October On Fire!

Chicago Dance sets October on fire with autumn color in a jam-packed month with major seasons by Chicago’s “big four” (Joffrey, Hubbard Street, Giordano, and River North) and exciting work across the spectrum of genres in venues large and small.

OCTOBER HIGHLIGHTS:

Stephen Petronio THE STEPHEN PETRONIO COMPANY brings historic modern dance revivals to The Dance Center of Columbia College October 1-3.  For its Chicago program, the New York-based company performs Glacial Decoy (1979) by Trisha Brown, with visual design by Robert Rauschenberg, and RainForest (1968) by Merce Cunningham, with music by David Tudor and visual design by Andy Warhol.  Stephen Petronio Company is the first contemporary American company to perform these works outside the original choreographers’ companies. Also on the program is Petronio’s Non Locomotor (2015) with an original musical score by Clams Casino, featuring vocal elements by the Young People’s Chorus of New York City.

RIVER NORTH DANCE CHICAGO presents a one-night only tribute to retiring artistic director Frank Chaves at the Auditorium Theatre this Saturday, October 3rd, as part of the theatre’s “Made In Chicago” series.  Former executive director Gail Kalver credits Chaves with creating River North’s artistic profile and unique style, “a mix of high energy, lyricism, and passion.”  Kalver notes that this program is particularly special, not only because it honors Chaves’ artistry and tireless devotion to expanding and strengthening the repertoire over his 23-year tenure at the helm, but because it features Frank’s seminal works as well as his favorites by choreographers he has engaged to work with the company over the years.

 
The evening’s tribute includes revivals of Chaves’ “Love Will Follow,” (2001) “Temporal Trance,” (1998) and “Habaneras, The Music of Cuba” (2005).  Ashley Roland’s  “Beat” (2001), “A Mi Manera (My Way) (2001) by Sherry Zunker, Ginger Farley and Kevin Iega Jeff, “Renatus,” (2012) by Nejla Yatkin, Robert Battle’s solo from “Train” (2008),  Sherry Zunker’s “The Man That Got Away” (1990), and Randy Duncan’s “Turning Tides” (1991) will complete the program.

“What he loves is connecting with music,” Kalver says. Under Chaves direction, the company has become “more and more sophisticated in both its repertory and the technical and artistic level of its dancers, known today for their passion, athleticism, and technical precision.” Look for the company to pull out all the stops honoring a beloved director.

THE JOFFREY BALLET brings the North American premiere of John Neumeier’s modern remake of the classic ballet “Sylvia,” to the Auditorium Theatre October 14-25. Created by Neumeier for the Paris Opera Ballet in 1997, the ballet retains the music of Léo Delibes, one of the world’s most famous ballet scores, performed live by the Chicago Philharmonic. Sylvia presents a young woman at the crossroads of adolescence and womanhood, struggling to find balance between strength and vulnerability and discovering love only through the awakening of her own sensuality. Sylvia is filled with themes of ambition, obsession, unrequited love and lost opportunities. Neumeier was the first choreographer to modernize the work, incorporating neoclassical expressionist movement and an abstract narrative to reimagine this magnificent female-powered ballet for the 21st century.

HUBBARD STREET DANCE CHICAGO devotes its fall season to the choreography of William Forsythe, one today’s most prolific and provocative choreographers. Hubbard Street firsts in the October 15-18 Harris Theater season include Forsythe’s “N.N.N.N.” (2002), a quartet, and “One Flat Thing, reproduced” (2000), for an ensemble of fourteen dancers and 20 large tables. Both works are set to original scores by Dutch composer Thom Willems, a long-time Forsythe collaborator. Completing the program is Forsythe’s “Quintet” (1993), for five dancers, set to music by Gavin Bryars. Hubbard Street was the first U.S. company to perform “Quintet” in 2012, and is the first U.S. company to acquire “N.N.N.N.” after its premiere by Ballet Frankfurt and revivals by The Forsythe Company, now Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company.

