MIXED ‘NUT’
By Carl Kozlowski

Pasadena Weekly
ail/mixed_nut/8201/
Dec 24 2009

International dancers at the Alex Theatre prove there’s more than
one way to present ‘The Nutcracker

THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF DANCE TRADITIONS AROUND THE PLANET, BUT AMID the
christmas holiday season each year, it often seems like the only one
in existence is ballet and its use in performances of "The Nutcracker."

This year, local fans of the terpsichorean arts can rejoice in knowing
there’s actually a show that, while presenting some highlights from
Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet, also offers a stunning array of dance
styles.

"A World of Holiday Dance," Tuesday night at the Alex Theatre in
Glendale, offers performances by five diverse Los Angeles-area dance
companies, ranging in style from break dancing to Indian Bollywood
musical numbers to Irish, Armenian and Mexican troupes in the first
half of the evening. Then, in the second act, Media City Ballet
presents excerpts from the Tchaikovsky classic.

The night kicks off with the blue13 dance company of Venice, which
has brought experimental and nontraditional contemporary Indian dance
styles to audiences around the globe, using its own signature styles
known as Bollywood-Tech and Neo-Kathak.

They’re followed by the Cleary Irish Dance troupe, performing since
1988 under the direction of Margaret Cleary and capturing five
Irish national titles for Ceili dancing. Performing reels, jigs and
hornpipes in traditional Irish style in both hard and soft shoes,
they have appeared all across the US and on Irish television.

The Burbank-based Ballet Folklorico Mexico Azteca takes the stage next,
building on their 22-year tradition of performing Folklorico dances
under director Amy Navarrete, who has seen the group grow from six to
53 members during her tenure. The Nairi Dance Studio has preserved the
Armenian culture through dance numbers since 1997 under choreographer
Luiza Khachatryan, and precedes the first act’s closing performance
by break-dance artist Lamonte "Tailz" Goode. Tailz is best-known for
doing a dramatic head-slide move in the hit dance film "You Got Served"
and has shown his skills everywhere from MTV and BET to stages around
the world.

Finally, the Media City troupe performs the most memorable routines
from "The Nutcracker," with artistic director Natasha Middleton
guiding her dancers through the classic styles of the famed Ballet
Russe de Serge Diaghilev.

Add it all up and you’ve got a toe-tapping world tour sure to fill
you with the Holiday spirit.

"A World of Holiday Dance" is performed at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the
Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale. Tickets are $20 to $45.

Call (818) 243-ALEX or visit alextheatre.org.