What to do this weekend: Ukrainian Ballet’s ‘Giselle’

Three rows of three ballerinas dancing on stage.

and Los Angeles Times Staff

June 28, 2023 11 AM PT

I’ve officially made “Glamorous” my guilty pleasure binge. I’ve been following Miss Benny since her start on YouTube in the early 2010s and I’m elated to see her finally get her flowers as the lead in the popular Netflix series, opposite Kim Cattrall. Between her EP “Swelter” and “Glamorous,” she’s firing on all cylinders. But the journey wasn’t simple. Check out her recent essay in Time about her transition and journey to “Glamorous.” I’m Steven Vargas, your L.A. Goes Out host, and here are the top events for this coming weekend recommended by the crew (sign up here for the newsletter):

Weekly Countdown

A choreographer, ballerina and crew members rehearse on stage.

1. ‘Giselle’
The United Ukrainian Ballet is making its West Coast debut with Alexei Ratmansky’s interpretation of the classic romantic ballet “Giselle.” The performance at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa is presented in collaboration with actor Liev Schreiber and his nonprofit, BlueCheck Ukraine. Ticket sales will benefit the organization, which provides aid to those in Ukraine.

The company is composed of 60 professional dancers who fled their homes following the Russian invasion. However, Ratmansky says these performers are more than their circumstances.

“We don’t want the audience to feel sorry for the artists because of the war in their home country, or to lower the standards or expectations.” Ratmansky wrote in an email to The Times. “We hope for the opposite — for the audience to see and feel our strength, our honesty, our pride and determination, our artistic excellence, and our love for Ukraine and its culture.”

The United Ukrainian Ballet was created after Stanislav Olshanskyi and Alexis Tuttunique sought refuge in the Hague with the help of Dutch prima ballerina Igone de Jongh — with whom they were touring — and Matthijs Bongertman. They called on other dance professionals from Ukraine to join them. The company received shelter, care and housing from the Hague Conservatory.

“The tragedy brought them together, but they found strength to create something beautiful out of this pain,” Ratmansky added.

Ratmansky’s updated “Giselle” digs into the rich history of ballet. He investigated original sources, including 19th century scores with the ballet master’s remarks, Sergeyev’s notations preserved by the Harvard Theatre Collection, Henri Justamant’s notations from the 1860s and more.

In the end, historical notations could go only so far to bring “Giselle” to 2023. Ratmansky choreographed a section with new material, concluding the ballet with something surprising. Instead of the traditional plot ending with a pained hero, this version offers hope.

“This Giselle is a ‘historically informed’ production, but it is not a museum piece,” Ratmansky wrote. “We wanted to make it an exciting and moving experience for the audience.”

“Giselle” comes recommended by The Times’ Jessica Gelt. Performances are at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and at 1 p.m. Sunday. Remaining tickets range from $29 to $109 and can be found on Segerstrom’s website.

Stephanie J. Block and Sebastian Arcelus stand amid silhouettes of trees.

2. ‘Into the Woods’
Lear deBessonet’s Broadway revival of “Into the Woods” made its way to the Ahmanson Theatre in downtown L.A. this week. The musical, which was nominated for six Tony Awards this year, brings your favorite fairy tales to life by intertwining characters like Little Red Riding Hood with Cinderella into a mashup musical journey. The production features a star-studded cast that includes Montego Glover as the Witch, Stephanie J. Block as the Baker’s Wife and Sebastian Arcelus as the Baker. “Infused with emotional complexity, these bedtime stories for adults may cast doubt on happy endings, but they’ll nevertheless leave you dancing on a cloud,” Times theater critic Charles McNulty said of his recommendation. “Into the Woods” runs until July 30 and tickets range from $40 to $165. More information can be found on Center Theatre Group’s website.

A porcelain sculpture of a handful of fries spilling out of a box.

3. Clay Pop Los Angeles
Jeffrey Deitch has a massive show of clay at its Hollywood gallery space. “Clay Pop Los Angeles” is an exhibition showcasing a new generation of ceramic artists. Curated by Alia Dahl, the show includes work from more than 30 artists revitalizing the craft. Many pieces investigate gender, race, identity and social issues — sourcing everything from African American assemblage to Walt Disney. ‘Clay Pop Los Angeles’ brings ceramic work to life with exhibition design by Charlap Hyman and Herrero, the same designers as the 2021 New York “Clay Pop” exhibition. The show runs until Aug. 12. The free showing is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. More information can be found on Jeffrey Deitch’s website.

An oil painting of three feet sticking out of bed sheets.

