The two distinct programs feature world premieres by Lar Lubovitch and HSDC Artistic Director Jim Vincent; the Harris premiere of a new work by Jorma Elo; and returning works by HSDC dancer Alejandro Cerrudo, Marguerite Donlon, JiràKylián and Toru Shimazaki. Chase is HSDC's 2007 Spring Series and Lead Corporate Gala Sponsor.
The series also includes Celebration 2007, featuring a special performance and post-show black-tie party (April 13); a Target Family Matinee by Hubbard Street 2 (HS2) (April 14); post-show discussions with HSDC Artistic Director Jim Vincent, dancers and guest moderators (April 12, 15 and 20); a pre-show women's networking event (April 11); and a post-show party for the gay community (April 22).
Program A: Fresh Visions-April 11-15
Program A: Fresh Visions includes the world premiere of Lar Lubovitch's Cryptoglyph and the return of Toru Shimazaki's Bardo (2006) and Marguerite Donlon's Strokes Through The Tail (2005). Performances are Wednesday, April 11, and Thursday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 14 at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, April 15 at 3 p.m.
Lar Lubovitch, one of the most popular and widely seen choreographers in the U.S., has returned to create his second work for HSDC, following Love Stories in 2005. Cryptoglyph is a whimsical, fast-paced work for seven dancers, saturated with color, that mirrors an eclectic vocal score by Meredith Monk, a pioneer in the art of "vocal landscapes."Â Lubovitch founded the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company 38 years ago, for which he has created more than 100 dances. His works are in the repertoires of the New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Paris Opera Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, White Oak Dance Project and Nederlands Dans Theater, among others. His work on Broadway includes Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods, the 1996 revival of The King and I and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Cryptoglyph is sponsored, in part, by Alfred McDougal and Nancy Lauter McDougal and an anonymous donor in memory of Myron Szold. It is the inaugural work in HSDC's American Choreography Project.
Bardo, created for HSDC by Japanese choreographer Toru Shimazaki in fall 2006, is a mystical and mysterious journey between life and the afterworld, set to music by the Australian group Dead Can Dance. Passionate, fiery and fiercely athletic, the 12 dancers weave through daring partnerships and striking visual images. The Sara Lee Foundation is the Principal Sponsor of Bardo, a significant addition to HSDC's International Masters Initiative. Generous contributing support is provided by The Boeing Company.
Irish choreographer Marguerite Donlon's Strokes Through The Tail, set to Mozart's Symphony No. 40, combines virtuosic dancing with a delightful hint of irreverence. The piece, which premiered with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, reflects details in appearance and structure from the classical worlds of music and ballet. Intrigued by Mozart's style of musical notation, Donlon has fashioned a tightly knit work in which the dancers personify the patterns of notes on a page to capture the composer's ingenious wit and humor.Strokes Through The Tail is generously underwritten by John and Caroline Ballantine, Meg and Tim Callahan, Joel and Katie Cory, Sidney and Sondra Berman Epstein and Jim and Kay Mabie.
On Wednesday, April 11, the opening night performance will be preceded by "Bold Moves for Bold Women,"Â HSDC's networking event for women, including cocktails and hors d'oeuvres in the International Ballroom at The Fairmont Chicago. Jim Vincent will host post-show discussions with Richard Christiansen, former chief critic of the Chicago Tribune, on Thursday, April 12 and Lucia Mauro, dance critic/contributor to the Chicago Tribune, WBEZ/Chicago Public Radio and Chicago magazine, on Sunday, April 15.
Program B: Vivid Blooms-April 18-22
Program B: Vivid Blooms features the world premiere of HSDC Artistic Director Jim Vincent's Palladio, the Harris Theater premiere of Jorma Elo's From All Sides (2007) and the return of HSDC dancer Alejandro Cerrudo's Lickety-Split (2006) and JiràKylián's Petite Mort (1991; HSDC premiere 2000). Nuveen Investments is the Sponsor of Program B. Performances are Wednesday and Thursday, April 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, April 20 and 21 at 8 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday, April 21 and 22 at 3 p.m.
Palladio, Vincent's third creation for HSDC, is a full-company work set to a modern-meets-Baroque score by Karl Jenkins, who was inspired by the 16th century Italian architect Andrea Palladio's celebration of harmony and order. Vincent's choreography draws its motivation from a physical environment, one that is aesthetically ornamented yet precarious. The piece moves from fragments of ideas towards structure and the power of the ensemble, exploring our capacity to demonstrate moments of tenderness, compassion and intimacy despite the constant tension, conflict and violence surrounding us.
