I’ve been in my acting bag lately, so this might feel a bit slim, but don’t worry. When it comes to performance, I’m a yapper. Let’s get into it. 

Reflecting: Theatricality

FKA twigs swings her foot behind the other and stomps it down at an angle. As she lands, her hip is imbalanced, with a hand resting on the higher side. She moves her hips to a rhythm of her own making and flings her arm with passion (and a hint of desperation). In the “Childlike Things” music video, this is her moment to let her record label know her new project is worth investing in, and she does so with some theatricality. 

I love it when a musical artist pushes the envelope of their music video by including an unexpected narrative. FKA twigs’ “Childlike Things” featuring North West taps in writer Jeremy O. Harris and choreographer Robbie Blue to bring this theatrical vision to life. For this newsletter, we’ll dissect the choreography’s theatricality and inspiration to uncover how dance operates as a tool for storytelling.

It all begins with Bob Fosse. His influence immediately comes through when Twigs brings her fists up to her face and pivots them at the wrist, shifting them left to right. It’s a move best seen in “Sweet Charity.” Fosse’s choreography can best be described as quirky, yet fitting. His movements and transitions are incredibly structured and at times isolated. For example, the shoulders may be kept still while the arms move to and fro in a sultry fashion. There’s some air in it, meaning Fosse values negative space. His choreography includes rounded arms, arched backs and strong, angular legs to create moving sculptures. He treats the body like a wooden mannequin model, creating precise bends and lines. 

If Fosse's choreography is akin to a wooden model, Blue’s choreography turns it into a push puppet. The structure is there, but there's something a bit more pedestrian. The hip may droop, and the angles may be a bit more dramatic. It’s a theatrical treat. When I interviewed Blue about his choreography for Doechii’s Grammy performance (story on the way), he talked about how he begins with Fosse when choreographing a new work. He takes the storytelling theatricality of Fosse’s movement vocabulary and pushes it to the edge with contemporary dance. He adds to Fosse’s vocabulary with his own arsenal of gestures. 

Twigs bobs her head forward — a Fosse staple — and pushes her back to the wall to dust her hands off with fingers stiff and splayed out. Behind her, two dancers do the same. This is Blue’s addition. The movements harness the same energy and tone, but Blue modernizes it with some grunge. He isn’t afraid of making the body do uncomfortable things like flinging arms and releasing the neck to an erratic swing. 

His playful nature makes him the perfect choice for a song like “Childlike Things.” He doesn’t take it too seriously. It’s about being quirky and unapologetically exuberant. Even when the circus facade fades away and the dancers are in nude tights, the energy is in their fingertips. The jazz hands shimmer. 

The wild and seemingly limitless approach to movement perfectly sets up Twigs’ monologue to Kevin Smith, where she pleads with her hands up, “Watch me discover it.” 

And discover it she shall. 

This Week’s Top Spots

Andy Akiho Trio @ The Nimoy

Andy Akiho is a Grammy-nominated and Pulitzer Prize finalist composer known for his innovative approach to classical music. His work is filled with theatricality and complex rhythms across instruments. For his presentation at The Nimoy, Akiho will be joined by artists with just as much spirit and stylistic passion to bring his energetic music to the stage. 

LOCATION: 1262 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90024
DATE: April 3
TIME: 8 pm 
PRICE: $38.08
LINK: https://cap.ucla.edu/event/andy-akiho-trio 

‘Rachel Jones: Dark-Pivot’ @ Regen Projects

Rachel Jones’s first solo exhibition in Los Angeles, “Dark-Pivot,” explores our comprehension of the body through abstraction. In her paintings, Jones continues her mouth motif and its ability to communicate the physical and the psyche. Although the mouth imagery continues, the exhibition at Regen Projects introduces imagery of brick walls, a new color palette of oranges and blues, and a strong metaphor for solidarity. 

