TODAYDANCESalute to a shutterbugFor the first time,...

TODAY

DANCE

Salute to a shutterbug

For the first time, the Dance at the Music Center series moves into the

REDCAT at Disney Hall for performances by Ronald K. Brown/Evidence. Chief novelty: “One Shot: First Glance,” a work-in-progress inspired by African American photographer Charles “Teenie” Harris. Music is

by Anonimo Consejo and Billy Strayhorn. The

program also includes “Order My Steps” (music by Terry Riley, Bob Marley and Fred Hammond), along with “Grace” (music by Duke Ellington, Fela Kuti and Roy Davis Jr.). Music Center audiences may already be familiar with Brown’s intense, complex choreography through performances by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

Ronald K. Brown/Evidence, REDCAT, Walt Disney Concert Hall, 2nd and Hope Streets, L.A. 8:30 tonight. $28 to $32 (with special student discounts). (213) 237-2800;www.redcat.org.

* Also 8:30 p.m. Friday; 3 and 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

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FRIDAY

ART

Hockney’s Yorkshire

The county of East Yorkshire, England, with its quaint villages and coastal towns, is a place David Hockney knows well. As

a teenager, he spent his summers there and as

an adult, he visits his mother and sister at their home in the seaside resort of Bridlington. But it was only about 18 months ago that he began “The East Yorkshire Landscapes,” a series of picturesque paintings depicting the space and light that Hockney compares to the American West.

David Hockney: “The East Yorkshire Landscape,” LA Louver, 45 N. Venice Blvd., Venice. Opens Friday. (310) 822-4955.

* Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Ends March 17.

*

THEATER

Allegorical

undertaking

“Life Is a Dream,” Pedro Calderon de la Barca’s provocative 17th century comic allegory, is re-imagined in a world premiere translation and adaptation by Pulitzer Prize-winner Nilo Cruz (“Anna in the Tropics”), commissioned by South Coast Repertory. Kate Whoriskey directs.

“Life Is a Dream,” South Coast Repertory, Segerstrom Stage, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Opens 8 p.m. Friday. $28 to $60. (714) 708-5555; www.scr.org.

* Runs 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. Sundays, 2:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Ends March 11.

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MOVIES

The soul

of secrecy

Covering the years 1984 to 1991, “The Lives of Others” is an intellectual and emotional thriller illuminating the dark underside of the path leading to Germany’s reunification. Directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck and starring Ulrich Muhe, Sebastian Koch and Martina Gedeck, “Lives” is nominated for an Academy Award as best foreign-language film. It returns to theaters after an awards-qualifying run in December.

“The Lives of Others,” rated R for some sexuality/nudity, opens Friday in select theaters.

*

WORLD MUSIC

Percussive Japanese

A concert by the Japanese percussion ensemble Kodo is less a musical event than it is a visceral encounter with the primal aspects of sound. The ensemble consists of a community of players who live on Japan’s Sado Island, where they fine-tune the extraordinary tonal textures of their batteries of traditional percussion. Kodo’s precisely choreographed numbers capture an astonishing array of sounds and rhythms, climaxed by the wall-shaking rumble of their massive okaido drum.

Kodo, Royce Hall on the UCLA Campus, 405 Hilgard Ave., Westwood. 8 p.m. Friday. $28 to $50. $17, Kids 12 and younger, Sunday matinee only. (310) 825-2101.

* Also 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday.

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SATURDAY

POP MUSIC

Tunesmith round-table

A bill that includes John Legend, Cee-Lo Green of Gnarls Barkley, Dallas Austin and Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump would be fairly intriguing with any format, but for anyone with an interest in the craft of composition, the “How I Wrote That Song” panel discussion (sponsored by BMI and The Times) taking place at the Key Club is especially inviting. Joined by Kara DioGuardi, Butch Walker, Jeffrey Steel and Sean Garrett, those artists will play a hit and talk about the creative process behind it.

“How I Wrote That Song,” Key Club, 9039 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. 2 p.m. Saturday. $10. (310) 274-5800.

*

MUSEUMS

Public defender

Newspapers have historically played the role of the underdog, standing up against the government and the powers that be. In “First Freedoms: The Los Angeles Times and the Right to a Free Press, 1881-2006,” the Huntington Library examines the role the paper has played in advancing freedom of the press through its 125-year history. Among the items featured in the exhibit are Paul Conrad’s controversial political cartoons; the 1942 Pulitzer the paper won for defending 1st Amendment freedoms; and materials relating to the arrest of Bill Farr, a Times reporter who refused to reveal his sources in the Charles Manson case.

“First Freedoms: The Los Angeles Times and the Right to a Free Press, 1881-2006,” Huntington Library, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino. Opens Saturday. $6 to $15; free for children 4 and younger. (626) 405-2100.

* Hours: noon to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Ends June 3.

*

SUNDAY

JAZZ

Brazilian melodist

The unique sound, rich texture and intimate emotions of keyboardist Ivan Lins’ performances make the singer-songwriter one of the most instantly identifiable Brazilian artists. Jazz musicians discovered his music in the 1980s, drawn to the melodic and harmonic lushness of songs such as “Comecar de Novo” (“The Island”) and “Love Dance.” That engaging combination -- Lins and jazz -- will be on full display via the added presence of trumpeter Terence Blanchard (who partnered with Lins on the 1996 CD “The Heart Speaks), bassist Christian McBride and the New York Voices.

Ivan Lins, with Terence Blanchard, Christian McBride and the New York Voices, Renee & Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 800 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. 2 p.m. Sunday. $62 to $96. (714) 556-2787.

*

MONDAY

THEATER

Born to

be blue

In “Blue Man Group: How to Be a Megastar Tour 2.0,” after downloading a tongue-in-cheek how-to manual on becoming a rock star, excesses and all, the anarchic, cobalt blue trio is joined by an eight-piece band.

“Blue Man Group: How to Be a Megastar Tour 2.0,” Gibson Amphitheatre, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City. 8:15 p.m. Monday. $70 to $100. (213) 252-8497, (714) 740-2000; www.ticketmaster.com.

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TUESDAY

THEATER

Choirboy chorale

Broadway/L.A. presents a touring

production of “Altar Boyz,” the musical comedy spoof about an all-boy singing-and-dancing group. By Gary Adler, Michael Patrick Walker and Kevin Del Aguila, based on a concept by Marc Kessler and Ken Davenport. Winner of the Outer Critics Circle Award for best musical off-Broadway, it’s now in year two of its run at New World Stages in New York.

“Altar Boyz,” Wadsworth Theatre, 11301 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. Opens 8 p.m. Tuesday. $28 to $58. (213) 365-3500, (714) 740-7878; www.BroadwayLA.org.

* Runs 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sundays. Ends March 4.