Diavolo is comprised of dancers, gymnasts and actors that move on large-scale objects.
Modern dance company Diavolo will kick off the Newman Center Presentsseries Sept. 28 with “Foreign Bodies,” a performance commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and the Newman Center.
“Foreign Bodies” made its world premiere at the Hollywood Bowl Sept. 4.
Artistic Director Jacques Heim, who founded the Diavolo Dance Theater in 1992, will speak about the performance at a “Behind the Curtain” lecture at 6:30 p.m. Heim also choreographed Cirque du Soleil’s newest show, “Ka.”
Diavolo’s 10-member company of dancers, gymnasts and actors fly, leap and twirl with aid from a large-scale set.
“It’s a little bit of everyday movement, gymnastic, acrobatic movement, ballet, modern and martial arts,” Heim explains.
Diavolo attempts to capture human behavior through showcasing elements of danger and survival. Heim says it’s those elements in which humans can really connect. Themes revolve around faith, survival, trust and teamwork.
Besides being “very fun and visually arresting,” Newman Center’s Executive Director Stephen Seifert says perhaps the performance’s best aspect may be that it’s about something important.
“We create machines and buildings and structures in our world, and they then change how we interact with the world and how we interact with each other,” he says. “We have to work with each other, sometimes we work against each other, often we have to trust each other. Diavolo’s artistic work is a metaphor for those things.”
Tickets can be purchased through Newman Center, Ritchie Center and Ticketmaster box offices. For more information, call the Newman Center at 303-871-7720.