4. ‘Christopher Hartmann: Nightswimming’
Blum & Poe in Mid-City presents Christopher Hartmann’s first solo exhibition with the gallery, “Nightswimming.” Hartmann’s hyper-realistic paintings portray intimate and detached moments from the bedroom. The series begins with ambiguous portraits of tousled sheets, signifying a disturbance, and starts to introduce bodies into the frame with a leg and foot. Hartmann’s paintings are dreamlike and mesmerizing. The exhibition opens Saturday alongside “Acaye Kerunen: A Ni Ee (I Am Here)” and “Matt Saunders: The Distances,” with an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Blum & Poe is free and open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. More information can be found on the gallery’s website.

Actress, choreographer and dancer Ariyan Johnson kicks up her feet and balances on one arm.

5. ‘Spiritual Cyphers: Hip Hop and the Church’
Dances With Films is underway and this upcoming screening is one you won’t want to miss. Dancer and choreographer Ariyan Johnson documents her conflicting faith and passion in “Spiritual Cyphers: Hip Hop and the Church.” Her documentary includes interviews with pastors, historians and female dancers about the role of hip-hop in the Black Christian church. Johnson makes correlations between the two worlds — connecting the emcee to the preacher and breakdancers to liturgical dance ministry — to highlight how they are not as different as they may seem. The documentary screens at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood and tickets are $22. More information on the documentary and the full film festival lineup can be found on Dances With Films’ website.

Bonus round: ‘Laugh Proud’

If you’re looking for a good laugh to close out Pride month, check out Quentin Lee’s LGBTQ+ comedy special “Laugh Proud.” The show is hosted by local trans activist Jazzmun Nichcala Crayton and features headliners Jason Stuart, Amanda Alvich, Christian Cintron, Brian Clark a.k.a. Brucey, Rowan Niles, Seven Graham, Juno Men and Asha Hall. The evening at the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Renberg Theatre in Hollywood will be filmed for a feature film. Tickets to the show at 8 p.m. Saturday are $20 and can be purchased on the event’s website.

Your L.A. weekend, all mapped out

For a more comprehensive roundup of exhibitions, concerts, screenings, festivals and other events, check out Matt Cooper’s Culture Guide. The mapped list is a go-to for those who make plans based on the commute, and it also can be filtered by event type and price.

On My Mind

A museum exhibit with sculptures, including one that looks like both a dove and a hand.

On Wednesday, I went to Lisson Gallery in Hollywood to see Pedro Reyes’ new exhibition. His work is heavily influenced by Mexican culture and history, pulling inspiration from sculpture styles like chacmool and authors that include Francisco Tario. The result is a gallery filled with stone sculptures and works on amate paper (a popular Mexican bark paper made by peeling, boiling then beating bark with a flat stone).

His work “Detente” especially stuck out to me. The marble sculpture resembles both a dove and a hand, symbolizing peace and solidarity. He attributed the work to Brazilian activist and theater practitioner Augusto Boal, who promoted “peace, not passivity” and penned “Theater of the Oppressed,” a social justice theater practice. Reyes’ work often addresses social and political issues. During my visit, he explained how he conducted workshops that brought a group of people together to rewrite the 2nd Amendment, identifying how people view the law and its potential future. Reyes’ exhibit is mesmerizing in its simplicity, but upon further investigation, it holds rich history in every detail. The free exhibition runs until Sept. 1 and the gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. More information on Reyes’ show can be found on the gallery’s website.

Seven paintings of pears hang on a white wall.

On Friday, I visited Michael Kohn Gallery in Hollywood to see “Martha Alf: Opposites and Contradictions.” The retrospective exhibition is the gallery’s inaugural show with the Estate of Martha Alf. The California native died in 2019, leaving behind a variety of still lifes and minimalist paintings. She is known for her series of “Cylinder Paintings” depicting rolls of toilet paper, which was featured in the Whitney Museum of American Art’s 1975 Biennial. The Kohn Gallery exhibition is sparse but provides a taste of the progression of Alf’s work. What especially stood out to me during my visit was the wall of pear paintings. The works were beautifully comical. The still lifes anthropomorphized the fruit, putting them in picture-perfect situations, like two pears watching the sunset. The free exhibition is open until Aug. 5 and the gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. More details can be found on the Kohn Gallery’s website.

On Saturday, I watched L.A. Dance Project’s Summer Dances program that showcased some of the company’s works in repertoire: “Everyone Keeps Me” by Pam Tanowitz, “5 Live Calibrations” by Madeline Hollander and “Quartet for Five” by Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber. Hollander’s ballet is made up of five movements inspired by physical techniques for calibration. Each movement began with an audible deceleration and proceeded into a game of sorts where dancers had to balance or orient themselves as the others gathered in a circle. The next section began with whoever “lost” the game, leading to a performance completely decided by chance. “5 Live Calibrations” is a quintessential lesson in dance.

