May 23-24, 2026
Bellydance Evolution:
Swan Lake
El Portal Theater & Evolution Studios - North Hollywood
Welcome to Swan Lake
Message from the Director
OH MY GOODNESS, we are HERE!!
I have to be honest with you — Swan Lake has been living in my head for a long time. When you take on something this iconic, something that the whole world already knows and loves, the question isn't just how do you reimagine it — it's do you dare? And the answer, for me, has always been YES. Because that is what Bellydance Evolution was built to do.
This is our seventh production. SEVEN! And I can tell you that nothing — nothing — has pushed me and our artists the way this one has. To take a story this beloved, strip it down to its bones, and rebuild it from the ground up with new characters, a new world, new movement languages from across the globe, and an INCREDIBLE original score by the one and only Paul Dinletir... it has been the most creatively alive I have ever felt.
None of this happens without the most extraordinary team of choreographers, designers, and performers who trusted the vision and gave everything to bring it to life. I am SO grateful for every single one of them.
And you. Thank you for being here tonight. Thank you for choosing live performance. Thank you for being part of this family. I hope this show makes you feel something you didn't expect.
With SO much love and gratitude,
Jillina Carlano Founder & Artistic Director, Bellydance Evolution
About Bellydance Evolution
Bellydance Evolution is a world fusion dance theatre company founded and led by choreographer and artistic director Jillina Carlano. Built on the belief that bellydance is one of the most versatile and underestimated art forms in the world, BDE has spent nearly two decades pushing the boundaries of what dance theatre can be — weaving movement traditions from across the globe into full-scale theatrical productions with original scores, elaborate costumes, and stories that demand to be told. From Immortal Desires to The Jungle Book, Alice in Wonderland to Dark Side of the Crown, each BDE production has toured internationally, performing for audiences in more than 20 countries. Swan Lake is our most ambitious work yet — and we're glad you're here for it.
Los Angeles Opening Act
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Paul Dinletir
Meet the Composer
Born in Beirut and shaped by jazz, classical, and global musical traditions, Paul Dinletir is the creative force behind some of the most emotionally charged music in modern cinema. As co-founder of Audiomachine, his scores have driven the trailers for Avatar, Avengers: Endgame, Dune, and the Olympic Games. For Swan Lake and BDEx: Alice in Wonderland, he builds an original score from the ground up — music that moves between worlds just as the stories do, anchoring a battle between light and shadow in sound that feels both ancient and cinematic.
Guest Choreographers
This production would not exist without the extraordinary artists who brought their distinct voices, traditions, and gifts to its creation. To Shannon, Kapua, Sabah, Noemi, Clara, Viri, Pinky Saleem, Mohamed Kazafy, Sara, Flor, and Emilie Gumy — thank you for trusting the vision and making it so much richer than it could ever have been alone. Each of you brought a world onto this stage. We are deeply grateful.
Costume Designers
The visual world of Swan Lake lives in the hands of our extraordinary costume designers. To Aygul, Stacey McPartlin, Kata Maya, Saray Designs, Aida, and Kumu Kehau — thank you for the countless hours, the research, the artistry, and the love you poured into every piece. You dressed a world. What the audience sees tonight is a testament to your craft and your dedication, and we could not be more grateful.
Coming Up Next.....
LA WorkshopsSun, May 24Evolution Studios
BDE Swan Lake & BDEx Alice in WonderlandSat, May 30Spokane Community College
BDE: Swan Lake & BDEx: Alice in WonderlandSat, Jun 13Teatro Isabela Corona
Company Leadership
Jillina Carlano — Artistic Director
Paul Dinletir — Executive Director
Lauren Boldt - Managing Director
Sabah Nefabit — Co-Director
Viri Reyes — Co-Director
Shannon D'Souza— Co-Director
Lucio Magazian - Projection Artist
Presented By
This is where we will have the local host & Sponsor
We will have a short bio for them as well as their links
Our Sponsors + Supporters
Thank you to the El Portal Theater
To the management, ownership, and crew of El Portal — thank you for welcoming us home. Every time we return to this stage, it feels exactly like that. We are so grateful to share this world premiere with you.
El Portal Theater
Originally built in 1926
5269 Lankershim Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91601
Owned by Gary Goodgame & Bernard Kaufman
management - Jay Irwin/Pegge Forrest
Box Office: 818-508-4200
