What to Know
- "Cosmogony" will be performed at 4 a.m. in Geneva as Los Angeles viewers watch at 7 p.m.
- May 12, June 3, 10, and 17 at 7 p.m. Pacific time
- Large LED screens will show the work live at the Music Center's Jerry Moss Plaza in DTLA
Trying to throw down some distances while discussing the cosmos?
You might break out terms like "parsec" to summon the sizable swaths of space and time that separate two points in the universe.
We don't need to get too parsectional here on our home planet, however; we can talk about miles and kilometers, measurements that sum up what we what to express quite adequately.
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Still, some earthly places are quite distant from where we are, and enjoying a special show that is occurring in one of these faraway locations at the exact moment it is occurring requires not a rocketship but some incredible technology.
Take "Cosmogony," a performance featuring three dancers and 42 motion capture cameras, a set-up that allows the artists to transform into various avatars.
The Cie Gilles Jobin digital dance company, the Geneva-based troupe behind the celebrated show, has staged the offbeat offering for audiences around the world, garnering acclaim; now, Los Angeles will be able to enjoy this cosmic treat, and for free, too.
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It's taking place over four late spring evenings, one in May and three in June.
You'll want to head for Jerry Moss Plaza at the Music Center for the 7 p.m. show. If that start time makes you wonder if it won't be the middle of the night in Switzerland, you're correct: The Geneva-based dancers will begin at 4 in the morning.
It's a time of day that few of us have ever associated with the idea of dancing, so already the show's whimsical spirit is on vibrant display.
Two large LED screens will be erected in the Music Center plaza, giving everyone in attendance the chance to enjoy the performance.
"Cosmogony" was born during the pandemic as a way to bring dance to audiences thousands of miles away, as many theaters remained temporarily closed.
The 30-minute work proved so popular that the troupe continues to present it to viewers well beyond Switzerland, winning new fans with a dynamic mix of movement, stunning mo-cap technology, and a story that challenges what we know of physics, sending the dancers, or rather their avatars, into space.
Interestingly, the avatars will disappear from time to time, giving audiences a peek at the performers. Or, if you prefer, the humans behind the fanciful forms they're inhabiting.
And the music? Tar Pond, a Swiss rock outfit, created the soundtrack.
"The Music Center is presenting an arts experience that has never been attempted before in our organization's nearly 60-year history: a free live dance performance transported from the other side of the globe that comes to life for Angelenos watching in Downtown Los Angeles," said Rachel S. Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center.
"Thanks to the power of technology and the strength and ability of these dancers to perform in the wee hours of the morning, Angelenos are able to witness incredible talent in what will be a groundbreaking experience."
Attending is free, but you'll want to RSVP ahead of time. The dates? May 12 is the Los Angeles premiere of "Cosmogony," while three more dates, on June 3, 10, and 17, will follow.
