EVENTS
Dance for life festival
July 20th, 2024
2:00PM & 7:00PM
Nate Holden Performing Arts Center
4718 W Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90016
Conceived by Phill Wilson and Desmond Richardson, and inspired by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS’ annual Fire Island Dance Festival, Artists and Activists for Health Equity launched Dance for Life in 2021 to benefit the fight against HIV/AIDS, COVID-19, and other health issues confronting marginalized communities.
The Dance for Life festival is a multi-cultural, multi-genre dance festival to benefit organizations doing critical work fighting for health equity. The 2024 recipients are the AMAAD Institute; Better Brothers LA scholarship fund; St. John’s Community Health; and amfAR, the foundation for AIDS research. The 2023 festival featured 11 dance companies and over 60 dancers.
This year’s festival will include 22 dance companies and 80 dancers from around the world, presenting a vast range of dance disciplines including classical ballet, contemporary ballet, Mexican folk, ballroom, salsa, hip hop, aerial, and others. The 2024 program will feature 11 dance companies followed by an audience talk back and Q&A session with leading choreographers.
BLUE13 AT THE FORD: "100 SECONDS TO MIDNIGHT"
In “100 Seconds to Midnight,” a new contemporary dance project choreographed by Achinta S. McDaniel, the company delves deep into the complexities of the human experience, drawing inspiration from the infamous Doomsday Clock. Made famous by J. Robert Oppenheimer, Albert Einstein, and other concerned scientists, the clock measures how close the planet is to global catastrophe, marked as midnight. McDaniel turns the metaphor inward to examine the notion of “doom” as it pertains to South Asian communities. Repeatedly erased but resilient, these communities often grapple with cyclical trauma and the unrelenting anxiety of impending loss. Through a triptych of movements, “100 Seconds to Midnight” confronts misogyny, unpacks the generational effects of colonization, and scrutinizes the expectations placed upon women regarding duty, tradition, and assimilation. generational effects of colonization, and interrogate women’s duty, tradition, and assimilation.
Saturday, September 28th, 2024
8:00pm
Gates open: 6:30pm
The Ford
2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Los Angeles, CA 90068
BLUE13 AT MUTUAL DANCE THEATRE
cincinnati, ohio
October 25 & 26, 2024
7:30pm
Aronoff Center for the Arts
Jarson-Kaplan Theater
650 Walnut St
Cincinnati, OH 45202
RECENT
Playdate residency 2024
June 17-27, 2024
Public performances June 28 at 8pm and June 29 at 7pm
at Pieter Performance Spacee
PLAYDATE is an innovative two-week dance residency program funded by the California Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts that aims to address the lack of visibility of AAPINH artists in the dance field. In its second year, this collaborative program brings together four talented and diverse Asian American Pacific Islander Native Hawaiian identifying choreographers to create new work and investigate with how to empower AAPINH artists through dance. Each choreographer will bring a group (2 minimum, 10 maximum) of professional, diverse dancers to join them in improvisation and discourse with the cohort, ultimately sharing collaborative works in progress or other public format. Awardees are granted $2000 each.
the music center's dance dtla
June 21, 2024
at the Jerry Moss Plaza
Join us for the 20th anniversary of The Music Center’s Dance DTLA program! We’re kicking off the series with a FREE Bollywood lesson from Blue13’s artistic director Achinta S. McDaniel and a night of fun on the dance floor! Featuring music from the DJ Ghost and live drumming by Dhol Nation. No dance experience necessary!
soliloquy: an immersive dance experience
May 31 – June 2, 2024
at Heritage Square Museum
LA DANCE CHRONICLE REVIEW
Rove the strange, haunting neighborhood that is Heritage Square Museum in Blue13’s Soliloquy, the newest immersive dance theatre work by Artistic Director, Achinta S. McDaniel. Meeting at the intersection of technology, disruption, inclusion, and diaspora, each performance of Soliloquy is an exciting and unique adventure, shared in a singular experience by those in attendance. Interact with dancers throughout the night. No two shows are the same. During the traveling piece, participants will have exciting opportunities to toast, dance, and engage in discourse with their fellow guests.
McDaniel seeks to interrogate the ways in which technological connection coupled with isolation has specifically impacted people of the Global Majority and women. Audiences are integrated into the story, making imaginative choices to affect the narratives. You may peer through a window to witness clandestine trysts, sit for dinner with a quarreling family, or even choose who dances the final solo.