Sometimes we forget that play is the core of dance. Choreographers don’t achieve their final result without experimenting and inviting dancers to explore. That’s exactly what happened that evening. The dancers began each section by playing a game, smiling and giggling as they tested their limits. Seeing the dancers break out of performance mode lighted up the room as the audience watched them focus on a single task.

Go out speed round

Go out before it closes: “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” is coming to a close at the Pacific Resident Theatre in Venice. The play follows a family of sisters, two of whom spent most of their life caring for their parents with dementia, and one who returns home after becoming a big movie star with a hotshot boyfriend. “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” won a Tony in 2013 for best play. The remaining shows are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday. Tickets range from $35 to $45 and can be purchased on PRT’s website.

Go out for free: In June 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade, the landmark decision that guaranteed a constitutional right to an abortion. In response, 17 filmmakers created 17 short films for an anthology titled “Give Me an A.” To commemorate the achievement, Beyond Fest and American Cinematheque are offering a free screening of the film and a Q&A with cast and crew members. Instead of purchasing a ticket, they encourage cash donations that will be given to Planned Parenthood. The screening is at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Aero Theatre in Santa Monica. It’s first come, first served, so be sure to plan ahead and RSVP on the American Cinematheque website.

Go out and learn/craft: If you’re struggling to find your next craft project, this craft-making festival is just the spot to get a taste of everything. Dear Handmade Life is having its Patchwork Show: Makers Market and Community Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday in El Segundo, and it’s filled with craft activities — from magnets to jewelry making. The event is free and more details can be found on the festival’s website.

Go out with the kids: The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach is celebrating its 25th anniversary with special exhibits, activities and programs perfect for the kids. The aquarium revitalized its Southern California Gallery highlighting local animals and marine life. There will also be daily scavenger hunts to find Sterling the octopus to help kids explore the aquarium. The new gallery opens Saturday and tickets range from $29.95 to $44.95. Details can be found on the aquarium’s website.

Two women walking in front of a movie theater marquee.

Go out on a date: World of Barbie in Santa Monica presents Sips After Sunset, the perfect date spot for those wishing to relive their childhood — albeit with a cocktail or two. This adults-only evening at the latest L.A. hot spot immerses you in Barbie‘s world with themed cocktails and a dance party. Don’t forget to dress in your best Barbie-inspired fit. Tickets to Sips After Sunset are $45 and the fun starts at 7:30 p.m. Thursday (with additional times on July 13 and July 27). More details can be found on Fever.

Go out all weekend: Stage Raw and Greenway Court Theatre present the Play L.A. Festival. The weekend-long event brings together a series of new plays and theater discussions in association with the Ammunition Theatre Company, Circle X Theatre Company, Playwrights Arena and the Road Theatre Company. The festival begins at 11 a.m. Friday with “Roost” by Zharia O’Neal and runs until Saturday evening at Greenway Court Theatre in Fairfax. Tickets are free and more information can be found on the theater’s website.

Swirling metal adornments on the rooftop of the Petersen Automotive Museum.

Go out all night: Have you ever wanted to party at one of L.A.‘s biggest museums? Now is your chance. Petersen Automotive Museum in Mid-Wilshire will have an electronic music concert on its roof hosted by Stranger Than this weekend. The lineup includes rising stars Adam Ten and Dead-Tones. The concert is from 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday and tickets are $71.50. More details can be found on Dice.

Go out and wander: The Autry Museum’s “Imagined Wests” exhibition just opened after being in development for seven years. The exhibition includes more than 250 objects from the Autry’s permanent collection, documenting the America West through pop culture, art and other media. Take some time this weekend to wander through the monumental exhibition in the Ted and Marian Craver Imagination Gallery. The museum, in Griffith Park, is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets to the Autry range from $8 to $16, and more information on “Imagined Wests” can be found on the museum’s website.

Go out and laugh: To celebrate the publication of “Boom Chicago Presents the 30 Most Important Years in Dutch History,” Book Soup presents an evening of storytelling and laughs hosted by comedian Ike Barinholtz with the help of Boom founders Andrew Moskos, Pep Rosenfeld and Saskia Maas. The event will include appearances by Boom alumni Suzi Barrett, Jill Benjamin, Liz Cackowski, Heather Anne Campbell, Colton Dunn, Josh Meyers and Nicole Parker. The presentation is at 8 p.m. Thursday at Gold-Diggers in Hollywood. Tickets are $38 and include a copy of “Boom Chicago.” More information can be found on Book Soup’s website.

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That’s all I’ve got for this week. Follow our feed of recommendations and itineraries on Instagram and Twitter, and if you have recs of your own, send them to [email protected].