hubbard street dance chicago

Worlds Unite

March 1, 2013 by 4dancers

hubbard street 2 dancers — Hubbard Street 2 Dancers Brandon Lee Alley, left, and Lissa Smith perform at 1871 Chicago during the launch event for Dance as a Learning Platform. Photo by Todd Rosenberg

by Lissa Smith

The similarities between startup tech companies and dance companies, while not always immediately apparent, are both striking and parallel in their structure and ultimate success. Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s collaboration at 1871 Chicago is a shining example of what can happen when creative business meets the dance world.

The dancers of Hubbard Street 2 bring their passion and excitement to the Merchandise Mart on Monday evenings, to perform for entrepreneurs and participate in workshop forums. When not performing HS2 repertory, the dancers unleash individual creative movement, phrases and improvisations. The business leaders and dancers have both learned to appreciate the shared model for building a successful company, whether it makes dance or technology. Passion is the underlying fuel that is the commonality of both new business ventures and dance works. Both dancers and entrepreneurs see their work as filling gaps in their respected fields. Dancers and tech participants work together, often outside their comfort zones, to unravel what is necessary to building a successful framework, while consultants from ClearSpace and Strategos keep all of us moving.

Event themes such as Lead and Innovate direct participants to break down the building blocks that provide the steps used to assure successful performances or outcomes. Creative thought and movement, group cooperation, and acceptance of leadership and guidance sum up the shared recipe for successful dance and tech companies alike. Both parties have learned that there is inherent risk involved in the development of their careers, but that risk-taking is also vital. This unique program has brought together the arts world and business world, taking two unlikely compatriots, and teaching them that what they do everyday in their separate worlds is what is necessary to reach what is surely a common goal: great results.

At our first 1871 event, we looked at an idea at its starting point, through its development, and where its evolution eventually led. I chose a clear starting point and, gradually throughout the performance, expanded it. This performance was satisfying for me, because it included a lot of our own creative expression and movement, rather than being a presentation of choreography we perform in theaters.

Also in this back-and-forth collaboration, 1871 residents were invited to see Hubbard Street’s main company with HS2 in One Thousand Pieces by our resident choreographer, Alejandro Cerrudo. Our company continues to visit 1871, and its members continue to come into our spaces, opening eyes and minds on both sides to new outlooks and ideas.

hubbard street dancers at art institute of chicago — Hubbard Street 2 Dancers Emilie Leriche, left, and Lissa Smith with Pablo Picasso’s Man with a Pipe, 1915. The Art Institute of Chicago, gift of Mrs. Leigh B. Block in memory of Albert D. Lasker. © 2012 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo by Todd Rosenberg

Another Hubbard Street Dance Chicago alliance worthy of mentioning is its partnership with the Art Institute of Chicago. Similar to the 1871 collaboration, this program also brings together two things seemingly unlike: art objects and moving bodies. Dancers use movement to interpret the themes and ideas in famous artworks, often performing in front of the actual pieces themselves. These performances are always site-specific, which allows both the dancers and the audience members to bridge their attention and engage in appreciation of similarities between visual and performing arts.

The most recent Art Institute of Chicago performance Hubbard Street 2 participated in, “What is Blue?”, began a spring miniseries relating to the exhibition “Picasso and Chicago.” This first performance was described as a discovery of the artist’s social consciousness. Griffin Court was the site of this incredible performance — the vast, open space, a live guitarist, and Picasso’s art projected behind us provided endless inspiration for us dancers and the audience alike. My favorite work by Picasso is his Guernica, an oil-on-canvas created in 1937. The color-scheme of this piece is black, blue, grey, and white; it describes the bombing of the village of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. I love everything about this piece: its horizontal length and dimensions, the angular shapes and, especially, the extreme emotion it conveys.

Something new and surprising is a regular occurrence at the Art Institute when Hubbard Street dancers are in residence — catch us back at the museum on March 21 at 6pm, for our next Picasso-themed event, “Why Cubism?”

BIO: Contributor Lissa Smith, age 21, was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She is currently dancing with Hubbard Street 2 of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. She attended The Boston Conservatory where she was both a Dance Conservatory Scholarship recipient and Jan Veen Dance Scholarship recipient.

Lissa has trained at the prestigious Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The Juilliard School, Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet, The Martha Graham School, The Joffrey Ballet School and The Joffrey Midwest Workshop. Lissa has worked with world renowned choreographers such as: Thang Dao, Peter London, Alberto Del Saz, Maurya Kerr, Clébio Oliveira, Penny Saunders, Hofesh Shecter, Didy Veldman, Uri Sands, Gregory Dawson, Stephen Pier, John Magnus, Josée Garant, Viktor Plotnikov, Robyn Mineko Williams, Tony Fabre, and Judith Jamison. She has danced principal roles such as: “Yellow Girl” in “Diversion of Angels”, “Conversation of Lovers” within “Acts of Light” and “Frontier”, the solo choreographed by Martha Graham and staged by Yuriko and Susan Kikuchi along with Yasuko Tokunaga.

