CHICAGO— River North Dance Chicago, critically acclaimed for their athletic, sensual and dynamic repertoire, unveils two world premieres and invites audiences to discover what "Love is…" at the company's Valentine's Weekend Engagement at the Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph Dr., Feb. 10 — 12.
Following the Saturday evening performance RNDC will host the first ever "Love is…Celebration," a special post-show party where guests will enjoy delicious artisan dessert and decadent drink pairings — each sweet and drink duet is perfectly partnered with a dance piece from the evening's program. Set in the "Love is…Lounge" on the second floor lobby of the Harris Theater, the festive party will be an opportunity for audience members to mingle with the RNDC dancers. "Love is…Celebration" party tickets are $25 and can be purchased with the performance tickets from the Harris Theater at harristheaterchicago.org or by calling the box office at 312-334-7777. Jewell Events Catering and Hall's Rental are the official "Love is...Celebration" Event Partners.
Pairings include:
- Contact-Me / Italian Hazelnut Biscotti paired with Starbucks Coffee Liquor
- The Good Goodbyes / Peanut Butter Truffles paired with Lindemans Framboise
- Sentir em Nos / Malted Milk Cookies paired with Christian Brothers Honey Liquor
- Risoluta / Dark Chocolate Strawberries paired with J Brut Rose
- Ella / Cashew CaramELLA Clusters paired with Southern Tier Choklat Stout
- Al Sur Del Sur / Dark Chocolate Alfajores paired with Catena Malbec
River North Dance Chicago's "Love is…" Valentine's Weekend Engagement will take place Friday, Feb. 10 and Saturday, Feb. 11 at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 12 at 3 p.m. Tickets to the Harris Theater engagement are $30-$75 and are available at harristheaterchicago.org or by calling the box office at 312-334-7777. JFS Realty Capital is the official "Love is…" engagement sponsor.
The red hot line-up for the weekend engagement features "Contact-Me," a World Premiere by Mauro Astolfi, Artistic Director of Italy's premier Spellbound Dance Company. Astolfi's athletic, emotive and contemporary style is illustrated in his new work created specifically for RNDC. "Contact-Me" is Astolfi's first U.S. commission and displays his distinct vision of developing works that equally embody pure gestural expressiveness, masterfully combined with classical and contemporary techniques. Astolfi utilizes the dancer's lithe bodies to create shifting geometries through space with equal amounts of athleticism, sensuality and elegance — perfectly aligned with RNDC's signature characteristics. The piece features four men and four women relying on immense physical contact and the fluid intertwining of bodies as well as a unique and innovative vocabulary of movement.
"I was immediately drawn to the design of his work and the incredible connections he was creating between the dancers," said Chaves. "We hit it off and felt an instant connection, kindred spirits, and felt that he and River North would be a perfect match. His work has a very contemporary vibe full of sensuality and passion, an ideal fit for River North, and a great way to stretch the dancers and expand the repertoire."
The name for this creation was born from Astolfi's desire to exploit every possible touch or connection between two bodies and translate that to the stage. The dance is a search for a language more intimate than verbal — one that is fast but profound with an internal dynamic. "Contact-Me" strives to describe the countless and varied ways to stay close to someone, even without touching, or perhaps sometimes by sharing a space or an emotion. The movement is boldly enhanced by the music which features two different European composers including London-based electronic composer Jon Hopkins and Italian composer and cellist Giovanni Sollima. The music is atmospheric, driving and melodic, gorgeously rich, passionate and emotional — perfectly paired with Astolfi's choreography.
A second RNDC world premiere partners Chaves' original choreography with heralded conductor, classical pianist and Artistic Director of the Chicago Children's Choir, Josephine Lee, who composed an original piano suite for his new work. "The Good Goodbyes" is comprised of three movements designed for five women and two men. The first section is full ensemble, the second showcases Chaves' first male duet and the third section picks up from the duet and plays on the theme of two for the entire cast. Lee will perform the work live, onstage, for the Friday and Sunday performances.
Inspired by the classical-meets-contemporary music Lee scored, this piece portrays the intimate but often short-lived relationships that often blossom within the dance community — whether dancer and dancer, dancer and choreographer or dancer and audience. There are always goodbyes as careers in this profession do not last forever, and this piece celebrates those relationships and the many "good goodbyes" experienced. Audiences experience the lighter side of these goodbyes in the first and third movements illustrated through the playful and joyful ensembles, trios and quartets. The differentiating theme of the dynamic male duet is that there is a somewhat mysterious sadness in this particular goodbye.
