Art Walk: Live Performance From Laguna Dance Festival

LAGUNA BEACH, CA—The edges of the Steele Gallery at Laguna Art Museum were crowded with people at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday for an Art Walk performance. The polished wood floor reflected colors from the paintings hanging on the walls, all treasures from the permanent collection. Soon three dancers entered the room, music began, and they took to the floor.

Tea Devereaux, Chryssa Hadjis and Justin Pham began to wake up their bodies by stretching, rolling and casually acknowledging each other. Suddenly, Simron Player, who was working the computer's music app, raced in to join them, launching the warmups into a dance party in the midst of the spectators.

Player returned to the computer during applause, and then each of the dancers performed a solo.

Devereaux danced to "Just Piano," Pham to "Girl Crush," and Hadjis to "Frozen Away." All three exuded confidence and joy as they moved in the space for an up-close audience. They knew their music well, making it difficult to tell whether their choreography was improvised, prepared, or a combination of both.

The presentation was billed as "inspired by the visual movement in the museum's Steele Gallery." But dancers' movement seemed firmly rooted to the floor, rather than the soaring walls or ceiling high overhead. Their elegant arabesques stretched away from the ground. Multiple spinning jumps were glimpses of time that defied the floor's pull. Not heavy, the dancers appeared grounded and strong, as though graceful mountains come to life.

Their work was dynamic, propulsive and professional.

Overall, the 15 minutes of live dancing was a celebration to once again be in motion, and they gracefully carried those watching along in that joy.

Throughout the evening, the museum held an Art Walk art-making project, which we hope will be repeated in some form every month. The inaugural activity, "Big Little Watercolor," was inspired by watercolor master Marion Kavanagh Wachtel (1973-1954), whose "Sierra Madre Mountains, La Crescenta" hung nearby. So detailed and precise is the expansive scene, that it's quite astounding to ponder the artist rendered it in watercolor.

Participants were enthusiastic about creating a big scene on a small piece of quality paper. As the use of watercolor pencils followed by wet brushes was demonstrated, we learned that Kavanagh Wachtel preferred to use oils but left that loftier medium to her husband. At least that's what Janet Blake, LAM's retired curator of historical art, has posited regarding the artist's switch to watercolor after she married Elmer Wachtel.

On the horizon for Laguna Dance Festival is Hot September Nights on September 26. The museum's three current exhibitions remain until October 24, when preparations for its annual Art & Nature Festival, slated for November 4-7, kick into high gear.