Louise Reichlin & Dancers/ Los Angeles Choreographers & Dancers (Los Angeles, CA)
www.LAChoreographersAndDancers.org

Louise Reichlin & Dancers / Los Angeles Choreographers & Dancers, has created works reviewed as "wildly theatrical & fun" and "wonderfully spirited with a zest for life". Acclaimed for both family and pure dance/theatre programming, featured for touring currently are narrated dance multimedia works "The Patchwork Girl of Oz", "The Better To Bite You With", and from the fall of 2012 "Tap Dance Widows Club" from the Baggage Project series. Since 1979 this acclaimed artist has mastered the storytelling concepts of movement like no other. A true gem.

Louise Reichlin & Dancers burst into the public eye with their first performance at the Anson Ford Theatre when "Reichlin created a sensation with The Tennis Dances" (Dance News). Over the years she has continued to examine our society from its most primitive nature to the emergence of the information age with The E-mail Dances in 1996. Through multiple performances for the 23rd Olympiad, a summer series at the LA Zoo, touring the US and Mexico, Reichlin has consistently and continually created "probing and provocative" works (Dance Magazine) enjoyed by all ages. Her work illuminates life with reviews like "Before a triumphant finale, a world and its history have passed before our eyes, thanks to Louise Reichlin." (Los Angeles Times)

Louise Reichlin, Director and Choreographer, began her professional career in New York performing in concerts and on Broadway, and has performed and choreographed throughout North America for both stage and screen, with her choreography also seen in China, Taipei, Mexico, and Guatemala. Since 1995, most of her concert works also include multimedia. Her choreography for "Dream Scapes" and "Caution, Men At Work: TAP" has expanded her presence. The company works with thousands of children each year with the LA County School Districts, and this, combined with Reichlin's 30 years teaching actors and musicians at USC, make the group ideal for outreach into your community.

Reichlin's work is: "Wildly theatrical and fun" - LA Daily News

Her family programs are..."very imaginative and delightfully inventive.
    ...fun for the whole family!" - Beverly Hills Outlook

"...a gift for arresting dance imagery" - LA Times

"Unique...cinematic montages" - Dance Magazine

Touring Programs

For most updated information including presenter folder and press packet, please visit www.LAChoreographersAndDancers.org

Program A: tours with 8 dancers plus 1 narrator and 1 computer/tech

"The Patchwork Girl of Oz"
Often touring with performances and workshops for families and children, Reichlin has packed houses in 5 states with her narrated work adapted from the book The Patchwork Girl of Oz by L. Frank Baum, author of The Wizard of Oz. The magical fable has colorful costumes, a multimedia set, and spectacular modern dance to make this a dazzling journey into the Land of Oz – one that will captivate the imaginations of both young and old. "The choreography uses a wonderfully playful approach … the music a delightful surprise…along with sophisticated multimedia" (Beverly Hills Outlook).

The Patchwork Girl of Oz can include 26 dance participants from your community as part of this interactive production.


Program B: tours with 6 dancers plus 1 narrator and 1 computer/tech

"The Better To Bite You With"
The company's newest family interactive dance/multimedia work is based on "Little Red Riding Hood." Turning to the theme of teeth, it is woven with technology, narration, music ranging from Dixieland to vaudeville to Tchaikovsky, Stravinski, and King Crimson. Favorite parts include the incorporation of photos of audience members' teeth that are taken in the lobby before the show, as well as amazing masks and costumes. "Imaginative and delightfully inventive...fun for the whole family."


Program C: tours with 8 dancers plus 1 narrator and 1 computer/tech

"The Baggage Project"
with
"Tap Dance Widows Club",
"Mourning Light",
"Remembrance"
All concepts and choreography by Louise Reichlin, digital art by Audri Phillips.

Reichlin was inspired to create the "Baggage" project after her husband and partner of 39 years, electronic tap dance innovator Alfred Desio, passed away. Even though Alfred is no longer physically here, she believes his support and nurturing spirit still remain with her, and she realized that many others have this experience. While no two people grieve identically, one commonality of grief is this lingering "baggage" (in a positive way) carried after losing a loved one.

"upbeat, nostalgic, yet going forward with a wonderful spirit and zest for life"   --Beverly Hills Outlook


For "Tap Dance Widows Club" from the Baggage Project the work brings together multiple dance forms in a unique multimedia piece using the power of Dance and is an inside story from 30's Hollywood to now. Alfred Desio's widow Louise Reichlin, Jon Zerby's widow Loretta, and Fayard Nicholas' widow Katherine Hopkins met to share memories, photos, and videos of their well-known husbands. Their conversations about moving forward without their husbands' physical presence were both hilarious and moving; this became the audio for the transformative work. The 50' work created by Louise Reichlin has film, live dance, and digital art. Selected as one of 7 national works selected by Dance USA for their 20-20 Vision in June 2012, it has been shown and reviewed in progress and will officially premiere in November 2012.

In "Mourning Light" from "The Baggage Project" only one of the people is alive - the others are vibrant non-corporal beings carried around as Baggage by the people that they were closest to when alive.

"Remembrance" as a dance has been recreated in 3 longer works of Reichlin, this time with new digital art media. In preparation Reichlin created a project page in Facebook, and a number of others submitted photos and thoughts of those that were no longer living that were incorporated into the media for this emotional powerful piece.

Outreach

Louise Reichlin & Dancers offers Master Classes in Modern & Repertory and unique workshops that allow children and adults to participate in a section of the performance. There are presently three of these, including a multi-ethnic dance incorporating the cultures of members of the company, and those at the location of a residency.

One is an auxiliary to The Patchwork Girl of Oz designed for 4th-6th graders (and we carry 26 costumes for this), and the last for The Better To Bite You With, which also has 2 auxiliary dances. These are pieces that can also include audience volunteers during the performance.

Reichlin was on the Faculty of the Thornton School of Music and the Drama Department at the University of Southern California for 30 years, and additional master classes include Movement for the Actor, Singer, and Musician; Moving with more ease through the use of Feldenkrais and Bartenieff Fundamentals; and Workshops in relaxation and more efficient body use through visualization and Mind Body techniques. Residencies incorporating students into the main performance are a possibility, as well as multi generational projects. Working closely with the LA Unified School District with repeated funding from the LA County Arts For All, Reichlin has also developed workshops for non-dance teachers to weave dance into the classroom, and has created many innovative residency activities with children. 12 of the company’s programs are featured on the Los Angeles County Arts Education Resource Directory web site: http://www.laartsed.org.