I was introduced to the American Contemporary Ballet (ACB) with their rendition of The Nutcracker. I was impressed by so much more than their incredibly talented dancers (trust me, they are amazing): ACB differentiated themselves with their unique use of LA high rises, full incorporation of live music, and clever misdirection in their opening to delight and surprise audiences. But it was the immersion into their world that enraptured me, as snow fell from the ceiling, dolls came to life, and food and drink enticed the senses. This continued with Halloween’s Burlesque and Inferno, where red lights, heavy fog, and incredible dancers took to the stage to recreate one of my favorite epic poems—and director Lincoln Jones pushed a brave and dark third act that kept me on the edge of my seat. Now, Astaire Dances has done the impossible: topped their prior entries to become my favorite ACB performance to date!

So, what makes Astaire Dances my favorite of the ACB performances, especially when their prior work has been exceptional? Well, this feels like a culmination of so many elements that were incorporated into prior shows, now perfected, and summed together to create a near perfect experience. This hour-and-a-half experience combines incredible dancing, cocktails and wine, a full jazz band complete with cello, saxophone, and trumpet, as well as a radio show that infuses comedy into the entire experience. This is not a traditional ballet—it’s so much more. Let’s dive into it.

The Pre-Show of Astaire Dances

Rise to the 28^th floor of an LA high-rise and step into the neon-lit underbelly of a jazz club overlooking the skyline. Boozy notes of jazz waft through the air, enticing you to partake in complimentary wine with a pairing of gossip. Upon every seat is a newspaper, boldly proclaiming Astaire Dances! as its headline. Every page is written as a tabloid, telling the drama behind the curtain at America’s hottest ballet company. It’s as humorous as it is spicy, and it’s the most entertaining program I’ve ever come across. I read every ad (yes, they are real), I read the Letters to the Editor, and I even read the “Ask Elise” section readers ask ACB’s Elise Kruger questions on dilemmas, disputes, and everyday drama.

Act 1

When the Astaire Dances ballet begins, it’s not a ballerina that takes the stage. Rather, a comedian in a full tuxedo, Brian Kiley, known for his 16 years as a writer on Conan O’Brien. Kiley warms the audiences perfectly in his fifteen minutes, tackling topics such as his wife, the TSA, and of course, his bald head. My favorite joke is his “I can’t believe it’s not butter” joke, which I won’t spoil for you. You just have to hear it. He’s an unexpected, but fully welcomed, addition to the ballet.

As Kiley exits the stage, The Charlestons take to the stage: five dancers, each given a single song to showcase their own variation of the Charleston combined with ballet, all set to jazz classics. Elise Kruger begins, floating across the stage in grace that flows like water to Johnny Dodds’ “Bull Fiddle Blues.” Paige Wilkey always impresses, dancing to Jelly Roll Morton’s “New Orleans Bump.” Brittany Yevoli follows with dark sultry movements caught in the notes of Ellington’s “East St. Louis Toodle-loo”. Armstrong’s “West End Blues” brings Hannah Barr to the stage, showcasing her sustained holds and absolute control over her moves. Finally, Madeline Houk proves that gravity doesn’t exist on the 28^th floor, as she bounces effortlessly across the stage to Morton’s “Gamblin’ Jack.” It’s a fun and playful ending for The Charlestons.

This is where American Contemporary Ballet and director Lincoln Jones shines. Their ballet is never traditional in style, but rather a modern, remixed style, ready to impress and delight audiences, while redefining what ballet can be. The modern styling of Astaire Dances offers the ballerinas an opportunity to let their own style influence the dance, and the pure joy and artistic prowess can easily be seen on their face.

Finally, while all of The Charlestons dance separately in Astaire Dances, their costumes tie them together in unison. Ruoxuan Li and Yasamin Sarabipour are as exceptional as usual with their choices, creating a simple, yet elegant black outfit that compliments each of the dancers and showcases the fluidity of their movements.

Intermission

In an ACB first (that I’ve seen), the dancers exit and the band is given full focus. Beginning with “Dancing Cheek to Cheek” (from Astaire’s 1935 hit Top Hat), band leader Morgan Jones and his ACB Radio players showcase their variety and strength. This is the largest band I’ve seen at an ACB experience, and I would come just to listen to them. It’s the best of the best in terms of jazz instruments: Bryan Lipps on trumpet, Morgan Jones on sax, Bryan Pezzone on piano, Scott Worthington on bass, Ana Barreiro on drums, Xenia Deviatkina-Loh and Aya Kiyonaga on violin, Yu-Ting Hsu on viola, and Daniel Lim on cello.

