Seeing Pink

The Arts Plaza of Segerstrom Center was the starting and finish line for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer on Sunday, October 9. This year’s second walk from Segerstrom Center raised more than $240,000. And more than 10,000 dedicated community members participated in this inspirational 5K walk to honor and celebrate breast cancer survivors, educate people about the disease and raise funds and awareness to create a world with less breast cancer and more birthdays.

Liz Shivener, who portrays Fiona in Shrek the Musical, playing now through October 16 at the Center, got up early herself to welcome and cheer on the walkers, and sang “Morning Person” from the show.

Photo: Liz Shivener sings “Morning Person” from Shrek the Musical.

It Isn't Easy Being an Ogre

In fact, it takes about one hour and 45 minutes to become the title character in Shrek the Musical. Jesse and Kristin Wallace with their children Alison, James and Lauren, won a contest sponsored by Parenting OC magazine and were invited to watch Lukas “Shrek” Poost during his transformation. Here they are backstage on Wednesday, October 6 with Poost. Shrek is at the Center through October 16.

Photo by Eva Lempert

Believe All Ogre Again, Free Mini-Performance by Shrek Cast Members This Thursday

Join us for a free mini-performance by the cast of Shrek the Musical at South Coast Plaza this Thursday, October 6 at 4 p.m. on the ground level of Carousel Court. Cast members will sing a selection of songs from its fun and lively score. Afterwards, cast members will be available to sign autographs and meet audience members. There will also be ticket giveaways to see Shrek the Musical during its engagement here now through October 16.

Photo by Joan Marcus

American Cancer Society Holds 5K Walk at the Center Oct. 9

On October 9, the American Cancer Society will hold its second annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K walk at Segerstrom Center. The Orange County community is invited to take part in the noncompetitive walk, which was created to celebrate survivors who have battled the disease and raise funds to fight against breast cancer. Last year, more than 80,000 people participated and raised more than $2.6 million in California. During this year’s walk, KCBS-TV anchors Paul Magers and Paul Harvey will be on hand to lend their support. To sign up or learn more about the walk, please click here.

We hope this year’s walk is the most successful yet!

Photo is from last year's walk, which was held at the Center.

The Process: Jorma & Marcelo

This is the last week of rehearsals for the Kings of the Dance. The show will open in Moscow in just seven days before the production comes to the Center for its American premiere. While many of the pieces are already set and being polished in rehearsals, today's focus is in on a completely new work being created by Jorma Elo for Marcelo Gomes. Elo, the Finnish-born resident choreographer of Boston Ballet, has set his new dance, Still of King, to the first movement of Franz Joseph Haydn's Symphony No. 100 in G major. Elo cues the music and Gomes walks slowly to the center of the room. The dancing that follows is brilliant, full of mercurial shifts of mood, fluid, modern and expansive.

Elo and Gomes have been working for the past four days, but there is still a section of music that needs to be choreographed. They move silently to a far corner of the room, and Elo remains motionless for some time, his head bowed slightly. The dancer watches for what's to come. Throughout the rehearsal Elo hardly speaks and when he does, it's so softly as if to himself. Finally he turns to face the mirror and bourrees in 6th position back to the center of the floor. He pauses contemplating his shape in the mirror, then a shoulder wave ripples through his body. He marks the sequence again with Gomes following closely. “Ok, let's see what this looks like,” Elo says in his characteristic hushed voice.

Elo seems to be that rare choreographer who creates directly on and in front of his dancers. Before setting each phrase he assumes the last pose of the preceding movement and remains completely still in a deep inner space until he knows exactly what the next steps will be. It's a zen-like process. He signals a jump, and as Gomes vaults into the air, Elo softly exhales, “Jesus, you are so good at it.” Gomes smiles warmly. His ability to immediately interpret the outline of movement indicated by the choreographer, giving it full weight, emotional color and life, is astonishing to watch.


“Will I survive this?” asks Gomes. “You'll die,” says Elo in a reassuring tone. “Good!” is the dancer's breezy reply.

A King Makes Music and Dance

Guillaume Côté returns to the Center as part of our upcoming Kings of the Dance.  The star of The National Ballet of Canada will not only display his amazing prowess as a dancer, but he'll also compose one of the scores to be heard in this program of new ballets.  Côté talks about music and dance coming together for him in Kings of the Dance 2011.

How did it happen that your music became part of the Kings of the Dance?


One of the most wonderful things about Kings of the Dance project is that (producer) Sergei Danilian is always eager to do something different. His choice of repertoire is always a very thoughtful process. He asks for our opinion every step of the way and makes sure we are involved and happy with what we are dancing.

In this circumstance, Sergei saw Marcelo's choreography last year in New York and asked him if he could create for this year's galas. Marcelo and I have collaborate as 'composer/choreographer' on couple of different smaller projects and he jumped at the opportunity to get me involved with Kings. As soon as Sergei, Marcelo and I started brainstorming we thought this would be perfect. It would not only be a very inspiring process for us but we think that being part of the show as creators would also add a little different dimension to the evening.

Did you compose the music specially for the project or had you made it before and it was just waiting for the right moment?

This piece was created specially for Kings of the Dance. I have written many different styles of music in the last years. From electronic soundtracks to classically driven work. After having many conversations with Marcelo about the direction we wanted to go, we decided to go as grand and melodic as possible. In a way I've always stopped myself from writing a piece that fell into a 'romantic' category, but for this project I let myself go.

How did it feel when you got the proposal to be a composer for one of the pieces in the Kings of the Dance?

I was thrilled! I love working with Marcelo and I know that no matter what happens, the process of creating this will be truly wonderful.

How does the music reflect the dancing and vice versa, how does the dance reflect the music?

I approached this creation as an opportunity to make a tribute to the Russian romantic composers. I've always held composers such as Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky and other close to my heart, so I wanted to try capturing the feel of their music. I've always felt intimidated to try this but I thought, what better time than now.

Once I found the themes for the piece, I started thinking about the Kings involved in this year's project. I tried to split the sections in what I thought was 'personality' influenced. Knowing all the guys pretty well I wanted to personalize it a little.

Also, for the recording of the final score, I collaborated with a fantastic virtuoso pianist. His name is Andrei Streliaev. His incredible artistry was a great influence as well.

How does it feel to have these two parts of your life come together?

I am thrilled that I get the chance to display both my passions in this year's Kings of the Dance. I've been a composer all my life, but this project will have my two true loves come together: dance and composition. It'll be a very exciting evening.

Paper Cranes Reach Japan

One thousand paper cranes folded by the local community to help raise hope and spread awareness for the victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami are now being displayed in Japan as a symbol for revitalization at the Fukushima Cultural Center. Currently, the Fukushima Cultural Center is not fully operational but they hope to be very soon. (The photo above shows the display in their lobby along with the letter we sent.) Paper cranes were also sent to the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra.

Several months ago, the Center and the Philharmonic Society of Orange County hosted an event to fold paper cranes. In Japanese culture, cranes are a symbol of hope and prosperity and folklore says the act of folding 1,000 cranes grants a wish. The event was a huge success and more than 2,000 cranes were folded and sent to Japan.

It was a very special day and we want to thank everyone again for their participation in this extraordinary effort.