Receiving its world premiere with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in January 2007, From All Sides is a work for six dancers created by Finnish choreographer Jorma Elo, set to a commissioned score by CSO Mead Composer-in-Residence Mark-Anthony Turnage. Currently resident choreographer for Boston Ballet, Elo has created works for New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and Nederlands Dans Theater, among others. From All Sides was created with funds from The Prince Prize for Commissioning Original Work, which was awarded to Jorma Elo and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in 2006.
HSDC dancer Alejandro Cerrudo's Lickety-Split returns to the Harris following its fall 2006 debut. Combining sensual and fluid movement with playful and quirky gestures, three couples enveloped in the unpredictable layers of love move to the sounds of renowned Bay Area songwriter Devendra Banhart. Lickety-Split is sponsored by John and Caroline Ballantine and Joel and Katie Cory.
HSDC also revives Petite Mort, a sensual ballet created by Nederlands Dans Theater's JiràKylián for six men, six women and six foils, set to Mozart's Concertos 21 and 23. An ode to love, the piece features intimate duets, each of which evokes a different feeling and mood. The revival of Petite Mort is sponsored by Alfred McDougal and Nancy Lauter McDougal.
On Friday, April 20, Jim Vincent and Andrew Patner, critic-at-large, 98.7WFMT Radio and contributing critic, Chicago Sun-Times, will hold a post-show discussion. Following the closing matinee on Sunday, April 22, HSDC will host a "Celebrity Cast Party"Â for the gay community in the Moulin Rouge room at The Fairmont Chicago, including cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and a chance to party with the dancers.
Special performances
Celebration 2007, HSDC's annual Gala, will be held Friday, April 13. The eventbegins with a special performance by HSDC's main company at 6:30 p.m. The post-show party at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers features cocktails, dinner, dancing to the rhythms of Lynne Jordan and the Shivers and a raffle. ABC7 news anchor and reporter Ron Magers will serve as master of ceremonies. Chase is the Lead Corporate Gala Sponsor. American Airlines is the Official Airline for the Annual Gala.
Hubbard Street 2's Target Family Matinee on Saturday, April 14 at 3 p.m. is a special program at family-friendly ticket prices for children ages five and older and their families. Celebrating its 10th Anniversary, HS2 will premiere Chicago choreographer Harrison McEldowney's Blues for Ann, set to a Chicago blues score and dedicated to longtime Chicago dance critic and historian Ann Barzel. Blues for Ann is sponsored by the Patrick Henry Community Arts Fund and by the Friends of Ann Barzel. HS2's Target Family Matinee is sponsored by Target, with contributing support provided by Kraft Foods.
Tickets to HSDC's 2007 Spring Series are $20-75 (the HS2 Family Matinee is $8 for children 12 and younger, $16 for all other ages) and are available at 866-535-HSDC (4732) toll-free; hubbardstreetdance.com; and the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park, 205 E. Randolph Dr. Groups save up to 30 percent by purchasing 15 or more tickets to one or more performances; call the Group Sales Hotline at 312-850-9744, ext. 166. Tickets to Celebration 2007start at $500 and are available by calling 312-850-9744. All programming is subject to change. For more information, visit hubbardstreetdance.com.
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (HSDC), under the dynamic leadership of Artistic Director Jim Vincent, is among the most original forces in contemporary dance. Critically acclaimed for its exuberant, athletic and innovative repertory, HSDC presents performances that inspire, challenge and engage audiences worldwide. The company's ensemble of dancers displays unparalleled versatility and virtuosity, allowing HSDC to expand its eclectic repertory continually with works by master American and international choreographers. HSDC also contributes to dance's evolution by developing new choreographic talent and collaborating with artists in music, visual art and theatre.
Since Lou Conte founded the company in 1977, HSDC has expanded beyond its main company to include Hubbard Street 2, which cultivates young professional dancers and choreographers, serves as the foundation of HSDC's education initiatives and performs nationally and internationally with a diverse and engaging repertory; extensive Education & Community Programs, under the direction of Kathryn Humphreys, which offer city- and state-accredited professional development for teachers to incorporate movement into curriculums and expose young people to dance; and the Lou Conte Dance Studio, under the direction of Lou Conte and Claire Bataille, one of the original HSDC dancers, which offers a wide variety of classes weekly in jazz, ballet, modern, tap and hip-hop at levels from basic to professional, as well as workshops and master classes. -- www.hubbardstreetdance.com
Posted January 23rd, 2007 by ruzik_tuzik
