Jessica Koslow

When Tiffany “Jimini” Bong, founding executive director and artistic director of UniverSOUL Hip Hop Dance Company, was developing WonderLAnd! with her company, they asked themselves, “What does the community and city of L.A. need right now?” The answer was wonder, and it wiggled its way throughout the immersive cultural celebration at The Ford Amphitheatre on August 17, 2025 as part of its LA Soundscapes Family Concerts series.

“We are intentionally creating a sensory-friendly space for all people to experience wonder again,” Bong stated on Instagram, “to reconnect with their joy with themselves and with each other.”

The concert was billed as best for ages 3-11; however, the skill level and artistry of the dancers were ready-made for all ages. The cast consisted of: Bong as the sparrow, Rebekah “Beks” Denegal as the Leader, Darrel “Friidom” Dunn as the artist and father, Jaylin Sanders as the prodigal son, Mariah Stevens as the spirit, Kirk “Patches” Viloria in the role of the friend and Tai Ryan White as the warrior. Each dancer, and most double as teaching artists with UniverSOUL, brought their own unique movement talents to the production—all hip-hop and most rooted in L.A. culture. On brilliant display were Campbellocking, waving and animation. . . .

Read the entire article at LA Dance Chronicle.

L.A.-based hip-hop and theatre artist Tsiambwom “T” Akuchu is a master of his own movements and, as “Market Demographics,” his show at Highways Performance Space and Gallery in Santa Monica on June 13 and 14, proved, of choreographic direction for others as well. The almost two-hour performance, including a short intermission and pause, was divided into three acts and nine sections, ranging from solo to duet to group pieces.

Akuchu, who is on the faculty at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) teaching street dance, enlisted fellow faculty and other CSULB-affiliated students to form his six-man ensemble: Cristian Barreto, Sammy Macias, Ricky Medina, Danzel Thompson-Stout, and Fabian Zuniga. Each brought his own unique A-game to the stage, which shined within the group and in solo situations when they were given the spotlight. . . .

Read the entire article at LA Dance Chronicle.

It’s not often a dance fan can view a live krump session. Some happen after hours. Others pop off in parking lots or parks and are frequented only by those in the know. On Thursday, June 5, 2025, attendees of the Second Annual Hip-Hop Block Party at the Grammy Museum in DTLA had the pleasure of viewing two live sessions, one on the Ray Charles Terrace and the other in the Clive Davis Theater.

Throughout the night, the top four floors of the museum were buzzing with what Schyler O’Neal, Manager of Education & Community Engagement, called activations. There was a schedule posted in the entry and handed out to folks listing each activation and when and where it would happen. Poetry open mics, fashion shows, podcasts, a jam session, DJ sets, and trivia game sessions were all on the program. . . .

Read the entire article at LA Dance Chronicle.

“West Coast Funk & Soul Theatre Show,” created by Zulu Gremlin, was more of a stroll down funk and soul lane than a theatrical production. Gremlin, acting as narrator, announced it at the start: He was presenting a choreographic timeline of West Coast funk and soul. It was one hour of edutainment on the patio outside the front entrances of the Brand Library & Art Center in Glendale. On the last day of May, as the sun was still beating down at 5:00 p.m., the cast of No Easy Props turned the small makeshift stage into a Soul Train set, a b-boy cypher, and a freestyle session in which the star was a young b-girl spinning around on her head.

Gremlin is an active 55-year-old b-boy who truly loves hip-hop. He is an arts educator for No Easy Props, a cultural arts organization consisting of 20 street dancers, graffiti artists, deejays, beat makers, and rappers who are performance artists and educators. It hosts Saturday Break Sessions from 1:00-4:00 p.m. at its NEP Pop-Up Shop & Studio at 117 N. Artsakh in Glendale and Summer Hip Hop Camp for youth ages 13-18. . . .

Read the entire article at LA Dance Chronicle.

On May 18 at Crenshaw Yoga and Dance, everybody in the large studio, which was now also filled with chairs and bleachers, showed up to celebrate Black and LatinX choreographers from the Leimert Park dance community and beyond. They were in their seats to see BlakTinx LA Dance Festival’s “Unity Through Movement,” showcasing works exploring identity, resilience, and expression.

It was an inspiring night of dance, culture, and community, where the energy bouncing around in the crowd and zigzagging from performer to audience was electrifying. The one-hour performance of pieces by seven choreographers was fun, fiery, and fierce. It was a prime example of the talent, vibrancy, and buoyancy of the L.A. dance community. . . .

Read the entire article at LA Dance Chronicle.

