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Expect The Unexpected: Hubbard Street’s Evening Of Cerrudo

June 12, 2015 by 4dancers

Alejandro Cerrudo's Still in Motion
Hubbard Street Dancers Jacqueline Burnett, foreground, Jonathan Fredrickson and Ana Lopez in Still in Motion by Resident Choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo. Photo by Todd Rosenberg.

by Catherine L. Tully

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s Season 37 Summer Series takes place at the Harris Theater, featuring three works from resident choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo. This is only the second time the company has presented a program that focuses on a single artist, and taking in an entire evening of this gifted choreographer’s work is truly a luxury to experience.

White feathers cascade slowly to the stage floor in preparation for the beginning program piece, Extremely Close. One of Cerrudo’s earliest works for the company, it’s perfectly bookended with his more recent Little mortal jump, showing the evolution of his choreography from one piece to the other. Both make ample use of large sliding panels, which add intrigue and energy throughout. The cinematic quality that is so often a hallmark of Cerrudo’s work is present here, along with the poignant moments he creates using unusual imagery. Hubbard Street dancers were meant for this choreography and they execute it confidently with both vigor and ease.

Hubbard Street Dancers
Hubbard Street Dancers Andrew Murdock and Jessica Tong in Extremely Close by Resident Choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo. Photo by Todd Rosenberg. Hubbard Street Dance Technical Rehearsal of Extremely Close by Alejandro Cerrudo © Todd Rosenberg Photography 2015

The second item on the program is Cerrudo’s world premiere, Still in Motion, which offers a marked departure from his previous style. Even so, the highly edited and pared-down choreography still displays signature traits: a spectacular circular fluidity, moving from silence to sound, quick vignettes.

The set consists of a light-colored tarp that stretches long across the floor and up onto the back wall–with a strip of neon blue marking the top. Visually it resembles a strange sort of wave, something almost confirmed by two women stretching out on the ground undulating gently–as if floating under water. The set and lighting design by Michael Korsch offer a quiet, subtle compliment to the choreographer’s work.

Hubbard Street Dancers Alice Klock, foreground, and Garrett Patrick Anderson in Still in Motion  by Resident Choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo. Photo by Todd Rosenberg.
Hubbard Street Dancers Alice Klock, foreground, and Garrett Patrick Anderson in Still in Motion
by Resident Choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo. Photo by Todd Rosenberg.

While many of Cerrudo’s previous pieces display an urgency that tends to hold or build throughout, Still in Motion feels more relaxed, more refined. Movements here are simple, even at times, almost pedestrian. Three male dancers breathing deeply in unison. An exaggerated walk. Postures that are held. Slight gestures.

Rather than a watered-down version of his own work, however, Still in Motion instead has a clarity and streamlined sophistication previously unseen in Cerrudo’s choreography. It moves in a new direction without totally reinventing his style or abandoning the beauty of it. And the Hubbard Street dancers, chameleons to the core, adapt effortlessly to whatever they are asked to do.

Little mortal jump
Hubbard Street Dancers Jesse Bechard, left, and Ana Lopez in Little mortal jump by Resident Choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo. Photo by Todd Rosenberg.

Closing the program is Little mortal jump. This was Cerrudo’s tenth creation for the company, and it highlights the athletic skills of the dancers as well as the choreographer’s ability to amuse, entertain and evoke emotion. A lighthearted, fun approach at the beginning of the piece gives way to a swirling, thrilling duet–a riveting end to a triumphant program.

Hubbard Street’s Summer Series runs through June 14th at the Harris Theater. Tickets are still available.

Filed Under: Performance Reviews Tagged With: alejandro cerrudo, choreography, extremely close, harris theater, hubbard street dance chicago, little mortal jump, performance review, still in motion

Wendy Whelan At The Harris Theater: Restless Creature

January 21, 2015 by 4dancers

Wendy Whelan in Restless Creature. Photo by Christopher Duggan.
Wendy Whelan in Restless Creature. Photo by Christopher Duggan.

by Catherine L. Tully

Wendy Whelan is here in Chicago. And after waiting nearly a year for her to heal from a hip injury and re-schedule her tour, Restless Creature is on the schedule at the Harris Theater tonight.

The dance community is buzzing…

Whelan retired from New York City Ballet near the end of last year, and she is transitioning to the next phase of her career. Restless Creature is a unique dance offering that takes four young choreographers and challenges each to create a duet for one of the greatest ballerinas of our time.

But there’s a twist–they also dance these pieces with her.

Here’s a quick peek at each of the pairings that will be on stage this evening:

Alejandro Cerrudo and Wendy Whelan in rehearsal for Restless Creature, photo by Christopher Duggan.
Alejandro Cerrudo and Wendy Whelan, photo by Christopher Duggan.

Cerrudo

In Chicago Alejandro Cerrudo needs no introduction. This Spanish-born dancer became Hubbard Street‘s resident choreographer in 2009. His duet with Whelan, Ego et Tu is the first of the four to be performed.