Multiple repetitions of gesture propel much of “N.N.N.N.”  Punctuated by breath sounds and the momentum of swinging motion, the interactions of the dancers challenge the back and forth interplay between manipulation and passivity. Body mechanics shape partners’ alternating lifting and lowering, turning and twisting, hoisting each other in an intricate organic flow of constant intra-body navigation. The piece is performed on a stark, bare-bones stage in the simplest of practice clothes, and music incorporates live sound effects of the dancers’ breath and physical contact. Cyril Baldy, a native Frenchman who is part of the team of six international répétiteurs setting the works on HSDC, sees listening as the key element in “N.N.N.N.” “It is as if they are conducting each other, like an orchestra,” he said recently during a break in rehearsals at the Lou Conte Dance Studios.  “There is a tension between leading and following that drives the piece forward.”

The image of an orchestra hovers over much of Forsythe’s work. “One Flat Thing, reproduced” is inspired by the Robert Scott expedition to Antarctica. While “N.N.N.N.” has some kinship with contact improvisation, “One Flat Thing” relies more on the dancers’ ability to move and react in constant engagement with each other. “The piece is structured like a machine,” says répétiteur and former Hubbard Street dancer, Mario Zambrano, “where each dancer’s role depends on the other’s intention.” Each of the fourteen dancers has a different sequence of movements, hook-ups, and links, and an individual spatial pathway between the tables. The tables provide a somewhat dangerous landscape for the dancers to navigate on top of, between, and underneath, simulating Scott’s fated trek in search of the South Pole.

William Forsythe's "One Flat Thing" in rehearsal. Photo by Todd Rosenberg

Both Zambrano and Harper were dancers in Forsythe’s company and performed “One Flat Thing.” Working under Forsythe’s direction was “very welcoming,” according to Zambrano, and “an extension of your life” for Harper. “Bill was present, so very present every single day, every minute. There was a constant transformation of himself, always searching for new ways to approach movement.” He never shared with the dancers what the work was about because he thought when he shared it “people thought they knew it and he liked to keep people challenged to discover constantly.” Balanchine was a major influence, especially in terms of spatial geometrics. With Forsythe’s choreography, “the dancers have ownership; you have agency,” Zambrano said. “The choreography won’t work unless you are making strong decisions and using your mind.”

“N.N.N.N.” is about “trying to feel the weight in a functional way. The intention of “One Flat Thing” is it’s trying to become human; it’s about survival and failure and success.” In addition, there is live, in-performance editing of the electronic music, creating layers of sound and, for each performance, a unique spontaneity in the dancers’ timing and response to sound and movement cues. “We haven’t played the music for the dancers yet,” said répétiteur Ayman Harper, “because it heightens (the dancers’) excitement too much.” The level of excitement in the rehearsal studio was already at a fever pitch a month out from opening night. Expect the unexpected!

GIORDANO DANCE CHICAGO presents its fall engagement at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance Friday, Oct. 23 and Saturday, Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. premiering a new work by Israeli choreographer Roni Koresh.

The performances will feature the world premiere of a new full company work by Israeli-born Roni (Ronan) Koresh, choreographer of “EXit4” (2013).

Giordano Dance Chicago's "Sabroso" “I first became familiar with Roni and his internationally acclaimed company through their involvement in our Jazz Dance World Congress,” says GDC Artistic Director Nan Giordano. “I knew first-hand of Roni’s reputation for physically and emotionally demanding choreography but also knew he had the opportunity to push our dancers to a whole new level. As expected, his first work for the company, “EXit4,” was a highly successful and exhilarating experience for the dancers and our audiences. So now I’m especially thrilled to secure him to create yet another full-company work for GDC.”

Born and raised in Israel, Koresh began his dance education as a youth as he trained with his mother, a folk dancer in the Yemenite tradition, and with a local Tel Aviv folk dance group. At 17, he moved on to more comprehensive study with Nira Paz and Moshe Romano and then became a member of Martha Graham’s Batsheva 2 Dance Company. In 1983, following a three-year enlistment in the Israeli army, Koresh immigrated to the U.S. to pursue a career in dance beyond Israel. He trained at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York City and, in 1984, began performing with Shimon Braun’s acclaimed Waves Jazz Dance Company in Philadelphia. Koresh was one of the original Evening Magazine Dancers and won a 1987 People’s Choice Award as Philadelphia’s Most Outstanding Jazz Dancer. He formed Koresh Dance Company in 1991 and since then has created a vast repertoire of more than 40 works for the company.