While the band continues to play during the Astaire Dances intermission, hand-crafted cocktails are brought out and delivered to the audience members that have pre-paid for a drink. While different nights offer different offerings, our night yielded a whiskey sour with three cherries. This was one of the best whiskey sours I’ve had, hitting more on the sweet and sour side compared to the booze-forward drink. The drinks range from $15-$20 depending on the cocktail, rivaling that of a fancy bar—but pairing it with the second act jazz, show, and ballet, I’d say it’s a pleasant addition to the evening.

Act 2

Like Act 1, the second act 2 does not begin with ballet either. Instead, it starts with a radio show. Emcee Adam Chisnall explains to the live audience (us) that when the On Air light turns on, we are on air. Angelina Brower and Jesse LeNoir join Chisnall on two adjacent microphones—and Anastasia Malliaras offers her vocal talents to the Morgan Jones band. I told you; this is so much more than a ballet.

The remainder of the show follows different short stories introduced by Chisnall, then acted out Brower and LeNoir, and punctuated with a dance perfectly recreated from an Astaire classic. Malliaras serenades each dance with her exceptional vocals, adding another layer to an already incredible jazz ensemble. Further, Malliaras introduces a few ads (all real but recreated in a 1930’s styling) for the generous patrons of ACB.

Brower and LeNoir are a blast; transitioning from two actors who barely tolerate each other off-air to various almost-lovers across the five scenarios on-air. Each one plays out very much akin to an Astaire movie, down to the perfect recreation of their transatlantic accents. Each vignette is funny, playful, and full of romantic tension perfect for a Valentine’s Day experience.

Yet, for those ready to see the ballet (and Astaire), Mate Szentes is remarkable. Fred Astaire has a persona difficult to emulate, but Szentes fills his shoes exceptionally well, mimicking his movements, his mannerisms, and his charm. It’s a pleasure seeing him on stage.

In each dance, Szentes is joined by one of the girls, recreating a scene from a famous Astaire film—such as You Were Never Lovelier, Silk Stockings, The Belle of New York, and The Bandwagon. Barr returns as Cyd Charisse’s character from The Bandwagon for “Dancing in the Dark.” In a long white skirt, this dance was meant for Barr, showcasing her elegance and fluidity. A chaise lounge is brought out to compliment Yevoli as she also plays Charisse in Silk Stocking’s “All of You.” In a taupe turtleneck, Yevoli resists Szentes’ advances with a cold demeanor, until he is able break through her shell and prove dancing is not a waste of time.  Madeline Houk takes on the role of Judy Garland for Easter Parade’s “It’s Only Happens When I Dance With You,” creating a dance that feels wonderfully unique to Houk’s energy and the tension between her and Szentes. Finally, Elise Kruger is Rita Haywworth in “I’m Old Fashioned,” giving Szentes a dance to showcase his ballroom training, as the two twirl across the stage in harmony, dancing cheek to cheek.

My favorite is Sarah Bukowski reprising the famous Vera-Ellen role from The Belle of New York in the song “Oops.” It’s hilarious as this musical is brought to life in an almost identical recreation of the famous dance—Bukowski steps on Szentes foot, and the two dance with such blissful glee. And of course, Li and Sarabipour recreated the periwinkle blue costumes from this number. It’s the cherry (or three) on top.

Conclusions

Astaire Dances is the perfect Valentine’s Day date. It is the cumulation of the exceptional work American Contemporary Ballet has been producing for years, making the experiences more themed, infusing humor, drinks, music, and dance all together in an evening that will impress people on multiple levels. The band is incredible, the drinks are tasty, the views impressive, the attention to detail is second to none, the comedy is hilarious, and of course, the dancing is on point.  Seriously, everything works and it sums to create something even more special than the individual parts.

I really hope ACB continues down this trend. I always say, I wouldn’t mind more audience engagement (especially with the trend of their openings), and I see the themes of ACB only becoming stronger and more confident with each season. This April, ACB is back with Homecoming—and with a tagline of “You won’t stay in the bleachers for this one,” I am truly excited. An All-American, high school experience with a marching band—count me in. I am a fan of ACB for life.

For more information on American Contemporary Ballet or Astaire Dances, check out their Facebook, Instagram and webpage. For information about similar events, check out our Event Calendar.

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