"I've had an ongoing love affair with the piano for most of my creative life, and have longed to create something beautiful to a piano piece exploring movement with very personal significance to myself and the dancers," commented Chaves. "Josephine's score feels very hopeful, and creates the desire in me to show this intimate part of our lives."
Additional selections from RNDC's acclaimed repertoire include:
- RNDC's Lauren Kias will revive her critically acclaimed performance from "Ella" — the bravura solo which celebrates the scat vocals of Ella Fitzgerald choreographed by Robert Battle, Artistic Director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Set to Fitzgerald's "Airmail Special," the solo charges Kias with replicating the quicksilver finesse of Fitzgerald's scat phrases with constantly evolving jazzy moves. The Chicago Tribune raved, " the score is…a scat amalgamating various songs, phrases and notes, and Kias echoes the vocals with an elaborate catalogue including spinning forearms, swoops, cartwheel-like exercises and one spectacular collapse to the floor."
- The revival of "Risoluta" by sought-after contemporary choreographer Sidra Bell. Characterized by her signature movement vocabulary and sensuous duets, Bell's "Risoluta" illustrates an enigmatic world filled with personas that engage in an atmosphere resembling a subterranean ball. The piece features nine dancers, four women and five men, and is set to an original composition by her father, acclaimed jazz pianist and composer Dennis Bell featuring saxophonist Casey Benjamin. Upon its premiere in fall 2011, The Chicago Reader raved that, "with its taut limbs, alert torsos, and icy stares, Risoluta is a kind of feral mixer."
- "Sentir em Nos" ( Even for Us ) is a signature style duet by Chaves, which explores a torrid affair set to the powerful music of Tuscan tenor Andrea Bocelli and Dulce Pontes. The duet sets the stage for a dramatic look inside a tumultuous relationship between a man and a woman, with sweeping red drapes and a flowing gown designed by Jordan Ross. As with the other duets Chaves has choreographed for the company, Sentir em Nos combines highly skilled and demanding partner work with an emotional story for a passionate performance.
- "Al Sur Del Sur" ( South of the South ) features a suite of tangos showcasing 11 dancers in five movements choreographed by internationally celebrated Argentinean tango stars Sabrina and Ruben Veliz. The piece is set to selections "Duo De Amor," "Eduardo y Juliana" and "Vuelvo Al Sur" by acclaimed Argentine tango composer Ástor Piazzolla, as well as other selections, including "Ma y Pa" by Roberto Alvarez, "A La Sombra Del Fueye" by Victor Lavallen and "Pavadita" by A. Aieta.
About River North Dance Chicago
Celebrated for creating vital connections between dancer and audience as well as presenting gutsy and entertaining repertoire, River North Dance Chicago presents dynamic works that combine athletic prowess and artistic perspective with bold, theatrical flair. RNDC was founded in 1989 and has since grown to become an internationally acclaimed company that embodies a true flavor of "Americana" in its versatile repertoire. Under the artistic direction of Frank Chaves, RNDC demonstrates depth and sophistication with a commitment to creating an accessible, enriching experience for audiences. Chaves aims for audiences to feel the complete spectrum of human emotions in a single evening, and leaves them feeling joyful and exhilarated at the end of each program. The Chicago Sun Times raved "this company has been dancing brilliantly for many seasons, but it rarely has looked better."
River North Dance Chicago has an eclectic, dynamic, jazz-based contemporary repertoire. Core works by Artistic Director Frank Chaves are augmented with an array of pieces by nationally and internationally renowned choreographers. The company has acquired and commissioned original works by Robert Battle, Lauri Stallings, Sidra Bell, Sabrina and Ruben Veliz, Daniel Ezralow, Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Ashley Roland, Randy Duncan, Julia Rhoads, Harrison McEldowney, Kevin Iega Jeff, and former Co-Artistic Director Sherry Zunker, among others. RNDC participated in the IV International Ballet Festival in Cali, Columbia in 2010, the Busan International Dance Festival in Korea in June 2011, and toured to Germany and Switzerland on an 11-city tour Fall 2011, and in Spring 2012 embarks on a month long tour in Russia.
The company has been the subject of three WTTW Channel 11 Chicago television specials, produced and directed by Emmy Award-winning HMS Video. The specials, Reality of a Dreamer, River North Rising, and 2009's Every Dancer Has a Story, have each garnered a Midwest Emmy Award.
In 2009, Gail Kalver, revered dance and arts management professional and longtime Executive Director of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, was named the Executive Director of RNDC.
