Review: The Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet presents the 15th Annual Winning Works at MCA

The Grainger Academy of the Joffrey Ballet presents the 15th Annual Winning Works, which treats audiences to an evening that pushes the boundaries of ballet and showcases the innovative visions of five emerging choreographers. Running March 14-23 at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the performance follows the Winning Works Choreographic Competition, a national call for ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab and Native American) artists to submit their works. The winners created world premieres for Joffrey’s Conservatory, Trainees and Studio Company. This year’s winning choreographers are Karley Childress, Roderick George, Shota Miyoshi, Alejandro Perez and Keelan Whitmore.

"Lusi," by Alejandro Perez; Photo by Katie Miller

Alejandro Perez opens the evening with “Lusi,” a reflection on memories touched by grief in honor of his childhood friend, Lusi. The audience plunges into a nebulous world where memories shift, glint and overlap like light on dark water. As the dancers ripple and hold each other, joyful memories of being together surface despite the pain of loss. It was moving to see the dancers support each other and embody the interconnectedness of lives woven together.

In “Jive Five,” Shota Miyoshi makes jazz music his muse. His playful choreography traces every beat and swing of the music and brings it to life with both the buoyancy of ballet and the groove of jazz dance. Fedora hats worn low over their eyes, the performers draw the audience in with their confidence and attitude. Shoulders, hips and snapping hands highlight the rhythms of this lively and entertaining homage to jazz. 

Karley Childress brings a clever wit and emotional depth to “Bereshit,” her retelling of the Adam and Eve story – Eve’s fateful bite of the forbidden apple, humankind’s subsequent descent into wrongdoing and the tension between desire and destruction. But in Childress’ version, Adam and Eve are also surprisingly and delightfully comedic. The dancers act out hilarious scenes of temptation, juxtaposed with the tragically resonant depictions of the consequences of their actions and the strength needed to resist taking another bite.

"Jive Five," by Shota Miyoshi; Photo by Katie Miller

Roderick George’s “SoulCry” is a haunting depiction of the voices that are silenced under suppressive governing bodies. The score, composed by Michael Gordan, weighs the air with foreboding as the dancers slice their legs through the air, spin with wicked speed and build tension by counting the jarring rhythm of their choreography out loud. They partner each other with an ominous sense of control, puppeting dancers up into the air and sliding them across the floor with stunning technical skill. Despite their lack of agency, the dancers continue to search for a way out, push through the darkness, ache like a silent scream and fight with every fiber of their being until the music’s last breath. 

Keelan Whitmore’s “Sea Change” brings a theatrical conclusion to the evening. Inspired by Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis,” in which a salesman transforms into a giant insect overnight, this work reimagines the story through movement and explores how individuals, their families and society respond to drastic change. Whitmore’s work was like opening the novella and watching the print crawl of the page. In black and white vintage business wear, the characters push each other to conform to their different agendas and wrestle with their own identities. “Sea Change” explores the roles we play in society, for our families and most importantly to our authenticity of self.

Before each winning work, a video was shown with the choreographer describing the inspiration behind their work, as well as some of the performers sharing their experiences getting to work with the Winning Works choreographers. It was special to hear about the rehearsal process and how each choreographer pushed their cast to grow in different ways. The energy on opening night was contagious with the audience thrilled to partake in this tradition and excited to welcome five extremely talented choreographers and the extraordinary talents of the students of the Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet. 

The 15th Annual Winning Works is presented by The Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet March 14-23 at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago’s Edlis Neeson Theater, 220 East Chicago Avenue. Tickets are $35 at joffrey.org or by clicking the company link below.