This month, dance throughout Chicago explores themes of a more personal nature. Dances that look at relationships, partnerships and self-identity abound. The intimacy of subject lends itself to the more intimate settings these highlighted artists are presenting in, allowing the audience to experience the movement at a deeper level. Check out these happenings in the Chicago dance scene!
Cindy Brandle Dance Company ( CBDC ) celebrates its fifth anniversary—and Chicago farewell—with the evening-length concert The Relationship Project at Hamlin Park Field house. Choreographed by Artistic Director Cindy Brandle in collaboration with the dancers, this piece explores the various stages of relationships. Brandle uses idea of negotiating personal relations in order to engage in a larger global exchange, and conveys these thoughts through movement described as vigorous, passionate and athletic. The Relationship Project features the music of Joan Jeanrenaud and Zoe Keating. The company's time in Chicago will be remembered by a retrospective video of the past five years of CBDC in a pre performance showing.
Cindy Brandle Dance Company presents the second weekend of The Relationship Project Thursday-Friday, June 10-11, at 7:30 p.m. at Hamlin Park Theatre, 3035 N. Hoyne. Tickets are $15, $12 for students; visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/109506, or be at the door with cash or check. For more information, call 773-509-1709.
Chicago Choreographer Dmitri Peskov presents his first independent engagement with the premiere Of Fleeting Things at Links Hall. Described as a dance suite, this piece consists of seven short vignettes that explore life's ephemeral nature through the story of two opposing characters. One, played by dancer Paul Christiano, is anxious, insecure, and unable to communicate. The other, played by Peskov, is meditative, spiritual and self-reflective. Peskov begins in darkness but ends in light, while Christiano's character begins in comedy and ends in tragedy.
Peskov strives to create and present evocative, thought-provoking theatrical movement inspired by literature, music, visual arts and philosophy "Dance happens the moment a performer steps on stage; thus all dance, whether dramatic or abstract, can be said to be of fleeting things," notes Peskov. "Life itself consists of fleeting things. Suffering, beauty, prayer, meditation, the follies of human relationships—all pass and all end. We only feel immortal when we experience a profound erotic love, and by erotic I do not mean merely sexual."
Dmitri Peskov Dance Theatre premieres Of Fleeting Things Friday-Saturday, June 11-12, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, June 13, at 7 p.m. at Links Hall, 3435 N. Sheffield. Tickets are $15—18 and $12 for students, and are available at www.LinksHall.org or 773-281-0824. For more information, visit www.dmitripeskov.com .
Deeply Rooted Dance Theater exists to create world-class African-American dance theater that is innovative, thought-provoking and passionate. They kick off their 15th anniversary year with a performance featuring a world premiere and company repertoire Deeply Rooted Artistic Director Kevin Iega Jeff will premiere I Am Deeply Rooted, featuring music by Mahalia Jackson, Roger Eno and Drums Over Miami. Jeff explains the intention behind the piece, "We're blessed to have people in our lives who support our talents, dreams and aspirations, unsung heroes who help to make us possible, There are also heroes we each admire from afar, 'sung' heroes loved the world over. These powerfully rooted and intuitive connections help shape Deeply Rooted's process and remain vital to ensuring our sustainability. I Am Deeply Rooted is a celebration of that intimately rich continuum."
Associate Artistic Director Gary Abbott's recent work 53 Inhale ( 2009 ) , with music by Nico Muhly, explores "images from a middle-aged choreographer, taking a deep breath, preparing for the rest of a creative career," according to Abbott. The program also includes Jeff's Nia Keii…A Gift of Life ( 1982 ) , depicting nature's elements in fluid expression, set to music by Joe Sample; Jeff's Flack ( 1984 ) , a portrait of strife, despair and ultimate triumph within a community at odds with itself, set to music by Roberta Flack, Quincy Jones and Donny Hathaway; and Abbott's Desire ( 1994 ) , which portrays the primal urge of attraction, set to music by Hans Zimmer, Geoff McCormack and Simon Goldberg.
Preceding the performance is a VIP reception at the Blackstone Hotel, featuring refreshments and the unveiling of I Am Deeply Rooted, a coffee table book of DRDT's history in photography by Ken Carl. Guests will receive an autographed DRDT photo and a DVD with a trailer of MOVE, a documentary about DRDT by award-winning filmmaker Theodore Collatos, which will be released during the 15th anniversary year. Collatos works in both dramatic and documentary forms; his work has been seen on PBS and the Independent Film Channel as well as at the Cannes Film Festival and other national and international festivals around the world.
Deeply Rooted Dance Theater presents its 15th-anniversary concert Thursday, June 24, at 7:30 p.m. at the Merle Reskin Theatre, 60 E. Balbo. Tickets are $25—55, $125 with the pre-performance benefit reception, which begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Blackstone Hotel, 636 S. Michigan. Tickets are available at 312-922-1999 or www.deeplyrootedproductions.org .
