There is a connection between still and live art, and Still Inspired: Connections is an evening of dance that explores that connection. Four choreographers each select a piece of art from a Chicago based visual artist to serve as the inspiration for a new choreographic work. Now in its fourth season of production, Still Inspired: Connections presents an evening of dance exploring the work of Sergio Gomez. For co-producer and presenting choreographer, Laura Thurston, the visual impact of Gomez's work led her on a choreographic journey that led to reflections on her life and those of her cast of dancers. Join DancerMusic's Kristi Licera as we PRE-View the premiere of Laura's upcoming work, Debate:
With the release of choreographer Ela Olarte's "Benign", DancerMusic is launching two new series. First is our new Press_Play feature, where we'll be bringing you new and necessary digital releases in both dance and music. In addition, this look at Olarte's excellent second dance film also begins our coverage of the new and promising world we like to call Dance Cinema. And what a great way to start -- just press the More button to walk into the brightly imagined world of Ela Olarte.
Esoteric Dance Project recently celebrated the culmination of their seventh season at Hamlin Park Field House Theater in their evening length production, TEN. The program included three premieres by choreographer spouses and co-Artistic Directors Brenna Pierson-Tucker and Christopher Tucker. If you missed your chance to see the show, join DancerMusic's Kristi Licera as she looks back in this RE-View:
There’s nothing like a good get-together with friends, especially around the holidays. You never know what can happen at these gatherings, and we are certainly curious to know what will happen when the dance artists known as The Cambrians present Chicago Dances, a special gathering of their own running December 14-18 at Hairpin Studios. DancerMusic’s Kristi Licera recently ran into Noelle Kayser, and could not help but get the inside scoop on this collaborative evening of original works:
As a costume designer, Alex Gordon is increasingly in demand, and the insights he shares with us here about his work for Deeply Rooted Dance Theater show why. It may be just because he is a gifted designer, or it may have much to do with the depth of his perspective as choreographer and performer. In any case, his in-depth thoughts about of the art of costume design offer a rare look into one of the most important and least understood details of successful concert dance.
Deeply Rooted Dance Theater celebrates the end of this monumental season with three performances of Deeply Free: 20th Anniversary Finale - December 8-10 at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts in Chicago. The program features company classics such as Church of Nations, Desire, Surrender, as well as the premiere of INDUMBA, choreographed by South African guest artist Fana Tshabalala. I am blessed to be in this space. They are not just dancers, they are human. This week, DancerMusic's Kristi Licera got a chance to talk to Fana about INDUMBA and his experience with Deeply Rooted. He started off by
Deeply Rooted Dance Theater's Deeply Free performances will include works from two of the artists most closely associated with Deeply Rooted's accomplishments, Dance Education Director Nicole Clarke-Springer's "Femme" and Associate Artistic Director Gary Abbott's "Desire". Here are four closer looks at moments from each of these pieces, with thoughts from the choreographers ---
Ballet Hispánico will be at The Apollo Theater on December 1st and 2nd, and DancerMusic reached out to Ballet Hispánico's Diana Winfree to find out some more about the Apollo Performances, about Ballet Hispánico, and about some of the works in the program. Here's what she told us ---
Deeply Rooted Dance Theater is celebrating their 20th Anniversary with a series of concerts entitled Deeply Free (December 8th, 9th and 10th at Chicago's Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts). The Company was founded in 1995 and first performed in 1996, building year after year into what they are now: a widely traveled and even more widely admired Dance Company. DancerMusic begins its coverage of "Deeply Free" by asking Deeply Rooted's Artistic Director and co-founder Kevin Iega Jeff to tell us a little more about Deeply Rooted and about their upcoming performances ...
Charlie Cutler is emblematic of many of the secret ingredients in the Crash recipe. Like the Company he cofounded, he knows the art from the inside, but can always see it clearly from the outside. That way, the road stays open in both directions. A fifteen year progression of careful, thoughtful artists have found a place to imagine in detail, and create in multi-dimensions. For those same fifteen years, audiences have found a place to see what those artists created in a context that never forgets what it looks like and feels like from the audience. Here are 4PHOTOS from the past and future story of Chicago Dance Crash ---