Lissa was the soloist lead dancer in both Thang Dao’s contemporary ballet, “Foil” and Greg Dawson’s contemporary ballet, “Eclipsing Venus”. She has also performed Jose Limon’s “Choreographic Offerings” staged by Jennifer Scanlon and Libby Nye. Lissa has performed the “Doll with Broken Head” solo from within “Mechanical Organ” choreographed by Alwin Nikolais, staged by Alberto Del Saz. Lissa received the “Modern Dance Award” and the “Dean’s Dance Award” upon her graduation from New World School of the Arts High School in June 2009 and won the “Arts For Life!” dance scholarship in 2009 presented by Former First Lady Columba Bush.

In 2012, Lissa was awarded the Martha Hill Young Professional Award.

Lissa’s posts on 4dancers are her own opinion and in no way reflect the thoughts or opinions of her employer, Hubbard Street 2.

Dance For Life Chicago 2012

August 13, 2012 by 4dancers

by Catherine L. Tully

On August 18th the Chicago dance community will come together at the Auditorium Theatre to support one another and raise money for HIV/AIDS AIDS care, education, and prevention–and for The Dancers’ Fund.

Dance For Life Chicago is a dance performance that first came to the stage at Chicago’s Organic Theater. Since its founding in 1992 it has sold out every single year. To date, close to $4 million dollars has been raised for the fight against HIV/AIDS.

The organization has partnered with some of Chicago’s best companies, including Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The Joffrey Ballet, River North Dance Chicago and Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago. Those who attend the performance are in for a lovely evening of dance at one of the best venues in the city. In addition, this year’s show will feature two World Premiere performances choreographed by Chicago’s own Randy Duncan and Harrison McEldowney.

Before the curtain rises, those who purchase tickets for the Gala Reception will get to enjoy conversation and complimentary Absolut martinis in the Hilton Chicago Grand Ballroom. You can purchase tickets for the Gala and/or the August 18th performance here.

Those hoping to learn more about this event can watch Dance for Life: The Documentary airing Tuesday, August, 14th at 10 p.m. on Chicago’s public television station, WTTW 11.

4dancers is proud to be a sponsor for this year’s Dance For Life Chicago event–hope to see you there!

Here is a video from last year’s show–just a little visual for you:

Hubbard Street’s Summer Series – Complex and Sublime

June 1, 2012 by 4dancers

by Catherine L. Tully

After a strong spring program, expectations ran high for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s Summer Series at the Harris Theater. The line-up features three pieces—an unusual collection of choreography that takes the audience on a journey that they are certain to remember for a long time to come.

Choreographed by Alejandro Cerrudo, “Malditos” was originally a collaborative effort between Hubbard Street and Nederlands Dans Theater. Set to music from the film, The Beat My Heart Skipped (composed by Alexandre Desplat), one of the most striking features of this piece is the lighting design by Tom Visser. At times it barely illuminates the dancers—the visual equivalent of a whisper, making the viewer almost lean forward in their seat to watch the movement. Indeed, nothing about Cerrudo’s choreography shouts; it’s not showy even when it’s infused with energy. Instead it melts and dissolves through space, much like the dancers that come and go seemingly out of nowhere from the back of the stage.

Featured next is William Forsythe’s “Quintett” – and Hubbard Street has the honor of being the first American company to perform this work, first created in 1993. Set to U.K. composer Gavin Bryars’ composition “Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet”, it opens with five dancers, a stark white set–and a palpable feeling of discomfort.

HS12530_169 — Hubbard Street Dancers Penny Saunders and Jesse Bechard. Photo by Cheryl Mann.

In an unapologetic fashion, the audience is quickly pulled into this private, intimate setting. Dancers offer brief moments of tenderness, surrounded by explosive, sometimes unsettling sequences of movement. “Quintett” isn’t a passive piece where the audience gazes upon the dancers as they entertain. In fact, giving in to the uncomfortable feelings generated by the droning loop of the soundtrack and the unexpected movement patterns is almost a requirement if any sense of connection is to be found within the piece. This acceptance doesn’t come easily, but with it “Quintett” begins to transform, rewarding the viewer for the struggle.

“THREE TO MAX” is the final piece, originally created for Hubbard Street as a collage of Ohad Naharin’s works over the last decade. From the sensual hip circles seven women perform from a seated position on the floor to the “snapshot” movements that pulse out from a counted vocal rhythm, this is a piece that truly lets the company shine. Jeans, t-shirts and tank tops outfit the dancers in simplicity as they perform movements that range from clock-like ticking of the limbs (complete with vocals) to arabesques with arms that float skyward like a long swath of ribbon suspended in the air.

HSD110310_106 — Hubbard Street Dancer Robyn Mineko Williams in Ohad Naharin’s THREE TO MAX. Photo by Todd Rosenberg

Although the collection of his works here are each quite different they are blended together well, and selecting “THREE TO MAX” as the final piece is a fitting end to a wonderfully executed program. Chicago should be proud—there’s nothing quite like Hubbard Street—and this is a program to prove it.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago is at the Harris Theater through June 3^rd, which will also be Robyn Mineko Williams’ final performance after 12 years with the company.

