of the Dance have been performed all over the world, sometimes featuring different dancers. The franchise has appeared in New York, Moscow and other cities.

This version that will appear in L.A. will include numbers choreographed by Frederick Ashton, Leonid Jacobson, Nacho Duato, Roland Petit, David Fernandez, Adam Hougland, Boris Eifman and Christopher Wheeldon.

-- David Ng

Photo: Dancer David Hallberg. Credit: Rosalie O'Connor

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Dance review: American Ballet Theater's 'Giselle' at OCPAC

Giselle” is nearly perfect, even if the ballet’s composer, Adolphe Adam, was no Tchaikovsky. It’s got love, betrayal, redemption and death, not to mention scenes of painterly dancing. As the style of contemporary ballet grows ever harder-edged, it’s comforting to return to “Giselle,” a retreat of watercolor prettiness and deeply felt emotions. If you’re lucky, the mad scene will provoke a good cry.

It’s no wonder then that the American Ballet Theatre has presented “Giselle” since its debut season in 1940. ABT's latest verion is currently at the Orange County Performing Arts Center through Sunday and the current production, staged by artistic director Kevin McKenzie after the Coralli-Perrot-Petipa standard, is certainly picturesque, with storybook sets by Gianni Quaranta and richly appointed costumes by Anna Anni. But the opening night performance Tuesday fell far short of perfect and this viewer was dry-eyed throughout, though different cast members did raise hopes at key moments.

Ballerina Julie Kent, who is in her 24th season with ABT, had our sympathies, if not our heart, as Giselle. Her portrayal contained nifty character details. Pulling petals off a flower to help her determine if the nobleman-in-disguise Albrecht really loved her, for example, she dropped the positive omens in her lap, and left the others on the ground.

Monster Mash: Banksy's graffiti defaced; Oregon Shakespeare Festival surprise; Caravaggio's self-portrait

--Everyone's a critic: A mural by British graffiti artist Banksy was defaced during a vote on whether the artwork ought to be preserved. (BBC News)

--Box office surprise: The Oregon Shakespeare Festival says it saw record attendance and revenue for its 2009 season. (Associated Press)

--A lot of Windex: A Jeff Koons sculpture cost a couple between $75,000 and $100,000 a year to maintain. (Connecticut Post, via Art Info)

--Big plans: Billionaire Victor Pinchuk said he will build a contemporary arts center in Kiev, Ukraine. (Bloomberg)

--Where's Caravaggio? Art experts say they have found a tiny self-portrait of Caravaggio hidden in his 1597 painting "Bacchus." (Telegraph)

--Setting a date: Sacramento's Crocker Art Museum says it will reveal its 125,000-square-foot expansion in October 2010. (Crocker Art Museum)

--Summer in the park: The Public Theater said it will stage Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" and "A Winter's Tale" next summer in New York's Central Park. (Playbill)

--Lucrative project: Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire is set to adapt an upcoming series of children's books by William Joyce for DreamWorks Animation. (Variety)

--In memory: Britain's Evening Standard Awards has renamed one of its annual honors after the late Natasha Richardson. (The Stage)

--Expensive wheels: Bicycles that Lance Armstrong used during the Tour de France have fetched $1.3 million in a charity auction for his cancer foundation. (Bloomberg)

--Invaluable documents: The Juilliard School announced the acquisition of manuscripts by Beethoven and Mendelssohn. (New York Times)

--Fast on their feet: The nominations and honorees for the Isadora Duncan Awards -- honoring the best in the Bay Area dance community -- have been announced. (San Francisco Chronicle)

--And in the L.A. Times: Researchers say that the ancient Nazca people of Peru hastened their own demise through deforestation; President Obama makes 25 appointments to his Committee on the Arts and the Humanities; Cirque du Soleil's "Kooza" extends through Dec. 20 in Santa Monica.

-- David Ng

Photo: The recently defaced mural by Banksy in South London. Credit: BBC News

Merce Cunningham memorial 'Events' in New York

Wednesday afternoon and evening, dozens of dancers young and old, leading lights of American avant garde music and a large milling public invaded New York's Park Avenue Armory to remember Merce Cunningham. The startling 1881 structure, built to house the Seventh Regiment in Tiffany splendor (those were the days), is now a massive and inventive art and performance space.

But even it could barely contain “Events in Honor of Merce -- Memorial,” a five-hour tribute to the work and life of the legendary dancer and choreographer, who died at 90 in August. Throughout his seven-decade career, Cunningham treated all containers, including the human body, as challenges. And the memorial was the result of a lifetime of stretching and expanded boundaries, of rethinking everything in and about dance from the ground up -- way up.

The program followed Cunningham’s late practice of staging his “Events” circus-like on three simultaneous stages. These dance cornucopias include bits and pieces from different works taken out of context and presented with different music, decor and costumes than used with the original dances. Wednesday, musicians were placed on a ledge up high and they flooded the room with sound. Above them was an art work that Cunningham made last year by inking the wheels of his chair and rolling it over a large canvas.

Along with “Event (2009),” current and past members of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, which was founded in 1953, youngsters from a number of New York schools and Cunningham’s studio class for teenagers performed a selection of excerpts from dances made between 1967 and 2002. The one exception was a very early piece, “Totum Ancestor,” which Cunningham and his life partner, composer John Cage, devised in 1942, shortly after Cunningham had set out on his own as a choreographer after dancing with Martha Graham.

Monster Mash: Museum wants Obama's Nobel money; Ingmar Bergman's property; Levine's setback

-- Wishful: The Dayton International Peace Museum hopes that President Obama will donate some or all of his $1.4-million Nobel Peace Prize money. (Associated Press)

-- Good use: Ingmar Bergman's former properties will become a nonprofit center for artists and scholars. (New York Times)

-- Still recuperating: Conductor James Levine experiences a setback in his recovery from surgery. (Boston Globe)

-- Organizing: Stagehands at New York's Joyce Theatre -- a popular dance venue -- have voted to join the same union that represents workers on Broadway. (Bloomberg)

-- Tough ruling: A New York judge has ruled that a gallery worker cannot receive a refund on an incorrectly valued work by Julian Schnabel. (New York Law Journal)

-- Classical substitution: Rufus Wainwright postpones the debut of his "Five Shakespeare Sonnets" at the San Francisco Symphony, but Duncan Sheik will fill in with selections from his upcoming musical "Whisper House." (San Jose Mercury News)

-- Sober: Opening-night parties on Broadway aren't what they used to be. (Variety)

-- Diva behavior: The Argentine opera singer who was arrested in a New York restaurant for disorderly conduct said she was talking on her cellphone to the organizers of the Las Vegas premiere of Michael Jackson's film "This Is It". (Associated Press)

-- Clever promotion: Twentieth Century Fox will try to break the Guinness world record for tallest ice sculpture today in Santa Monica by creating one in the shape of an "Ice Age" character. (All Headline News)

-- Hopeful: A New York actress rebounds from homelessness to a role on Broadway. (New York Times)

-- Passing: Landscape architect Lawrence Halprin has died at age 93. (San Francisco Chronicle)

-- And in the L.A. Times: Some local schools are trying to put an end to explicit moves on the dance floor; Scarlett Johansson will make her Broadway debut in January in Arthur Miller's "A View From the Bridge"; Terry Riley has resigned from his role as the head of the Miami Art Museum.

-- David Ng

Photo: President Obama, speaking about winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Credit: Gerald Herbert / Associated Press