Choreographer builds a new ‘Meta-4’ for dance
Revolutionary dance company returns to UCLA with award wining
work
By Barbara E. Hernandez
Daily Bruin Staff
Califoria has once again become a hotbed of modern dance, at
least in trailblazer-choreographer Bella Lewitzky’s eyes.
"New York is a wonderful place to visit, but I could never be
happy there," says California native Lewitzky. "It’s a whole
different state of being."
Born in the Mojave Desert, Lewitzky and the famous Lester Horton
formed one of the first dance institutions combining art and
theater in 1946.
Twenty years later, Lewitsky confused the dance world when she
insisted on moving back to California to establish the Lewitzky
Dance Company. She became the first non-New York CityÂbased
modern dance choreographer to receive three major grants. Her
critics quickly bit their tongues.
Today Lewitzky has established herself among the forefront of
dance companies. Through her electric choreography, Lewitzky
tackles anything from satire to social issues.
Discussing the recent Kobe earthquake and Los Angeles
faultlines, Lewitzky was asked about doing a piece on the
earthquake. She quickly laughs and just as quickly says no.
"Nature’s truths are difficult to match. Dance is an
extraordinary form of communication, but always an ephemeral art
form."
However, "Dance may be less joyful and more difficult, but it’s
always informative," she stresses.
UCLA gets the opportunity to see this powerful form of dance at
the Veterans Wadsworth Theater tonight. Lewitzky brings her
striking images and daring choreography in a program of various
works by Lewitzky herself and also by guest choreographers.
Her newest creation, included in a four-part performance, is
"Meta4," sponsored by a "Meet the Composer" grant, which features
the music of Robert Xavier Rodriguez, a professor of music at the
University of Texas at Dallas, and veteran of numerous
composer-in-residence appointments.
For "Meta4," a commissioned collaboration by the American Art
Alliance, Lewitzky chose Rodriguez’s music out of hundreds of
hopefuls.
"His piece caught my attention," Lewitzky says. "That would be
the only way I could describe it."
After completing the score, Lewitzky began to choreograph to the
music, interpreting what she heard as well as various ideas.
"It’s very satisfying to communicate through this art form. I’m
always amazed by what it has to offer."
Included in the premiere of "Meet the Composer" is Lewitzky’s
lavish spoof on classical ballet, "Pas de Bach," which Lewitzky
points out, does not satirize the revered Bach. Instead, she’s
taking shots at the very rigid dance form that originated in that
period.
"It’s poking fun at what ballet does a great deal of," she
says.
"Inscape," one of Lewitzky’s societal commentaries, will also be
presented after a few years absence.
"It’s an older piece," she says of the graphic social
satire."Rudi Gernreich (a world famous designer renowned for his
avant-garde clothing in the late ’60s) designed the wardrobe and I
did the movement," she says. "One of the costumes was a duotard,
where two dancers fit into one leotard," she explains. "He gave us
a lot of problems to solve."
Also being shown will be her protegée and guest
choreographer, UC Riverside dance professor Susan Rose’s
"Displacements" Â a disturbing piece of satire.
Lewitzky can’t give her guest choreographer enough praise.
"There’s so much going on stage that you have to see it three times
to see it all," she says. "There’s one dancer, then two, then
three, then four … it’s also a difficult score to listen to," she
says of the unsettling music.
But the nature of each piece is meant to invoke a response in
the audience. The company makes a statement through their
dancing.
With every performance, the company lives up to the reputation
Lewitzky molded years ago. It offers a revolutionary look at dance
in a climate where the the arts suffer from a depressed
economy.
"Arts are considered a fringe in this country," she says. A
company takes a great deal of money to start, and with money not
very present to the arts it makes newcomers a little hungry and
frustrated, she says.
To a young dancer she says, "Persist, endure, commit. Recognize
how much you put into it you will get back and it’s worth it.
Mainly, survive."
DANCE: Lewitzky Dance Company’s California premiere of "Meet the
Composer." Running at the Wadsworth Theater tonight at 8.
Center-stage lecture by company managing director Ruth Eliel at 7
p.m. TIX: $25, $22 and $9 (for students with valid I.D.). For more
info call (310) 825-2101.