Most every single thing about Thursday night’s performance of N. Ormes by Agathe Bisserier and Adrien Malette-Chénier at Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz was magical. From the concession stand items being baguette sandwiches (brie & apple or ham & cheese) and glasses of champagne to the French accents of every person affiliated with the theater, the entire night was stamped with an exhilarating je ne sais quoi.

Patrons were immersed in Frenchness; according to it site, Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz “is the only year-round theater in L.A. devoted almost exclusively to French language cultures.” This particular show was supported by The Quebec Government Office in L.A., which is fantastic, because N. Ormes deserves to be seen worldwide and, judging by a Google search, it has toured extensively throughout the U.S. thanks to government funding. Next stops are the San Francisco International Arts Festival on May 8, Danville, Kentucky, on May 12, and FringeArts in Philadelphia on May 23 & 24.

The show opens with Agathe and Adrien standing and swaying center stage, lit by a spotlight. The show also ends with the two figures in the same formation. It is the hour in between that leaves viewers completely flabbergasted as to what the human body is capable of. For 60 minutes, the duo showcases their tremendous strength, jaw-dropping agility, and emotional depth as they explore gender norms. Not only are Agathe and Adrien both incredible acrobats, but their emotive facial expressions and tender movements make this a theatrical joy to boot. . . .

Read the entire article at LA Dance Chronicle.

The first time I saw Outrage dance, my heart stopped—in a good way. The way he demonstrated total control of his body and expressed his emotions through movement was beautiful. His chest popped, legs stomped, and arms flung out wide with precision and grace. His light hops made him appear weightless. I was already a super fan of krump, and Outrage was phenomenal. It is not surprising that Daddy Yankee, Usher, and Mary J. Blige have since tapped him to join them on stage.

On May 25, 2025 Versa-Style will be presenting its Street Dance Theater Showcase at Mihran K. Studios Burbank as part of its four-day 20^th Anniversary Hip-Hop Dance Festival. One of Versa-Style’s co-artistic directors, Jackie Lopez aka Miss Funk, asked Outrage to perform alongside a lineup of high-profile choreographers.

“I have known them for a long time,” said Outrage, whose name is often shortened to Rage. “I have either battled cats, or we have worked together. It is a community thing.” . . .

Read the entire article at LA Dance Chronicle.

Multi-hyphenate entertainer Debbie Allen is very familiar with the healing power of the arts. Dance has been the salve that has helped catapult her to her highest peaks and push her through her lowest days.

“I grew up in Houston, Texas, in the ’50s and late ’60s when segregation was a way of life,” Allen said recently via phone, taking a break from prepping the finale of the medical drama TV series “Grey’s Anatomy,” in which she acts, directs and is an executive producer.

“We weren’t allowed to go to movie theaters or restaurants Downtown, and we could go to the amusement park one day a year on Juneteenth. Dance was what I wanted more than anything in my whole life.” . . .

Read the full article at Pasadena Weekly.

A great deal had to occur for Victor Quijada to choreograph “Second Chances,” which will premiere this weekend, from March 8 to March 9, on BroadStage’s Main Stage in Santa Monica.

As the brother of two older sisters, the first-generation Mexican American remembered entering the B-boy cipher on the linoleum floor at a laundromat as a baby breaker at the age of 7. From the age of 10 he followed his sisters to backyard parties and barbecues, where he was hooked on the feeling of receiving attention from the older kids by performing party dances like the Robocop and Kid ‘n Play.

In his first two years at Baldwin Park High School, he took a drama class with Mark Israel, a Hollywood writer, director, and producer who was so fascinated with Quijada’s breaker persona that he wrote a screenplay called “Battle Dancing.” It made an impression on Israel that a dance battle between best friends could end a real fight over street credibility and dance identity. Israel also scored Quijada an agent. . . .

Read the full article at LA Downtown News.

“You guys are the cutest things on planet Earth,” gushed “So You Think You Can Dance” judge Vanessa Hudgens. “My heart is melting for you guys.”

“You guys are adorable,” added judge Mary Murphy. “I wish I could be your sister.”

For 25-year-old twins Gratsiela (Gracie) and Desislava (Desi) Sandeva of Dobrich, Bulgaria, being on “So You Think You Can Dance” Season 15 was a dream come true — from the day they applied for the hit show online to the moment they stepped on the stage to audition in front of a live audience and TV cameras in New York City.

“Our life has changed for sure — for good, of course,” says Gracie. “I think we are the same Desi and Gracie from before, we are just more confident in ourselves. There was also a few times that little kids on the streets recognized us from the show.”

Although they didn’t make the cut, Gracie and Desi are not giving up their dreams just yet. …

Read the full article at Playa Vista Direct.