In addition to the new Koresh work, the program will include four popular selections from GDC’s acclaimed repertoire: Ron DeJesus’ stark and seductive “Prey” (2003); Christopher Huggins exciting and kinetic “Pyrokinesis” (2007); the steamy Latin Ballroom inspired “Sabroso” choreographed by Del Dominguez and Laura Flores (2011) and Autumn Eckman’s contemporary athletic work “commonthread” (2009), with original score by Dan Meyers and John Ovnik.

NATYA DANCE THEATRE celebrates its 40th anniversary with the world premiere of “Varna – Colors of White” at The Dance Center of Columbia College October 22-24.  Conceived by Founder and Artistic Director Hema Rajagopalan, “Varna - Colors of White” explores universal emotions that find expression through words, music, dance and drama and bring together the secular and the divine, the manifest and the hidden as part of an integrated whole. Eminent musicians from India accompany principal dancer Krithika Rajagopalan and Natya dancers as “Varna – Colors of White” brings to life feelings of love, desire, compassion, sorrow, greed, jealousy and humor.

SAME PLANET, DIFFERENT WORLD pairs with two innovative Israeli choreographers/dancers at the Museum of Contemporary Art October 22-25.  The program showcases three works that expose the politics of personal experience in an intimate setting where the audience surrounds the performers. SPDW’s Stripped explores how technology affects our lived experience. Through the ritualized
movements of six dancers, this 2015 work by SPDW artistic director
Joanna Rosenthal reveals what is at stake when objects replace human
connection. Choreographers Niv Sheinfeld and Oren Laor perform a playful and
gripping duet that reflects upon their relationship as partners in life
and dance. Both personal and political, Two Room Apartment is about boundaries in various contexts: physical borders between
territories, emblematic divides between life and performance, and the
limits people set for themselves. Their piece is a revision of a
milestone in modern Israeli choreography that the male-female duo of
Liat Dror and Nir Ben Gal created nearly three decades ago. A third work, newly created by Niv and Oren for SPDW, completes the program.
NOTE: This program includes male nudity. Mature audiences recommended. This performance is designed for a small audience: capacity is limited.

ADDITIONAL OCTOBER PERFORMANCE EVENTS:

CERQUA RIVERA DANCE THEATRE presents its 2015 Fall Concert Series October 1-3 at Links Hall where the company’s full Dance and Music Ensembles perform together, debuting new work and sharing repertoire favorites in their unique fusion style that combines contemporary dance, original live music, and visual art. This ensemble of dancers, musicians and visual designers blends genres, immersing audiences in timely issues ranging from family history to a changing role in the workplace to the conflicting emotions of wanting someone close while craving personal space. Also on October 10th at Mayne Stage.
Cerqua Rivera Fall Concert Series The 2015 Fall Concert Series will unveil world premieres crafted through the company’s collaborative process, featuring choreography by Connor Cornelius, Marc Macaranas, Rachel Pike, Wilfredo Rivera and Raphaelle Ziemba; new music by Joe Cerqua and James Sanders; and visual design from Ross Hoppe.

CORE PROJECT CHICAGO stages “Free Range Bonesbare” from 1:15-2 PM October 4th in Park #567, at Milwaukee and Leavitt (just off the brand spanking new 606). “Free Range Bonesbare” is a free, traveling performance. At designated locations the dancers will stop to perform site-specific works. The dancing will simultaneously echo and interact with the city around the dancers. Dancing will be at times pedestrian, at times abstract, and at times comical. The audience will be invited to stop, to follow, and to interact directly with the art. The dance will not be separated from the spectators but a completely accessible and interactive performance experience as pedestrians can be expected to be an active part of the performances. Other Chicago Artists Tiffany Lawson Dance and Mike Ford will contribute to the performance. CPC also performs “Bonesbare 9” on October 10 at Outerspace Studio and October 16 at Bridgeport Art Center.