Blue13 AT THE MUSIC CENTER'S HOLIDAY CELEBRATION
December 24, 2023
3:00 – 6:00PM
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
135 N. Grand Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90012
FREE
MORE INFO/RSVP
The Music Center’s 64th annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration offers Angelenos of all ages the opportunity to experience and honor the dynamic, rich cultures of the county. Enjoy a diverse lineup of L.A.-based artists including Blue13 and Taiko Project! The Holiday Celebration brings holiday cheer into the homes and hearts of all who tune in.
MIMOSAS & SAMOSAS
December 10, 2023
2:00 – 5:00PM
Stomping Ground LA
$25/person
TICKETS
Come party with Blue13! Aside from the drinks and treats, this afternoon FUN-raiser will include music, dancing, conversations with the dancers and director, and even some small performances of works in progress and audience favorites. We can’t to see you!
AMERICAN KAHANI: FALL PERFORMANCES
Our fall 2023 program kicks off in September! In this interactive performance, four of our incredible teaching artists guide K-5th grade students on a journey of rhythm, dance, and oration to explore the different ways in which Indian Americans tell stories.
MORE INFO
These performances are closed to the public.
AMAL WALKS ACROSS AMERICA: AMAL’S WISH
November 2, 2023
6:30PM
at Jerry Moss Plaza (The Music Center)
135 N. Grand Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90012
FREE
MORE INFO/RSVP
Between September 7 and November 5, Little Amal is journeying 6,000 miles across the United States. Blue13 is excited to join The Music Center to welcome Amal to Los Angeles on November 2, joining more than 35 towns and cities from Boston to San Diego and 1,000+ artists and arts organizations.
FREE! OPEN FILMING OF BLUE13's SOLILOQUY AT A NOISE WITHIN
We welcome the community into our partnership with A Noise Within in Pasadena for a rare opportunity to watch our behind the scenes process! Watch the company create and film a new project, Soliloquy, on the A Noise Within Stage
Monday October 16th
2PM-5PM (Arrival 1-1:30PM)
at A Noise Within: 3352 E Foothill Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107
This is a FREE events, but donations are very welcome!
RSVP HERE
Important: Please turn off cell phones during the rehearsal so as to not disturb filming. For the same reason, late seatings will not be possible!
Bollywood Class & Open Rehearsal
Come to one… or come to both:
Bollywood Class taught by Achinta
Sunday Oct 15th | 1-2PM | Stomping Ground LA
SIGN UP HERE (pay what you may – suggested donation $25)
Open Rehearsal
Sunday Oct 15th | 2:30-6PM (shortly following the Bollywood class, for those staying!)
FREE!
SIGN UP HERE
A “behind the scenes” peek at the dancers preparing Achinta S. McDaniel’s newest works. The 30 minutes will be reserved for a Q&A session, to share thoughts and discuss.
AUDITIONS: DISNEY FESTIVAL OF HOLIDAYS
September 18, 1-4pm
Stomping Ground LA
5453 Alhambra Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90032
MORE INFO
Blue13 Dance Company seeks strong, versatile, and expressive dancers with incredible stage presence for Disney Festival of Holidays at California Adventure. Acting/public speaking experience a plus. Paid rehearsals and performances.
DANCE DTLA: Bollywood Night
August 18 @ 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM
The Music Center’s Jerry Moss Plaza
135 N Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012
FREE
MORE INFO
Join the thousands who love the chance to learn new dance styles and dance the night away under the stars! The Music Center’s Dance DTLA returns this summer for nine consecutive Friday nights of free in-person beginner dance lessons. Blue13 Artistic Director Achinta S. McDaniel will lead Bollywood night with easy-to-follow steps so guests can hit the dance floor to practice some new moves. No dance experience necessary!
PLAYDATE 2023: PERFORMANCE SHOWCASE (OPEN TO PUBLIC)
JUNE 23 @ 7:30 PM – 10:30 PM
Stomping Ground L.A. 5453 Alhambra Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90032
$10
MORE INFO
THE WALLIS PRESENTS: BLUE13
MAY 12 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
MAY 13 @ 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts – Bram Goldsmith Theater
9390 N Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
$29 – $79