Cerrudo’s “Little mortal jump” – Cinematic and Intimate

March 19, 2012 by 4dancers

by Catherine L. Tully

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s spring program at the Harris Theater was a triumph in three parts—beginning with the compellingly graceful work “Following the Subtle Current Upstream” by Alonzo King. A perfect showcase to display the technical expertise of the company, the choreography here is filled with dynamic patterns that explore and transform, and it is set to a score of sounds that include bells, drum beats and vocals.

HSD110310_567 — Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in Sharon Eyal’s Too Beaucoup. Photo by Todd Rosenberg

Offering a completely different landscape, Israeli choreographer Sharon Eyal’s “Too Beaucoup” was the final program piece. The large ensemble of dancers coupled with the intense lighting and precise, symmetrical choreography gives the feeling of staring at a 3-D painting—where you wait for the hidden picture to pop out if you look at it just right. With its often heavy, hypnotic thumping beat and cast of identically-clad robotic characters it’s on the lengthy side, but the overall sensory experience is electrifying.

Sandwiched between these two audience favorites was “Little mortal jump”—a world premiere by resident choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo—and it did not disappoint. Relationships between the featured dancers started out playful; indeed almost comical, reminiscent of boys and girls trying to flirt for the first time, pulling pigtails and teasing one another at recess. But despite the lighthearted introduction to his work here, Cerrudo is not content to showcase the relationships veiled in a shallow, childish simplicity. Instead the partnering throughout is intricate and rich, displaying a maturity that is at the same time surprising and satisfying.

Cerrudo succeeds in establishing a rapport with the audience in a friendly, approachable way and only then begins to peel away the layers of relationships by emphasizing certain moments vividly. “Little mortal jump” continues to evolve until suddenly you are in the middle of something powerful—not playful. Laying this type of groundwork leaves the audience feeling emotionally invested rather than embarrassed at the glimpses of intimacy that are to come. One time it’s a momentary (but vivid) facial expression that connects. Another comes in the form of an intense, almost desperate slow-motion sequence during a duet.

A stark backdrop of enormous black cubes added a surprising energy to the work as they rolled around on silent casters, sectioning off different parts of the stage and adding emphasis throughout the piece. Sometimes the cubes became a part of the dance itself, while other times they functioned more like parenthesis around a phrase as bodies moved within their confines. The simple set pieces added a sophistication that was palpable, and they provided the perfect climax for the ending as they spun wildly with dancers disappearing behind them—a final surprise.

In this, his 10^th piece for the company, Cerrudo has succeeded in taking elements from his previous works and fusing them together into a fully-formed vision that connects strongly with the audience. “Little mortal jump” has a definite cinematic quality to it which serves the piece well, and it is abundantly clear that Cerrudo understands both his audience and how to draw the best work from the dancers in this talented company.

It will be interesting to see where his choreography goes from here.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s World Premiere – Little mortal jump

March 11, 2012 by 4dancers

by Catherine L. Tully

AljeandroCerrudo — Alejandro Cerrudo, Photo by Todd Rosenberg

This week, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s Spring Series will feature a world premiere from choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo—Little mortal jump.

Cerrudo has the distinction of being named Hubbard Street’s first Resident Choreographer—a title he has held since 2009. His works are performed in dance companies around the world and he was recently honored with an award from The Boomerang Fund for Artists.

The choreographer took the time to share some thoughts with us regarding his latest piece, which is his 10^th work for the company.

How would you describe your new work, Little mortal jump?

Little mortal jump consists of twelve very different pieces of music carefully put together and I have attempted to create a cohesive whole with them. This new work is a study on ever-changing moods and twists and finishes in a very different place than where it starts. This piece features some of the most complex partnering I have ever created.

Can you talk a little bit about your choreographic process? How did you go about creating this piece in particular?

My process is different each time I approach a new work, but I usually start by choosing the music and then imagining an atmosphere. For Little mortal jump I had an idea for each section that I then developed further. I have also used the dancers to bring in new ideas. I always adjust my concepts to each individual dancer that I work with rather than imposing my ideas regardless of the dancer and their abilities.

AljeandroCerrudo2 — Hubbard Street Dance Chicago's Alejandro Cerrudo, Photo by Todd Rosenberg

How did you select the music, and what relationship does it have to the choreography?

I am always listening to music. It is my pastime. When I feel inspired by a specific piece, I start to imagine what I would do with it or how I would use it. Music is very important in all of my works. Only on very rare occasions do I actually only use music as a soundscape.

What did you enjoy most about choreographing this new piece?

For this piece I have used moments from my older works that are visually very different and have fused them together to create this new choreography. I have enjoyed allowing myself to be directly influenced by my past work and have created something very new – something that can coexist on stage together.

What do you think the greatest challenge is for you as a choreographer?

One of the greatest challenges is to make something that no one has ever seen before – and make it well.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s Spring Series takes place March 15^th – 18^that the Harris Theater. In addition to Little mortal jump, the program also features Israeli choreographer Sharon Eyal’s piece Too Beaucoup and LINES Ballet artistic director Alonzo King’s piece Following the Subtle Current Upstream.

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