The Music Center welcomes the West Coast Premiere of Joyce Theater’s SW!NG OUT directed by tap phenomenon Caleb Teicher (June 24-26, 2022).

Featuring new choreography and composition by Teicher and a brain trust from collaborators including Evita Arce, LaTasha Barnes, Nathan Bugh, Macy Sullivan and Eyal Vilner, SW!NG OUT brings the best of the swing dance world to Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center a dance residency that will light up the Ahmanson Theater stage and take over Jerry Moss Plaza during each performance. “A thrilling ride through contemporary swing dance directed by Caleb Teicher” (The New York Times), Teicher blends “supercharged energy with dropped charm” (The New Yorker), emphasizing musically driven dance traditions and breathtaking improvisation through swing dance Master.

Celebrating the nation’s social dance traditions with aerial moves, unexpected improvisations, lightning-fast footwork and new arrangements of jazz and swing tunes from the big band era, SW!NG OUT features 12 lindy-hop champions and 10-piece Eyal Vilner Big Band. Each performance begins on the Ahmanson Theater stage, with the second half of the program taking place outdoors, where audience members and the public are invited to join Lindy Hop champions on the Jerry Moss Plaza dance floor to demonstrate their own moves show a dance party. In addition to the Dance Jam, the community is invited to engage with the company in a variety of ways, including the SW!NG OUT one-on-one mentorship program, which offers dancers and emerging artists the opportunity to work with performers and from to learn from them the creative team of SW!NG OUT; a high school swing band clinic with James A. Foshay Learning Center; and a free panel discussion on cultural appropriation, specifically as it relates to Black Aboriginal dance forms, with acclaimed dance artists and educators E. Moncell Durden and LaTasha Barnes.

“Caleb Teicher’s passion and enthusiasm for swing dance is contagious and her choreography in SW!NG OUT creates an energy that flows from the dancers on stage to the audience, making the performance an energizing and uplifting experience that we love to be part of Sharing Angelenos,” said Rachel S. Moore, President and CEO of The Music Center.

“The performances in SW!NG OUT inspire the audience to get up and dance. We want to share this excitement and excitement with the public and invite everyone to join in the fun and attend a complimentary outdoor dance party each night at this very special residence,” added Josephine Ramirez, Executive Vice President, TMC Arts. “As part of our celebration of swing, The Music Center has created opportunities to learn more about the origins and evolution of this highly eclectic social dance and the music that keeps it relevant and alive today.”

Teicher began her career as a founding member of Dorrance Dance, Michelle Dorrance’s acclaimed tap dance company, while also freelancing in the fields of contemporary dance, lindy hop and musical theater. As a soloist and collaborator, Teicher is known for her choreographic collaborations with diverse musical talent, including world beatboxing champion Chris Celiz; composer/pianist Conrad Tao; the National Symphony Orchestra; and indie rock legends Ben Folds and Regina Spektor.

As part of the commitment, The Music Center has partnered with SW!NG OUT and The Joyce Theater to invite swing dance and music artists of high school age and above to enroll in a free, bespoke artist education program with professionals from the casting and creative teams promoting SW!NG OUT. The program focuses on helping performers improve their skills in areas such as musicianship, choreography, and improvisation, among others. Fifteen applicants were selected to participate and matched with a member of the SW!NG OUT casting and creative team to work one-on-one in their respective category during five virtual sessions culminating in an experience-sharing workshop.

While COVID-19 is a fluid situation, The Music Center has implemented extensive protocols that include the highest standards of safety, cleanliness and safety to minimize risk to its guests and staff. Please visit musiccenter.org/safety for information on The Music Center’s safety procedures.

Currently, The Music Center requires all members of the public attending performances and events at The Music Center’s four theaters to provide proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or to provide a negative COVID-19 test. An antigen test must be carried out within 24 hours before the start of the event and a PCR test within 48 hours before the start of the event; this includes children over the age of two. At-home COVID tests will not be accepted for entry. All current visitors to the music center interiors are required to wear a face covering, whether fully vaccinated or not. Respirators (N95, KN95 and KF94) or well-fitting medical/surgical masks are recommended. These policies are subject to change and will be updated to reflect current conditions.

In accordance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, The Music Center has been working behind the scenes during the pandemic to prepare for the return of live performances at its indoor and outdoor venues by new measures have been implemented and procedures. The Music Center became the first performing arts organization in the United States to receive the UL Verified Healthy Buildings Mark for indoor air and water quality. The Music Center underwent an extensive evaluation process to achieve verification, which demonstrated that each of its four venues, the Grand Park Administrative Office and the Music Center Annex, have excellent indoor air and water quality. In addition, the music center has improved all cleaning procedures, installed hand sanitizer dispensers in all public spaces and created a contactless experience in its public toilets, as well as introduced electronic tickets and a digital program book, among other things. For more information about The Music Center’s commitment to safety, visit musiccenter.org/safety.

Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center is generously supported by the Glorya Kaufman Foundation, Center Dance Arts, Dorothy B. Chandler Program Fund, Elisabeth Katte Harris and Tina and Jerry Moss/Moss Foundation. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

* Subject to program and artist changes.