HUBBARD STREET DANCE CHICAGO CELEBRATES 35th ANNIVERSARY WITH A SEASON TO REMEMBER!

LANDMARK SEASON TO FEATURE A FULL-LENGTH WORLD PREMIERE BY ALEJANDRO CERRUDO, A GROUNDBREAKING COLLABORATION WITH ALONZO KING AND LINES BALLET, AND A COMPANY PREMIERE BY MATS EK

CHICAGO – April 9, 2012 – Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, led by Artistic Director Glenn Edgerton, announces its landmark 35th Anniversary Season, unveiling a year of premieres and audience favorites back by popular demand; the second annual danc(e)volve: New Works Festival at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago offering an intimate program of new works by promising choreographers; as well as touring and innovative collaborations with cultural partners in the city and around the country. The 2012-2013 season also marks Hubbard Street 2’s 15th Anniversary.

“For the main company’s 35th Anniversary and Hubbard Street 2’s 15th Anniversary Season I feel it is important to focus on our future of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago,” notes Hubbard Street Artistic Director Glenn Edgerton. “To celebrate this milestone, I have asked Resident Choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo to create a full evening work inspired by Marc Chagall’s America Windows. We have watched Alejandro develop as a choreographer, from Lickety-Split [2006] to his most recent success, Little mortal jump [2012]. I believe that Alejandro is the right choreographer to start this anniversary season –a momentous year in our history.”  Read the rest of this entry »

Darren Criss (#4) with Team StarKid

With our criteria shifted back to artistic accomplishment in theater, dance, comedy and opera this year, our task got infinitely tougher. Because while the number of performing venues grows at a steady rate, the increase in the number of noteworthy artists seems to grow exponentially. For everyone we name on the list below, we had to leave off five, an embarrassment of riches for Chicago. We made a conscious effort to introduce a meaningful number of new faces to the list this year; the necessary absences should not be construed as a loss of worthiness as a consequence. We often find trends when we do the research these lists require; this year we’re starting to see a more meaningful effort to redefine performance itself in the internet age, from the runaway success of StarKids, to the more calculated endeavors of Silk Road. So what defines a “player”? Consider it some complex stew of career achievement, recent “heat” and, in some cases, rising stardom.

Written by Zach Freeman, Brian Hieggelke, Sharon Hoyer and Dennis Polkow

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Here’s the press release from Harris Theater:

HARRIS THEATER FOR MUSIC AND DANCE LAUNCHES FALL 2011 SEASON, PACKED WITH PREMIERES AND DEBUTS BY THE CITY’S MOST ACCLAIMED MUSIC AND DANCE ORGANIZATIONS AND WORLD-RENOWNED ARTISTS AND ENSEMBLES

Highlights of the Harris’ eighth season include the final Chicago appearances of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company; the Harris Theater debuts of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and Eroica Trio; the return of the nationally acclaimed Sphinx Virtuosi; and a solo performance by Broadway’s original Dreamgirl Jennifer Holliday

The Harris Theater is pleased to announce that UBS is serving as the 2011-2012 Season Sponsor. Read the rest of this entry »

Photo: Todd Rosenberg

Hubbard Street’s Spring Program bursts with fresh material, showcasing the versatility and talent of the company. The program includes a world premiere by rehearsal director Terence Marling, punnily entitled “At’em (Atem) Adam”—references to the colloquialism “up and…”, the German word for breath and the Biblical first man. Marling provided the outline for the piece, but freed his cast to invent specific movements. His inviting score is comprised of music by Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Edgar Meyer, amongst others.

The evening opens with a much-anticipated world premiere by the very gifted Alejandro Cerrudo—Hubbard Street’s first choreographic fellow—set to a piano transcription of Philip Glass’ opera “Orphee.” The piece was created for Hubbard Street 2—the company’s junior-varsity league, comprised of dancers between the ages of 17 and 25. Cerrudo’s new work explores contrasts of darkness and light, with emphasis on partnering work of the HS2 dancers. Read the rest of this entry »

RECOMMENDED

Certainly nothing compares to a Hubbard Street Dance premiere, but this year’s Winter Series is doing everything it can to top itself. When this fantastically dexterous beast of a company crawls onto this Harris Theater stage this month, it will dig into its pocket to bring with it some of its most dynamic work. It is hard to decide what to get the most excited about. We can be thankful the company will bring back Israeli choreographer Ohand Naharin’s “Tabula Rasa.” Smooth and technical and melancholy and dynamic, there is a reason Naharin is one of the most respected dance makers in the world. Quickly taking his own place on that list is Hubbard Street’s own Alejandro Cerrudo. His “Off Screen” is a testament to his deliciously wiggly aesthetic. But more important, it is a testament to his ability to make us laugh. Johan Inger’s “Walking Mad” will continue that smile’s creep across your face. Set to Ravel’s  ”Boléro,” this theatrical piece elicits laughs and audible gasps out of the audience every time. Apparently Hubbard Street knows that as the dark days of a Chicago winter approach, we all need a little something we can smile about. (William Scott)

At the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph (312)334-7777. December 3-6; Thursday at 7:30pm, Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 3pm. $25-$90.

