The Chicago Human Rhythm Project celebrates the international repertory of tap dance with Global Rhythms 2, a two-week program of performances and special events in which the CHRP will showcase several creative partners. Global Rhythms 2 opens Nov. 17 at the Museum of Contemporary Art with Jubalee! Espana, which will feature the North American premiere of BoomBach, as performed by TAPEPLAS ( LEFT ) , a contemporary tap and percussive dance troupe from Barcelona, Spain. TAPEPLAS performs at the MCA on Nov. 18 and 19. Global Rhythms 2 moves to the Harris Theater for Music and Dance on Nov. 24 and 25 with a return visit by Sheketak ( RIGHT ) , an Israeli company that combines dance, body percussion, tap, hip-hop and live music. ( FAR RIGHT ) Sheketak ( Global Rhythms 2 ) .
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We are a week late in bringing you November news of Chicago dance events. We hope you will forgive us; we were so busy last week hacking into voting machines, stuffing ballot boxes, delaying vote counts, etc., in the great Chicago tradition of seasonal Chicago sporting activities. In any case, we are in a relatively quiet month as performers of all stripes—dance, theater and music—prepare for the onslaught of holiday shows that begin in earnest on Thanksgiving weekend. Before then, there are two major engagements on the dance card, each rather festive in its own right.
The Chicago Human Rhythm Project ( CHRP ) celebrates the international repertory of tap dance with Global Rhythms 2, a two-week program of performances and special events in which the CHRP will showcase several creative partners. Global Rhythms 2 opens Nov. 17 at the Museum of Contemporary Art with Jubalee! Espana, which will feature the North American premiere of BoomBach, as performed by TAPEPLAS, a contemporary tap and percussive dance troupe from Barcelona, Spain. The evening, which is a benefit for CHRP, also features the world premiere of Charlie's Angels: A Tribute to Charlie Parker, choreographed by Emmy Award winner Jason Samuels Smith. Tickets are $125-$225, including cocktails and Wolfgang Puck hors d'oeuvres; 773-281-1825.
TAPEPLAS performs at the MCA on Nov. 18 and 19 as well, sharing the bill with another Jason Samuels Smith work, an excerpt from his India Jazz Suites, a collaboration with Pandit Chitresh Das. The Smith-Das piece combines tap and kathak, a type of Northern Indian dance. Tickets for these non-benefit shows are $24, minus the food and drink of course; 312-397-4010.
Global Rhythms 2 moves to the Harris Theater for Music and Dance on Nov. 24 and 25 with a return visit by Sheketak, an Israeli company that combines dance, body percussion ( and you thought two bodies just went squish-squish ) , tap, hip-hop and live music. The Sheketak is as-yet-unnamed, but will be another CHRP North American premiere. The 15-member Sheketak troupe has been described as Israel's answer to Stomp. Tickets: $15-$55; 312-334-7777. FYI: Half of the ticket proceeds from the Thanksgiving weekend performances will be donated to charity, with each patron selecting the recipient of his/her ticket donation from a set list. Among the possible choices are Bonaventure House, American Cancer Society, Friends of the River, Teen Living Programs, Victory Gardens Theater and Chicago Public Radio.
Meanwhile, just about every other dancer and choreographer in town will be found over at the Athenaeum Theatre this month, as Dance Chicago 2006 continues its five-week run. Week three features the conclusion of the New Moves Festival with Nov. 17-18 Director's Choice programs selected by Dance Chicago artistic director John Schmitz. Each evening will offer a different range of dancers and choreographers in the best of this year's new work; $20.
Week four of Dance Chicago 2006 focuses on Jazz Fusion, with Nov. 24-26 performances of hot, passionate jazz, tap, hip-hop and contemporary fusion works; $20. Scattered through week four and into week five is one of the most popular annual program sets in the Dance Chicago line-up, the Dance Slam, in which dancers and choreographers give the audience their best five minutes, and the audience decides the winners. The preliminary Dance Slam rounds are Nov. 21 and 27; $7. The winners from the prelims go on to the Dance Slam final, Nov. 28, at which expert judges will pick the grand champs from among the audience choices; $15.
Dance Chicago 2006 also will offer matinee programs designed to enchant kids on Nov. 18 and 25 and Dec. 2; adults $15, kids 12 and under $5.
Info for all Dance Chicago 2006 programs: www.dancechicago.com . Individual tickets through Ticketmaster, 312-902-1500.
The beautifully restored Paramount Theatre in Aurora frequently offers top dance attractions, and generally for less than you'd pay to see similar work at a Downtown theater. Nov. 18, for example, the Paramount offers Forever Tango, the hugely popular display of sensual Argentinean dance and musical artistry that's been touring for years, and still is just about the sexiest thing you'll find with clothes on; $31.50-$51.50. Then, Dec. 1-3, the Paramount offers the current tour of Stomp, the wordless work that makes percussive dance out of match boxes, garbage cans and even the kitchen sink, literally. Why not see Stomp and Sheketak—'Israel's' answer to Stomp'—and compare; $34.50-$47.50; 630-896-6666.
NOTE: The Nov. 29 and Dec. 6 issues of the Windy City Times will focus on the Holiday Season, and our arts columns will do likewise. Our Nov. 29 Measure for Measure music column will be devoted to music for the Holiday Season ( there's a lot of it ) . On Dec. 6, we'll combine Stage Door Jonny and Dancin' Feats to preview Holiday Season theater and dance ( there's even more! ) .
