quintett

Hubbard Street Dancers in The Impossible by Resident Choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo, from left: Jessica Tong, Ana Lopez, Jonathan Fredrickson and Andrew Murdock. Photo by Todd Rosenberg — Hubbard Street Dancers in The Impossible by Resident Choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo,
from left: Jessica Tong, Ana Lopez, Jonathan Fredrickson and Andrew Murdock. Photo by Todd Rosenberg

by Catherine L. Tully

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago brought together three impeccably danced pieces at the Harris Theater Thursday night–one of which was resident choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo’s world premiere, “The Impossible”.

Starting out with a dramatic puff of cigar smoke and a single red candle, the audience first meets devilish Johnny McMillan, who is a shadowy figure and a force of evil throughout. Later he will be joined by a strong cadre of five other men who command the stage and careen through steps with both power and precision.

In the interim, a stooped old couple dances with little verve but much tenderness, draping themselves over one another and moving ever so gingerly. Soon they are joined by a younger couple (earlier versions of themselves?) and all four then dance together, offering both a reminder of what has been lost over time and a spark of joy for what is still left of love.

Ana Lopez and Jonathan Fredrickson capture the very essence of old age without being too literal. The choreography has the other couple helping them dance, gently lifting arms and moving limbs. It’s at once ghostly, sweet and sorrowful.

Branimira Ivanova’s costume design is subtle with just a few pops of color, such as the red socks and suspenders for McMillan’s costume–the perfect hint of drama. And the music, although by a variety of different artists, comes together seamlessly to help solidify the overall vision.

Cerrudo’s ability to tug at the heartstrings while merely hinting at a wisp of a storyline is phenomenal. Many of his hallmarks are here–slow motion movement, a simple, yet theatrical set, and the intense lighting design by Michael Korsch–yet, he offers some new possibilities through this choreography. The only small flaw in this new work of his is that it didn’t last quite long enough to see them all through.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in Gnawa by Nacho Duato. Photo by Todd Rosenberg — Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in Gnawa
by Nacho Duato. Photo by Todd Rosenberg

“Gnawa” opens the program with Nacho Duato’s stunningly musical choreography. Dancers place candles at the edge of the stage and move through the piece effortlessly, making a multitude of marvelous shapes as they go. The strength and control of the dancers is evident here as they make each movement appear completely natural–no matter how difficult. It’s easy to see that when Duato made this piece for them in 2005 he was intent on showcasing the abilities of the company. And showcase them it does.

Hubbard Street Dancers David Schultz, foreground, and Kevin J. Shannon in Quintett by William Forsythe. Photo by Todd Rosenberg — Hubbard Street Dancers David Schultz, foreground, and Kevin J. Shannon in
Quintett by William Forsythe. Photo by Todd Rosenberg

Forsythe’s “Quintett” puts forth both vitality and vulnerability as the dancers whirl through its tortuous choreography, set to composer Gavin Bryars’ composition “Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet”. Although this piece was only recently debuted by the company (2012), it is clear that it is well-suited to their skills. The sometimes graceful, other times erratic movements in the choreography are performed with aplomb by all five of the dancers–and this is by no means an easy task.

The stark set includes a projector which remains idle until the final minutes of the piece. It comes to life suddenly, throwing imagery against the white backdrop, but the focus is quickly torn away by the intensity of the lovely Ana Lopes who continues dancing with a sense of reckless abandon as the curtain lowers.

Hubbard Street performs at the Harris Theater through June 8th.

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.

All Is Possible: Hubbard Street’s Summer Series

Hubbard Street’s Summer Series – Complex and Sublime

Disclosure – Affiliate & Ad Info

Copyright Notice