Natya NATYA DANCE THEATRE presents Sheejth Krishna’s “Don Quixote” on October 4th at Oswego East High School.  This production is the first adaptation of Cervantes's novel in the Bharatanatyam idiom, breaking new ground in uniting classical forms with contemporary elements in this cross-cultural work. Showcasing the rich traditions and arts of India, “Don Quixote” tells the story of an idealistic dreamer who sets out to revive the lost tradition of chivalry. Accompanied by his faithful friend Sancho Panza, Don Quixote has a series of fantastic adventures in his quest to save the world. Miguel Cervantes’ seventeenth-century novel celebrates the extraordinariness of ordinary people coming together across differences and difficulties. Beauty and dignity emerge out of indignity and ugliness, as do conviction, passion, humor, and heart.

STRIDING LION PERFORMANCE GROUP presents “Peep Show: The Instant Choreography Series” on October 5th at Links Hall. “Peep Show” gives audiences a behind the scenes peek into the unique dance making processes of innovative Chicago choreographers as they develop world premiere dance works live and in the moment.
Each performance features two choreographers working simultaneously against the clock (45 min) in two different studios, to realize completely new pieces that incorporate suggestions from the audience, original music from an experimental composer (chosen by Constellation) and their choreography. The audience is invited to grab drinks and mingle between sittings in on each studio.

LABORATORY DANCERS holds its monthly 1st Wednesday Series On October 7th at the Fulton Street Collective. This isn’t your ordinary open mic night-this open mic night is for music, dance, theatre, stand up comedy, improv, magic, puppetry, spoken word, performance art…anything your heart wants to perform! This is a perfect opportunity to go out on a limb and show everyone what your guts are made of. There will some liquid courage. Everything is donation based. Bring a friend. Bring your mom. Bring extra artists to sign up too!

Visceral VISCERAL DANCE CHICAGO’S Fall Engagement takes place on October 10th at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance. The program will include a world premiere by Nick Pupillo and the company premiere of Fernando Melo’s “Bate.”  Returning to the program will be “Duet Mabul” by the world-renowned Ohad Naharin, as well as two acclaimed works from last season, “Hadal Zone” by Brian Enos and “Sum Noir” by Nick Pupillo.

AERIAL DANCE CHICAGO and ELEMENTS CONTEMPORARY BALLET combine to perform “Aya, An Aerial Ballet” October 10 and 17 at The Athenaeum Theatre. “AYA,” an evening-length aerial ballet in three acts, combines the soaring precision of aerial dance with captivating contemporary ballet. AYA expands on Surge, the first collaboration between Elements Contemporary Ballet and Aerial Dance Chicago. Merging two different dance mediums to create a thrilling theatrical experience, and featuring an original dance narrative performed by a cast of over 25 aerial and contemporary ballet dancers, AYA is a production unlike anything before it.

AYA Aerial Dance Chicago

BALLET 5:8 presents the premiere of “Mi Familia Pilsen” on October 11th at the National Museum of Mexican Art, in collaboration with The Chicago Park District and the Chicago Public Library, presented by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs (DCASE).

KELLY ANDERSON DANCE THEATRE presents “VAUDEVILLE!” October 16-18 at Links Hall. Take a seat and travel back to the golden age of entertainment! Kelly Anderson Dance Theatre’s newest production, VAUDEVILLE!, throws a contemporary spin on historical variety. A cheeky water ballet, kiddy act antics, a sister act gone awry, an ill-intended Drag Queen, a mechanical dream man and conjoined twin flappers are just a few of the many colorful characters and acts that make up this 14 piece variety show.

KHECARI presents “The Cronus Land” October 16-November 13 at Shoreland Ballroom. Expanding upon last year's sold out performance Oubliette, Khecari's new work The Cronus Land is an epic, site-specific dance work installed in the decayed splendor of the grand ballroom of Hyde Park's historic Shoreland Hotel. “The Cronus Land” is an exploration of the manipulation of space to social end. It is contextually abstracted, yet physically literalized, with the bodies of both performers and a 12 person audience journeying through a massive dance-riddled labyrinth before entering the micro-theater to witness the culminating performance in a 5x8 foot pit.

INASIDE CHICAGO DANCE presents its Fall Concert 2015 on October 16th at the Athenaeum Theatre in a one night only celebration of Chicago jazz dance, featuring Associate Artistic Director Robert McKee's full company piece "Pathways." In addition, the program includes Will Gill’s "The Inner Circle," Sinead Gildea’s “Capsule,” Sarah Ford’s "Between You and Me," and a special performance by the dancers of Inaside's Youth Training Program.