LOCATION: 6750 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90038
DATES: April 5 - May 10
TIME: On view 10 am - 6 pm Tues. thru Sat.
PRICE: Free 
LINK: https://www.regenprojects.com/exhibitions/rachel-jones 

‘Memory Lane is a Desert Road’ @ Zephyr Theatre

Eight Ball Theatre returns with a new play by Nabra Nelson and Michael B. Nelson. This memory play follows Fatima as she uncovers stories of her father’s career in photojournalism by digging through boxes of his old photos. She knows very little about her father because he spent years away from home covering wars, famines and global politics as she grew up. With each box, she uncovers something new about her upbringing and the cyclical nature of history. 

LOCATION: 7456 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90046
DATES: April 4 - 13
TIME: 8 pm Fri. & Sat., 2 pm Sun.
PRICE: $21.50 
LINK: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/eightballtheatre1/1614856 

Los Angeles Festival of Movies @ Various Locations

MUBI and Mezzanine present the Los Angeles Festival of Movies, an annual curated film festival of new independent and restoration premieres. In addition to film screenings, there will be talks with local artists and luminaries, and parties each night. Some movies on my watchlist include “Room Temperature,” “Friendship” (led by Tim Robinson of “I Think You Should Leave”) and “Will” (the first independent feature by a Black woman).

LOCATION: Vidiots, 2220 Arts + Archives, Now Instant Image Hall, Philosophical Research Society
DATES: April 3 - 6
PRICE: $20 - $30
LINK: https://lafestivalofmovies.org/ 

‘Robert Colescott: The Anansean World of Robert Colescott’ @ BLUM

BLUM’s upcoming exhibition centers on the paintings and drawings of the late artist Robert Colescott. Curated by LA-based artist Umar Rashid, “The Anansean World of Robert Colescott” creates a parallel universe that challenges social order by channeling the role of the trickster and highlighting the postindustrial world. 

LOCATION: 2727 S La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90034
DATES: April 5 - May 17
TIME: On view 10 am - 6 pm Tues. thru Sat.
PRICE: Free
LINK: https://blum-gallery.com/exhibition?lang=eng&filename=1739549636577x343945686056960000 

Things: Rinse and Repeat

This weekend has some repeat offerings of plays and films you may have missed in the past year. Here’s your second chance! 

• ‘High Art’ Q&A with Lisa Cholodenko @ The Egyptian: I spoke to Lisa Cholodenko for a previous newsletter about her groundbreaking independent film that has solidified its place in the Lesbian movie archive. After screening with the UCLA Film & Television Archive, “High Art” heads to the Egyptian Theatre. DATE: April 9 @ 7:30 pm/ PRICE: $12 - $15 / LINK: https://www.egyptiantheatre.com/event/romance-high-art 

• ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ @ McCadden Theater: After a successful run at the Elysian, this trans-led production of “A Streetcar Named Desire” featuring Jamie Clayton, Brian Michael Smith, Rain Valdez, Theo Tiedemann, and Chaz Bono heads to McCadden Theater.  DATE: April 4 @ 8:30 pm / PRICE: $28.52 / LINK: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-streetcar-named-desire-a-trans-table-read-tickets-1278976786999?aff=oddtdtcreator 

• ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ @ The Wallis: Speaking of Tennessee Williams, the Wallis will screen the National Theatre’s production of “A Streetcar Named Desire.” DATE: April 6 @ 4 pm / PRICE: $27.50 - $38.50 / LINK: https://thewallis.org/show-details/nt-live-a-streetcar-named-desire 

• American Ballet Theatre’s ‘A Winter’s Tale’ @ Segerstrom Hall: This one isn’t much of a repeat production, but “A Winter’s Tale” has often traveled through SoCal in the past year. This time, head down to Costa Mesa to see ABT’s performance of Christopher Wheeldon’s ballet adaptation. DATE: April 3 - 6 / PRICE: Starting at $44.07 / LINK: https://www.scfta.org/events/2025/the-winter-s-tale 

Keep Reading

If you haven’t already, check out my latest stories here: 

• Rebuilding a home with Acts of Matter (LA Dance Chronicle)

Meme of the Week