Wendy Whelan
Joshua Beamish and Wendy Whelan, photo by Christopher Duggan

Beamish

Also on the program is Joshua Beamish with Conditional Sentences*. Beamish is the force behind MOVE: the company, which he founded in 2005.

Kyle Abraham and Wendy Whelan. Photo by Christopher Duggan.
Kyle Abraham and Wendy Whelan. Photo by Christopher Duggan.

Abraham

Choreographer Kyle Abraham has his own company, Abraham.In.Motion, and his duet, The Serpent and the Smoke is the next offering on the program.

Brian Brooks and Wendy Whelan. Photo by Christopher Duggan.
Brian Brooks and Wendy Whelan. Photo by Christopher Duggan.

Brooks

The final pairing for Restless Creature was created by Brian Brooks, and is titled First Fall. He is the choreographer at Brian Brooks Moving Company.

The program runs approximately 55 minutes and is only here for one night. It should be a thrilling one.


For more information about upcoming tour dates, visit Wendy Whelan’s website.

*4dancers originally had the name of this piece incorrect and it has been updated.

Filed Under: Editorial Tagged With: alejandro cerrudo, brian brooks, chicago dance, choreography, harris theater, joshua beamish, kyle abraham, restless creature, wendy whelan

Hubbard Street 2 Kicks Off The Season With A Challenging Triple Play

December 9, 2014 by 4dancers

 

Hubbard Street Second Company
Hubbard Street 2 Dancer Andrea Thompson. Photo by Todd Rosenberg Photography 2014.

by Andrea Thompson

I am now in my second year with Hubbard Street 2 (HS2), and it has been quite the season so far. We’ve already created two new works through the International Commissioning Project (IC Project) which we just premiered on tour at Broward College, and we’re working on our third right now, which will debut at the Harris Theater as part of Eat + Drink to the Beat on December 16. Not to mention HS2 also collaborated with Hubbard Street’s main company and The Second City on the world premiere of The Art of Falling back in October. Here’s how all of that action has gone down in the studio: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Editorial Tagged With: andrea thompson, bryan arias, harris theater, hedwig dances, hs2, hubbard street 2, hubbard street dance company, ihsan rustem, second city, victor alexander

Hubbard Street Dances Kylián

March 15, 2014 by 4dancers

Hubbard Street Dancers Ana Lopez, left, and Garrett Patrick Anderson in Petite Mort by Jiří Kylián. Photo by Todd Rosenberg.
Hubbard Street Dancers Ana Lopez, left, and Garrett Patrick Anderson
in Petite Mort
by Jiří Kylián. Photo by Todd Rosenberg.

by Catherine L. Tully

Thursday evening Hubbard Street Dance Chicago offered up an evening focused completely on choreographer Jiří Kylián at Chicago’s Harris Theater. Two works the company has performed before (27’52” and Petite Mort) and two are company premieres (Sarabande and Falling Angels).

The program is arranged beautifully—working its way back from 2002 to 1989, letting the audience see the choreographer’s development—but in reverse. First on the bill is 27’52” with its stark set, authoritative music and unusual poses. The title of the work refers to its length, but the force supplied by both the movement and the music draws the viewer in, making it feel much shorter.

The flooring is used in different ways here—sometimes as a cover or wrap for a particular dancer, other times as the impetus for the movement itself. Once it even pulls a dancer along the stage, resulting in a forceful type of floating motion—which is oddly compelling.

Kylián uses the spoken word throughout the work, which in and of itself isn’t particularly unusual, but the fact that the recorded voices are those of the original cast gives it a deeper layer, tying past to present dancers each time it is performed.

Petite Mort is the next Kylián work, and it is an audience favorite. The beginning presents a striking image, with six men on stage maneuvering six foils and six women standing in the shadows behind them looking on. Gender roles are on display front and center here, with the men brandishing weaponry and the women darting in and out from behind voluminous black dresses that slide across the stage on wheels. Although most sequences are danced expertly by the company, the eroticism does at times translate more as a series of poses and steps to be executed rather than raw, visceral movement.

Hubbard Street Dancer Johnny McMillan in Sarabande by Jiří Kylián, with Jason Hortin, left, and Jonathan Fredrickson . Photo by Todd Rosenberg.
Hubbard Street Dancer Johnny McMillan
in Sarabande by
Jiří Kylián, with
Jason Hortin, left, and Jonathan Fredrickson
Photo by Todd Rosenberg.

Sarabande begins with a literal bang as six men lay stretched out on the floor, slapping their arms down in unison, as if demanding attention. The women’s gowns are back on display again, but this time they are heavily decorated, hovering over the men–empty–almost haunting. The men roll through a series of postures and poses, ranging from primal, manly screams in unison—to little boys peering at something interesting on the ground.

They dance at times with shirts up around their heads, reminiscent of a miniature Martha Graham costume from Lamentation, and other times with pants down around their ankles. A series of short robust solos is the highlight here, very well executed and supremely powerful.