RECOMMENDED

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago begins its first season under Artistic Director Glenn Edgerton, who gets right to business leaving his mark on the company’s repertoire with the world premiere of a work by Finnish choreographer Jormo Elo set to music by Mendelssohn and Monteverdi.  Also on the docket is the return of  audience favorite “Jardi Tancat” by Nacho Duato.  The evening continues with Hubbard Street’s Associate Artistic Director Lucas Crandall’s “The Set,” a quirky love story featuring three dancers and a divan.  No evening at Hubbard Street would be complete without a work by resident choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo.  The young dance maker’s “Lickety-Split” is a sensual ride that embodies what is fresh about Cerrudo’s brand of movement.  While this may not be the most daring program of the season (stay tuned for more exciting premieres), it does offer a pretty accurate survey of just what makes Hubbard Street hot. (William Scott)

At the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph (312)334-7777. October 1-4; Thursday at 7:30, Friday at 8, Sat at 8 and Sun at 3pm. $25-$90.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, whose current artistic director Jim Vincent is leaving to take the helm at Nederlands Dans Theater, has appointed Glenn Edgerton, a former artistic director of the same Dutch company to take his place. And if you’re wondering what’s so great about about NDT, it just so happens that they’re performing in Chicago next week at Auditorium Theatre.

Here’s the press release from Hubbard Street:

GLENN EDGERTON APPOINTED AS THE THIRD ARTISTIC DIRECTOR IN HUBBARD STREET DANCE CHICAGO’S 32-YEAR HISTORY

Nation’s Foremost Contemporary Dance Repertory Company to be led by Former Artistic Director of Nederlands Dans Theater I

CHICAGO – June 10, 2009 – Today, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (HSDC) announced the appointment of internationally renowned artistic leader and dancer, Glenn Edgerton, to the role of artistic director.  Edgerton’s appointment results from an international search conducted by the board during the last several months following the announcement of the departure this summer of Jim Vincent, HSDC’s artistic director of nine years.

Edgerton, 49, brings over 30 years of experience working with the great dance institutions of the world including the Nederlands Dans Theater, The Colburn School of Performing Arts and The Joffrey Ballet. Read the rest of this entry »

RECOMMENDED

Hats off to Hubbard Street for adding a Summer program to their season. Now that the Midwest has finally thawed, folks are venturing out, calling in, cooking out and—I hope—getting out to see some dance. And this is the month for it people—starting with Chicago’s best-known contemporary dance company, which presents three strong works this weekend. “Slipstream,” a new work by Hubbard Street artistic director Jim Vincent, moves across the stage in elegant waves and eddies, riding the strings in Benjamin Britten’s “Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge.” In contrast, the revival of Nacho Duato’s “Gnawa” surges and heaves in tribal ensemble movements; slithers, entwines and blossoms in an organic, hypnotic duet. The Summer Series also provides a second opportunity to see Alejandro Cerrudo’s extremely appealing “Extremely Close;” the clean lines, black-and-white mise en scene and downright sexy pas de deux make Cerrudo’s work accessible yet gracefully sophisticated. (Sharon Hoyer)

At the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph (312)334-7777. June 4-7; Thurs at 7:30, Friday at 6:30, Sat at 8 and Sun at 3pm. $25-$86.

Here’s the press release from Harris Theater:

MIKHAIL BARYSHNIKOV, LANG LANG, CHRISTOPH ESCHENBACH, STEPHEN SONDHEIM, EVELYN GLENNIE AND KATHLEEN BATTLE HEADLINE HARRIS THEATER FOR MUSIC AND DANCE 2009-2010 HARRIS THEATER PRESENTS SEASON

SIXTH SEASON AT THE HARRIS FEATURES CHICAGO PREMIERES, HARRIS THEATER DEBUTS AND EXTRAORDINARY ARTISTS

SUBSCRIPTION AND TICKET PRICES REDUCED

CHICAGO, May 6, 2009 – The Harris Theater for Music and Dance today announced its Harris Theater Presents 2009-2010 season.  The schedule of Harris Theater Presents events features nine programs, a remarkable thirteen Chicago premieres and includes an impressive and diverse selection of music, dance and conversation by internationally acclaimed artists and ensembles. Highlights of the Harris Theater Presents 2009-2010 season include a rare opportunity to see Mikhail Baryshnikov in a solo dance performance, an evening of insight with the “Master of the Musical,” Stephen Sondheim, the Harris debut of Lang Lang under the baton of his mentor Maestro Christoph Eschenbach, the Chicago premiere of Orquestra de São Paulo with virtuoso percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie, Kathleen Battle’s unusual program of holiday spirituals, and much more. Read the rest of this entry »

Photo: Todd Rosenberg

RECOMMENDED

Hubbard Street offers a diverse palate this weekend, with revivals and premiere pieces ranging from the elegant to the primal. In the former category, place the revival of Artistic Director Jim Vincent’s “counter/part,” a blithe roundel that playfully weaves classically inspired choreography into Bach’s contrapuntal tapestry, and Danny Ezralow’s “SF/LB,” which matches Bernstein’s score in stylish, urbane theatricality. In the latter belongs the Chicago premiere of Andrea Miller’s “Blush”—fierce, passionate, with grey-and-leather uniformed costuming and a rock score that evoke a post-industrial landscape, leaving plenty of space on stage for flushed emotions to reach the boiling point. Rising star Alejandro Cerrudo’s “Off Screen” will be performed for the first time; the preview clips reinforce Cerrudo’s fast-growing reputation for soulful, fluidly sensitive choreography. Also on the program is a revival of Lucas Crandall’s fun, stompy, be-booted “Gimmie.” (Sharon Hoyer)

At the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph (312)850-9744. April 1 & 2 at 7:30pm, April 3 & 4 at 8pm and Sunday, April 5 at 3pm. $25-86.