5:15pm - 6:15pm Docents available at the Marion Davies Guest House to discuss the site
6:30-8:00pm Dance Performance

* Please note: Summer events are held mostly on Tuesdays. Also, Beach=Culture patrons are now required to pay for parking year-round.  Seasonal rates range from $6 - $8. Please visit annenbergbeachhouse.com for more information.

Donna Sternberg & Dancers presents the third work in their 'Science Series', performances which bridge dance and science through the artistic interpretation of scientific principles. Based on perception research that suggests that our individual constructions of reality may differ radically from one another, this work uses the varied environment of the Annenberg Beach House to examine how both dancers and audience view and interpret external cues as they move through the site. 'Dis-Illusions III' flows with a stream-of-consciousness logic that frames reality on shifting sands. Six dancers are accompanied by musicians Ken Christianson and Peggy Skomal, who create a changing aural landscape that responds to the emotional and kinetic colors of the dance.

A short film by Michael Masucci will be shown after the performance.  The film was shot in the Marion Davies Guest House and explores the themes of perception and memory through the lens of film and digital media.

The performance takes place outside and in various parts of the facility - please wear layers and sun protection as well as comfortable walking shoes. 'Dis-Illusions III' is made possible in part by grants from the Community Arts Grant Program of the City of Santa Monica and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, and support from the Annenberg Community Beach House Beach=Culture series.

       
Artist Biographies

Founded in 1985, Donna Sternberg & Dancers (DS&D) is an interdisciplinary dance company whose mission is to build bridges and make connections between dance, science and philosophy so that people and ideas come together in ways that expand human awareness leading audiences to envision the world as theirs to create in a unique way. From the movement of celestial bodies to the history of man’s flight, from the subatomic relationships of particles to man’s rage to know, from an investigation of human’s paradoxical relationship with the natural world to how perception and memory shape our sense of reality, interpreting scientific principles form the basis for DS&D’s multifaceted performances. We intentionally build partnerships with artists, cultural organizations, scientists and science institutions to find innovative ways to bring the exciting discoveries of science to a larger audience through dance in collaboration with other art forms. The company has performed extensively in California and Mexico in places such as Cal State Los Angeles, Thousand Oaks Performing Arts Center, California Science Center, Laguna Art Museum, Skirball Museum, UC Irvine, CenterStage Theatre in Santa Barbara, New Performance Gallery and Brady St. Dance Centre in San Francisco, and Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico. Dance Magazine stated:  “the company’s strength is twofold, resting on the dancers’ impressive technique and Sternberg’s diverse choreography.”  

Donna Sternberg has professionally premiered over 70 works since 1975 throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico; many have been collaborations with artists of other disciplines including composers, visual artists, poets, actors and digital artists.  She is particularly interested in investigating and interpreting scientific subjects through movement. Ms. Sternberg’s choreography has been critically acclaimed for its "exceptional ability to communicate through pure movement" (LA Times). She has choreographed seven full evening works, and was named one of the most outstanding choreographers in 2005 and 2007 by the Beverly Hills Outlook. She has danced in the companies of Donald Byrd, Mary Jane Eisenberg, Dance/LA and TNR: Moebius and performed with the Long Beach Opera.  

Elizabeth Alexander received her BFA in Dance from the Boston Conservatory, where she was awarded the Annamarie Sarazin Scholarship and the Jan Veen Scholarship. She attended the Interlochen Art Academy, receiving the Interlochen Fine Arts Award and later taught at Interlochen Arts Camp. She also attended the North Carolina School of the Arts and the School of Hartford Ballet and has performed in the works of major choreographers.

Trinette LaFleur graduated from Point Park University with a degree in Dance, receiving both artistic and academic scholarships. She also attended the Interlochen Arts Academy. Trinette has performed in dances by renowned choreographers such as Donald McKayle and David Parsons as well as with the Steel City Angels Dance Company.

Mikel Lewis graduated with a BA degree in Dance from Park Point University. He performed in many works by different choreographers while in college, and danced with TLS Productions, Inc. and Ballet Western Reserve.

Madison Moross graduated from Colorado College with a degree in Dance and Education, where she spent abroad time in The Kingdom of Tonga and at the Taipei Artist Village studying cultural impacts on movement and choreography, performing, and working on therapeutic movement workshops. She has recently worked closely with Keep On Moving, a movement and music initiative for people with Parkinson's Disease, as well as Kids in Motion, a program for low-income children and teenagers. In Los Angeles, she is currently running a not-for-profit project, The Big P Project, exploring and promoting conscious consumerism and healthful lifestyle choices.

Trudy Niess-Stevens graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BFA in Dance. While attending college she performed with many local choreographers including Joanie Smith, Robin Stiehm, and Tim Cameron. She has also studied with renowned companies including Paul Taylor Dance Company, Bebe Miller Company, and Zenon Dance Company Trudy is also presently dancing with Benita Bike's DanceArt Company.

Cassandra Richards received her BFA degree in Dance from Cal Arts as well graduating from Interlochen Arts Academy. She has studied at the London Comtemporary Dance School, Louisville Ballet, Boston Ballet and Kirov Ballet Academy. Cassandra has performed, choreographed and taught both ballet and modern dance. She has received numerous awards including Outstanding Achievement in Dance from Interlochen Art Academy.

Stop by early for information on the Beach House and Guest House tours by docents from the Santa Monica Conservancy before every Beach=Culture evening, from 11am-2pm and 5:15-6:15pm.

Tickets are free but seating is limited and reservations are required. If you would like to attend, please reserve online. Please plan to arrive by 6:15pm to retain your reservation. Late seating, even for reservation-holders, is not guaranteed. To adjust or cancel your reservation for this event, email beachhouse@smgov.net. We appreciate your keeping in touch!

Directions: The Beach House is located at 415 Pacific Coast Highway, Santa Monica, CA 90402 on the west side of Pacific Coast Highway, a half mile north of the California Incline and a half mile south of Chautauqua Blvd. Plenty of public parking is available - enter off PCH at the Beach House Way traffic light. The facility is easily accessible by foot or bike from the beach bike path, although the Beach closes at sunset. There is ample bike parking at racks throughout the site - remember to bring your own lock.

Parking: There is a daily parking charge at the park and pay machines available in three areas of the ACBH parking lot. Fees change from the shoulder season through summer; please check the website for details.

Other events: To view & make reservations for future free Beach=Culture events, check http://annenbergbeachhouse.com/beachculture.

General Info: For hours, events and more, visit http://www.annenbergbeachhouse.com, or call 310-458-4904. Back on the Beach Café is open weekdays 8am - 3pm (8am - 5pm weekends).