TOP ROW (l to r)

Angel City Jazz Festival
Among the artists is trumpeter-composer  Wadada Leo Smith, a Guggenheim Fellow and CalArts faculty member who was featured on the cover of both the January 2010 issue of Jazziz and the February2010 issue of The Wire. More information at http://fordtheatres.org/en/events/details/id/113


Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet
The Los Angeles-based company has been shaped by Artistic Director Jose Vences, a native of Morelos, Mexico and former member of the world famous Ballet Folkloricio de Mexico. At the same time he founded Grandeza in 2003, he established the Conservatory of Mexican Folk Arts offering classes in dance, music and theater. More information at http://fordtheatres.org/en/events/details/id/101


Method, part of Fracture
Method, known for going to the outer limits of physical control, is the brainchild of Bradley Michaud, a 2001 graduate of UCLA who studied with William Forsythe among others. As a member of Stephanie Gilliland’s L.A.-based company, Tongue, he won a 2004 Lester Horton award for Outstanding Performance. More information at http://fordtheatres.org/en/events/details/id/109.


AlohaFest! Rhythm of the Islands
One of the guest artists on this Hawaiian evening, Maui native Willie Kahaiali'I, aka. Willie K., has been entertaining audiences since age 10. The master guitarist has played with and/or opened for such musical giants as B.B. King, Willie Nelson, Prince, Jackson Browne, George Benson and Jimmy Buffett. More information at http://fordtheatres.org/en/events/details/id/114. Contemporary Dance

MIDDLE

Kollaboration Acoustic 4
Kollaboration is a movement founded in 2000 by Paul “PK” Kim. The organization’s talent shows, which take place across the nation, bring the talents of Asian-Americans into the mainstream. More infromation at http://fordtheatres.org/en/events/details/id/100.

BOTTOM ROW (l to r)

DreamDance Contemporary Arts
The company is guided by Ting Ting Chang whose creative journey has taken her through Africa, Asia, North America and Europe. Her work Falling Petals was chosen from among 145 competitors as the winner of the tenth Annual Dance Under the Stars Choreography Festival at the McCallum Theatre in 2007. More information at http://fordtheatres.org/en/events/details/id/104.


Maria Bermudez “Sonidos Gitanos” Flamenco Dance Company with the Chicana Gypsy Project
Born in Los Angeles, Maria Bermudez has, for the past 17 years, lived in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, called “The City of Flamenco.” She is married a member of her company, Pele de los Reyes, a Gypsy from one of the oldest flamenco families in Jerez. More information at http://fordtheatres.org/en/events/details/id/81.


Viver Brasil
Co-founders of the dance company Linda Yudin and Luis Badaró have forged close relationships with a network of artists whose roots extend deep into the Afro-Brazilian culture of Bahia, Brazil, including dance pioneer Rosangela Silvestre and Dona Cici, a sacred daughter of revered deities of the Candomblé tradition. More information at http://fordtheatres.org/en/events/details/id/86.

Culture Shock Los Angeles Dance Troupe
This diverse collective of dancers came together in 1993 to share their ideas and passion for urban dance. Hoping to dispel negative stereotypes commonly associated with the Hip Hop genre, they want to cultivate self-worth, dignity and respect for all people through the power of music and dance. More information at http://fordtheatres.org/en/events/details/id/96.