WINNIFRED HAUN AND DANCERS present “Promise” at Pleasant Home October 17-18 at Historic Pleasant Home. “Promise” is a full length dance choreographed by Winifred Haun. Inspired by John Steinbeck's East of Eden, it focuses on the women, images and psychological themes found in the epic novel.  At this event, you'll see Promise re-made especially for the rooms and spaces of Pleasant Home, a historic Prairie style mansion, designed by architect George Maher.  The audience will travel from space to space throughout the house, enjoying the dance performed within the architecture of Pleasant Home.

AILEY II performs on October 18 at McAninich Arts Center at the College of DuPage. The venerable Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater highlights the next generation of great American dance stars through its second company, Ailey II.

MANDALA SOUTH ASIAN PERFORMING ARTS presents “Kamayani: between the heart and the mind” on October 22 at Northeastern Illinois University. Kamayani is an epic tale based on ancient Hindu texts that detail the journey of Manu, the first man. As the sole survivor of the great flood, Manu is left without emotion, thought or action. In his journey of recovery and rediscovery, he experiences many physical and emotional challenges that ultimately help him find balance; thus restoring order to the world. This production of Kamayani combines the beauty and complexity of multiple classical Indian dance styles with a modern interpretation that frees the traditional form from structured rhythms and space.

PROJECT BOUND DANCE presents “Understand.understood” October 22-23 at Hamlin Park Fieldhouse Theater. Delving into the importance of social identity and communication, “understand.understood" is an evening length dance work which explores the kinesthetic understanding of human interaction.  This is Project Bound’s PREMIERE concert co-directed by Ashley Deran and Ericka Vaughn Lashley.

JOANNA FURNANS AND JOSHUA KENT present “SIGNIFIER & WATCHINGME/WATCHING YOU” October 23rd at Links Hall. In her first evening length work, Signifier, Joanna Furnans identifies, investigates, and (re)presents the female dancer on stage. In this performance for three women, Furnans explores what we have internalized about the often exploitative and chauvinistic representation of women in dance and the movement vocabularies ingrained in us that may belong to that ethos. Joshua Kent’s new performance, WATCHING ME / WATCHING YOU, explores the subtly of oppression within everyday gestures. Crafted in the shadow of accessible pornography and heavily mediated bodies, two men and one woman move within a sparse environment speaking words written by others and performing dances they acquired from television.

PHILADANCO! at 45 performs on Oct. 24 at Governor’s State University. Celebrating Joan Myers Brown and James Brown - Pioneers in Dance and Music. This performance will include two incredible experiences. PHILADANCO! will honor Joan Myers Brown's phenomenal contribution to contemporary African-American dance by performing the company's signature work "Enemy Behind the Gates," by the exquisite dance maker and former Ailey dancer Christopher Huggins.

VICTORIA BRADFORD presents the culmination of her micro-residency at Dfbrl8r Performance Art Gallery on October 24th. Participants of the workshop on October18th will make a week of daily dances which will then be mined to create Saturday evening’s performance.

JEWEL TONES: SPECTRUM, October 26th at Links Hall, explores the Buddha’s final instruction ~ “Make of yourself a light.” It investigates this final teaching through an improvisational performance arranged by a single color. It asks movers, musicians, spoken word and visual artists to evoke the energetic tones, textures and attitudes of a selected shade as entry into the unknown. It leaves open the possibility of revealing the unifying happenings of color while seeking to create a basic environment of non-discrimination for all participants. This series asks artists to risk exposing our unknown relationship to being colorful, connected and free. It will be sensational, meaning of the senses and colorful, meaning full of light. Jewel Tones runs the fourth Monday of each month from January to June and is organized by Jessie Marasa.

AGAINST BEING: ANTIBODY CORPORATION, October 30-November 1 at Links Hall, is a dance about nothing — an exploration of space — the space between language and dance. Directed by Adam Rose and performed by Eryka Dellenbach, Brooke Underwood, Adam Rose, and more to be announced. Antibody Corporation is a mission based organization specializing in mind-body integration. Founded in 2009, The Corporation collaborates with artists to create interdisciplinary works spanning dance, performance art, film, video, and music.

For details and tickets, go to seechicagodance.com and click on “Upcoming Events.”