On Saturday, October 4, 2025, Heidi Duckler Dance celebrated an incredible milestone, 40 years of creating site-specific performances that transform spaces and engage communities. The company marked the occasion with its 40th Anniversary Celebration, Entrechat: 40 Years Off the Stage, held at the historic California Club in Downtown Los Angeles.
As downtown continues to evolve, The California Club, one of the city’s most storied landmarks, offered a fitting and elegant backdrop for the evening. The event honored HDD’s four decades of artistic innovation while also celebrating a new chapter for the company under the leadership of Artistic Director Raymond Ejiofor.
Guests were treated to a dynamic evening of artistry and community, beginning with a cocktail reception and followed by live performances and an awards ceremony recognizing three outstanding leaders who have made a lasting impact on Los Angeles’s creative and civic life:
Aaron Paley, President and Co-Founder, Community Arts Resources (CARS) – Civic Engagement Award
Nina McNeely, Choreographer and Creative Director – Artistic Vision Award
Joel Arquillos, Executive Director, Snap Foundation – Philanthropy Award
Entrechat: 40 Years Off the Stage was more than an anniversary; it was a reflection on HDD’s enduring legacy of innovation, inclusion, and community connection. The evening brought together artists, supporters, and longtime collaborators to honor four decades of storytelling through movement while celebrating the company’s continued evolution and impact across Los Angeles and beyond.
Credits
Director / Choreographer
Raymond Ejiofor
Performers / Collaborators
Colleen Loverde
Marissa Brown
Maija Knapp
Rebecca Lee
Musicians
Tomoko Ozawa
Max Judelson
Videography & Edited by
2Sides Films
This program is supported, in part, by the Aaron Copeland Fund for Music