Falling Angels is the final work of the evening and it features live accompaniment by the steady hands of Third Coast Percussion. While the men of Sarabande seem to alternate between singularity of focus and camaraderie, Falling Angels is a multitasking, tribal marvel. This piece was perhaps the best suited to Hubbard Street, as the women of this company are fierce dancers who hold nothing back.

The choreography is at once aboriginal and contemporary, alternating between African dance movements and a scattershot series of expressions of modern femininity. The women moved in strength—rotating very quickly between shy, sexy, hurried, self-conscious and powerful poses and movements.

Hubbard Street performs at the Harris Theater through March 16th.

 

 

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: harris theater, hubbard street, hubbard street dance chicago, Jiří Kylián, petite mort

Emotions In Motion: Hubbard Street Dance Chicago – Fall Series

October 12, 2013 by 4dancers

by Catherine L. Tully

Powerful and poignant – two simple words that provide a quick snapshot of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s Fall Series at the Harris Theater Thursday evening. Each of the four pieces displayed strong choreography and palpable emotion while managing to be fresh and interesting rather than showy and overdone.

Hubbard Street Dancer Emilie Leriche and ensemble in Fluence by Robyn Mineko Williams. Photo by Quinn B Wharton
Hubbard Street Dancer Emilie Leriche and ensemble in Fluence by Robyn Mineko Williams. Photo by Quinn B Wharton.

Fluence was the first piece of the evening, a Chicago premiere by choreographer (and former Hubbard Street dancer) Robyn Mineko Williams. It begins with mechanical, twitchy movements that evolve and alternate with primitive, low-to-the-ground choreography. It’s as if one is watching futuristic robots that have feelings—like characters from the 1982 movie Blade Runner—but better.

Costumes by Hogan McLaughlin seem to support the idea of an almost “sewn together” look—bodies (prototypes?) in different phases of evolution. The dancers really seemed to embrace and understand the mannequin-like motions that are juxtaposed with visceral, human movements. Even with the lighthearted bubbles that cascade down at the end of the piece, the overall feel is one of melancholy.

Hubbard Street Dancers Ana Lopez, left, and Jacqueline Burnett in Cloudless by Resident Choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Hubbard Street Dancers Ana Lopez, left, and Jacqueline Burnett in Cloudless by Resident Choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo. Photo by Todd Rosenberg.

Next up was Cloudless, a duet for two women by resident choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo. This world premiere was tender and intimate without being soft and sweet. Cerrudo relegates the audience to voyeur status as the women look deep into each others eyes, touch and slow dance, proving yet again that he is a master of creating strong intimacy through movement.

Cerrudo knows how to choreograph a duet that doesn’t look like it was made for a man and a woman and Jacqueline Burnett and Ana Lopez were able to convey the power of their bond without losing a shred of their femininity.

Hubbard Street Dancers Kellie Epperheimer, left, and Johnny McMill an in Passomezzo by Ohad Naharin. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Hubbard Street Dancers Kellie Epperheimer, left, and Johnny McMillan in
Passomezzo by Ohad Naharin. Photo by Todd Rosenberg.

While Cloudless explores a more progressive approach, Ohad Naharin’s Passomezzo instead tips the hat to times gone by. Dancers Kellie Epperheimer and Johnny McMillan move with passion to a variety of selections from The Beggar’s Opera.

It soon becomes apparent why knee pads are part of McMillan’s simple costume—the choreography is not for the timid. From behind he repeatedly grasps and pulls her back hard on top of him while they sit on the ground—as if she is a boat that he is rowing frantically toward some crucial destination. She stands–balancing on his chest again and again. They drop to the floor and take turns running on their knees. They polka. They pace. And while the choreography may seem a bit of a whirlwind, it somehow works all jumbled up together–mirroring the emotional roller coaster that colors many a long-term relationship.

Hub bard Street Dancer s Ana Lopez, left, and Alejandro Cerrudo in Casi - Casa by Mats Ek. Photo by Todd Rosenberg.
Hubbard Street Dancers Ana Lopez, left, and Alejandro Cerrudo in Casi-Casa
by Mats Ek. Photo by Todd Rosenberg.

After the myriad of passionate feelings that are explored in Passomezzo, the start to Casi-Casa offers a bit of welcome comic relief before exploring any deeper. With a smart set design by Peder Freiij that consists of a door, a stove and a chair, this Mats Ek creation was danced with far more authority than the last time the company performed it on the same stage. Exquisite music by Fleshquartet adds a heartbreaking depth to the duets, and it rings out like an anthem as five women defiantly step dance their way through household chores with a canister vacuum in tow.

Hubbard Street’s Fall Series continues at the Harris Theater through Sunday, October 13th.

 

 

Filed Under: Performance Reviews Tagged With: alejandro cerrudo, harris theater, hogan mclaughlin, hubbard street dance chicago, mats ek, Ohad Naharin, robyn mineko williams

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