Sometimes walking out of a dance concert leaves you feeling as if dancers are divinely endowed creatures with natures, qualities and abilities that set them far apart from not only “the rest of us”, but also from all other artists. Those feelings were surging like hurricane force winds at the end of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s Spring program, Of Joy, at the Harris Theater Friday night. So many of the things that elevate and accentuate dance excellence converged during the performance that the audience found itself swept away by its power.
Since Lou Conte, a Broadway dancer with Downstate roots, formed Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in 1977 to perform in senior centers; the company’s gone on to become renowned around the world for its spirit of zing along with its unerring devotion to razor sharp precision. As the company matured, it’s style of dance and choice of repertoire expanded beyond Broadway to encompass other dance expressions that included jazz, contemporary, experimental and; especially through its affiliations with Nederlands DansTheater (NDT) in the 1990s, European influences. When Conte relinquished his leadership of the company in 2000, it was an alumnus of NDT, Jim Vincent, who succeeded him. Although the dance traditions that defined the company were never severed, audiences during Vincent’s tenure found it difficult to see what made Hubbard Street different from other noted dance companies. A search for a fresh vision in 2021 resulted in the first woman and the first person of color stepping into the role of Artistic Director. A former dancer with Hubbard Street, as well as having enjoyed an exemplary dance career with Alvin Ailey, Linda Denise Fisher-Harrell’s goal is now to reveal the creative riches that can be reaped from partnering dance virtuosity with artistic inclusion.
Judging from the body of dances presented in Of Joy, the results seem to be exceeding expectations. Selecting the work of four master class choreographers from diverse backgrounds and presenting different themes on a common stage proved a delightful opportunity to showcase the breadth of the company’s capabilities. And although it was the task of the Hubbard Street’s 14 dancers to interpret each choreographer’s story, they often had a say in how that would be done.
From the moment the curtain rose on Maria Torres’ Echoes of Our Ancestors (2024), the impact of those collaborations couldn’t have been more explosive or more thoroughly rewarding. A full company piece, saturated with the vibrant colors of the Caribbean and Latin America thanks to Luis Razo’s radiant costumes, it went far beyond merely celebrating heritage. Echoes of Our Ancestors, bolstered by Philip Hamilton’s sizzling score and the skill of those 14 magnificent dancers, exalts in it. African percussion could often be found woven into rhythms that set the dancers’ feet blazing in samba and salsa. Scarfs, color, rhythm, speed and breathtaking solos and duets became watchwords for a work that seemed bent on intoxicating the audience with wonder. Given the company’s steadfast regard for dance quality, that the level of dance was so high should not have been surprising. Still, perfection has the tendency to dazzle and Abdiel Figueroa Reyes and Cyrie Topete, along with their colleagues, left the hall slack-jawed with the singularity of their prowess.
Much more contained but no less exciting, Kyle Abraham’s Show Pony (2018) exists in some undefined future. A single figure on a dark stage and clad in a golden body suit moves to the rapid rat-tat-tat of Jlin’s entrancing electronic music. Through the dance, you eventually detect personality emerge until it’s the dancer’s inner confidence, as well as his remarkable skill, that you most note about the piece. Confidence gives way to sass and more than a touch of swagger rises to the surface as the dance progresses. Created by Abraham with Hubbard Street dancer Alysia Johnson; and now a part of the company’s repertoire, Show Pony’s an intriguing piece. It’s made all the more mysterious and captivating in this program by Dan Scully’s lighting that flashed from feverish to mute in an instant. Wonderfully danced Friday evening by Aaron Choate, who was also splendid in Echoes of Our Ancestors, it’s a work that gives more and more every time you see it.
Created by Aszure Barton, A Duo’s another new piece designed for Hubbard Street. Taking you places and arousing emotions that initially read as unfamiliar, the work proved revelatory in the way it seemed to open new vistas of sensory exploration. Two people, hunched and worn, walk slumped to the back of the stage in total silence. As the music begins, and through the language of dance, a beautiful diorama unfolds that reenforces the criticality of connection and human interdependence. There’s a far east Asian sensibility that enhances the piece by emphasizing the universality of our humanity. It also gives the dancers’ movements space to explore cultural touchstones we’re not accustomed to seeing on western stages. Here too, lighting plays an essential role in showcasing what it means to act alone and to act together as one. Nicole Pearce’s lighting design was exquisite as were the performances of the duo themselves, Shota Miyoshi and Cyrie Topete.
More theatrical than the other dances that preceded it, IMPASSE begins modestly before growing into something consequential and stunning. Conceived and developed by Swedish choreographer Johan Inger in 2020, you can see the themes of isolation and peer pressure it seeks to express. But there’s also so much more that’s being telegraphed in this very clever, often humorous and thoroughly original work. An unmistakable optimism breaks through and, as the dance grows, there’s a madcap quality that takes hold. Just when you think it’s about to end, it reignites to extend its fantastic adventure. A person who sees pictures spring to his mind when he hears music, the ones Inger portrays in IMPASSE are often slightly mischievous and unmistakably playful. The dance itself is a kaleidoscopic feast of movement, challenging the eye to keep pace with the marvels covering the stage. Even using the curtain as a theatrical device, IMPASSE shuns standard notions of convention to project a final sense of profound uplift. And along with the suite of dances preceding it, it proves Inger completely correct when he says “dancers can do anything”. Cementing for them a very special place in our cultural universe.
Of Joy
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
May 17-19, 2024
Harris Theater for Music and Dance
205 E. Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60601