Insecto_PhotoByTasoPapadakis

Insecto Primitivo (excerpt)

Insects have a life comparable to a dance: short, ephemeral and intense. "Insecto Primitivo" (excerpt) by Spanish choreographer Elías Aguirre explores a constant search for harmony between the heartbreaking and the subtle beauty of what happens on the tiny, improvised stages of invisible nature. Featuring original music by Spain-based Portuguese musician Jorge da Rocha.

Choreographer: Elías Aguirre
Premiere Date: 2022
Run Time: 16 minutes

Available for touring

Credits

Commissioned by the Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain

Choreographer: Elías Aguirre

Choreography based on the Elías Aguirre production of "Insecto Primitivo”

LACDC Artists:

Hyosun Choi, Kate Coleman, Nicole Hagen, Colleen Hendricks, and JM. Rodriguez with Guest Artists Derrick Paris and Hunter Wayne

Collaborators include:

Original Music: Jorge da Rocha
Lighting Designer: Claire Chrzan
Assistant Choreographer: Ruth Muelas
Rehearsal Director: Kate Coleman
Wardrobe Stylist: Angel Tyson

Learn more about our global partnerships.

Trailer | Insecto Primitivo (excerpt) | L.A. Contemporary Dance x Elías Aguirre

Additional Info

WATCH REHEARSAL TRAILER

WATCH SPAIN RESIDENCY TRAILER

Watch the dance film companion piece directed by LACDC's artistic director Jamila Glass:
INSECTOS: arte y vida

Trailers Filmed by Anna Tse and Edited by Danielle King

"The dancers collect against one of the side walls like flies on a screen door and continue to move throughout the space as a community with a commitment known only to them." --Jeff Slayton, L.A. Dance Chronicle

"...a very beautiful but eerie exit of a male dancer crawling off with a female on his back in a shape that, for me, evoked a newly hatched insect on the back of its parent." --Jeff Slayton, L.A. Dance Chronicle

Insecto_PhotoByTasoPapadakis

Insecto_PhotoByTasoPapadakis

Insecto_PhotoByTasoPapadakis

Insecto_PhotoByTasoPapadakis

After 20 years of artistic creation and community engagement, L.A. Contemporary Dance concludes its journey as an organization as of January 9, 2026.

Founded to showcase dance in Los Angeles, LACDC evolved into a home for collective artistry where performances were crafted by choreographers and dancers alongside playwrights, composers, designers, filmmakers, photographers, stage managers, technicians — an incredible team whose imaginative work gave shape and emotional depth to our repertory. These collaborations brought contemporary dance to life in ways that were bold, explorative, expressive, and accessible.

Through live events, digital experiences, and educational programming, LACDC cultivated environments rooted in curiosity, belonging, and learning without judgment. The organization consistently asked how contemporary dance might better reflect and serve the community around it, valuing discovery over mastery and process alongside performance.

This vision was made possible thanks to the creativity and leadership of our Artistic Directors, Executive Directors, Managing Directors, and Company Staff:

Artistic Leadership

Kate Hutter Mason — Artistic Director & Co-founder (2005–2015)
Genevieve Carson — Artistic Director (2016–2020)
Jamila Glass — Artistic Director (2021–2025)

Executive & Managing Leadership

Michelle Jolly — Executive Director & Co-founder (2005–2009)
Lauren Dragicevich — Managing Director (2009–2013)
Eva Angeloff — Managing Director (2013–2018)
Napoleon Gladney — Executive Director (2019–2025)

We are profoundly grateful to all who have left their fingerprints on the organization. This work would not have been possible without the support of our board members, donors, producers, presenters, community partners, volunteers, students, audiences, friends, and family — all who believed in this work. You made it possible.

While LACDC as an organization is closing, the values we cultivated continue forward through the relationships formed here and in all of you.

To anyone considering starting a company or pursuing a dream project — do it. Start now. Don’t wait for the opportunity; be the opportunity. We need your voice and creative work more than ever.

Thank you for being part of this extraordinary journey.

L.A. Contemporary Dance
(2005–2025)