July 7/8. Thurs/Fri. 10-11:30 am. Int/Adv/pro dancers.
Classes with international guest artist, Bud Blumenthal
Brussels, Belgium. Director Hybrid dance company, subsidized by le Ministere de la Communaute Francaise Wallonie Bruxelles de Belgique.
Drop-in single class: $12, $10 professionals. Cash, check or charge by Square.
Born in Chicago, Bud Blumenthal has been dancing and making works in Europe since 1988 when he came to Belgium to perform with the Plan K of Frédéric Flamand. He worked together with Michèle Noiret for 10 years before starting his own company Hybrid from which he has produced numerous projects of different formats. Solos, duos, trios, quartets, sextets : often his pieces feature innovative new technology-based scenery. Most productions have music commissioned for them sometimes with live music onto the stage. He invents mechanical and electronic devices to bring unusual perceptions to the audiences. In 2009, he launched DANCERS! an installation and web library honoring dancers with a vast collection of precisely-filmed 2-minute solos by professional dancers of all styles and techniques.
Class description: Starting on floor series of stretching and strength exercises that awakens, opens up and give tone to all of the articulations and muscular chains without impact. The exercise strings are based on contemporary floor bar, Pilates/yoga-ish and release work. The standing work consists in a series of repeatable exercise phrases drawing from modern, contemporary and release technique and can include acrobatic aspects. Center floor phrases combine contemporary, release and acrobatics. It is very physical, spatial, generally organic but may include challenging counter-intuitive movements. It makes precise use of different directions as well as going in and out of the floor.
CMC is Arts-Partner in Residence at Hamlin Park (21st year), a program of the Chicago Park District that unites artists and audiences in Chicago Parks.
