Dance in Review

Displaying items by tag: Harris Theatre

Giordano Dance Chicago (GDC) has been an integral part of Chicago’s performing arts community for 60 years – more than a half century of bringing groundbreaking commissions, instruction, outreach and (most of all) performances to Chicago and audiences worldwide. This year they are celebrating that 60th anniversary with Season 60: Catch the Light, Feel the Radiance, Celebrate Giordano, a series of four performances over 2022/2023. This second work in the series was performed March 31 and April 1 at the Harris Theatre. In October 2022 I reviewed the initial production; it was absolutely spectacular. To my amazement, this second program was as good if not better!  

The company of dancers in GDC is extensive so I won’t name them – a full directory with bios is available on the website.

The organization of this production was ingenious, filling the ‘dead time’ between performances with videos where GDC directors and choreographers discuss the preparations for Season 60: Celebrate Giordano.  The first video, “The Magic of Giordano at 60”, introduced the performance of Sing, Sing, Sing. As in the October program, this first piece was one originally choreographed by Gus Giordano (1983) and refreshed by Nan Giordano for the occasion. 

The video “The Magic of Community” preceded the world premiere of Luminescence, specially commissioned in honor of Homer Hans Bryant and choreographed by the inimitable Kia Smith. This may have been my favorite of the night: the music was by U2 and Coldplay, two of my favorite bands; the costumes were totally stunning, and the dance very illustrative of the “Magic of Community”. GDC was joined by dancers from South Chicago Dance, each company enhancing the other. Every dancer’s movement was balanced and integrated with every other dancer: it was very much a company piece, headlining every dancer by spotlighting none.

The video “The Magic of Possibility” introduced La Belleza de Cuba, (The Beauty of Cuba), choreographed in 2013 by Liz Imperio and Whitney Anne Bezzant and danced by the entire GDC Company. The Latin music and costumes provided an intriguing foil to the other numbers.

At Intermission I spoke with several children – kids’ comments are always engaging and often very perceptive.  In addition to various iterations of “I wanna do that someday!” one little girl critiqued the format, saying “The movies were OK I guess, but I liked the other stuff better” – ‘other stuff’ presumably referring to the dancing.

The next number, Prey, is reputedly a favorite of the dancers. Choreographed in 2003 by Ron de Jesus, who also designed the costumes and sound, Prey is technically difficult but gratifying in that the dancers must place a great deal of trust in one another. Much of the movement involves dancers in groups of two, three, or more performing gymnastic stunts, from simply lifting and toting each other about the stage to complex aerobatics involving the entire company – a superb combination of floor exercise and Giordano dance. The powerful Giordano Technique of Jazz Dance is particularly compelling in combination with individual and collective gymnastic maneuvers. The Technique employs rhythmic complexity and precision and the consistent use of core while moving each part of the body in isolation. Stylistically, the dancers are regal and elegant but perform with kinetic urgency and vibrancy.  

The final number portrayed “The Magic of Our Dancers” with Randy Duncan’s 1997 Can’t Take That Away, featuring the Bourné family: Lisa (Mom), Elizabeth, Christina, Katherine, Paul, Timothy, Rebekah, Ehron, and John. Personally, I don’t much cotton to gospel music, but the Bournés are not gospel singers: their delivery of what from any other throats would be gospel transcends the genre – it eclipses music itself. The soaring sopranos seemed to lift the dancers ever higher in a primordial and sublime combination of music and motion.   

This finale, incorporating several gospel numbers and concluding with the title song, was dedicated as a farewell to Ashley Downes and Katie Rafferty, GDC dancers for over a decade. The company’s affection was evident in the esprit de corps the dancers brought to this final dance. Their jubilation spilled over the footlights and into the audience, bringing us to our feet. Finally, the dancers themselves cascaded from the stage to dance in the aisles with the audience, laughing and flinging droplets of sweat as the gamboled. I must admit I’m partial to a performance where I’m spritzed with the performers’ body fluids.

And the best part is that there will be two more performances of Season 60; Celebrate Giordano! I’ll definitely be there, and highly recommend that you check it out as well.

Published in Dance in Review

Nan Giordano, Giordano Dance Chicago’s Artistic Director and daughter of founder Gus Giordano, credits its devoted Board of Directors for GDC’s survival through ‘the dark years’ of the pandemic: “Beauty, Energy, Unity and Community are abundant.” Lockdown lifted just in time for the company’s 60th anniversary show, fittingly named CATCH THE LIGHT.

The show begins with “Giordano Moves”, originally choreographed in 2005 by Gus Giordano and reconstructed in 2022 by Nan Giordano and Cesar G. Salinas. I’m intrigued by the use of 13 dancers – an odd number, yet the stage and action are perfectly balanced throughout. “Giordano Moves” features the essence of the classic Giordano technique, energized by active pelvis and precise, unconventional shoulder placement, with powerful jumps and turns.  The dance acts as a translation from the language of jazz music into the lexicon of the human body.

“commonthread”, choreographed in 2009 by Autumn Eckman, has a ritualistic feel to it, enhanced by Kam Hobb’s masterful light design. “commonthread” begins with five dancers huddled about a pulsating red light, like aboriginals crouching around a fire. As the music evolves the dancers unspool yet retain the primitive undercurrent. My companion (who studied dance growing up in Siberia) envisioned druids performing ancient rites in a primeval forest.

“Impulse”, created in 2006 by Tony Powell and reconstructed 2022 by Cesar G. Salinas, is a stirring yet unsettling experience. The dancers appear to be naked in flesh-colored leotards. Their angular and acrobatic movements are complemented by the music, which includes Ethos Percussion Group and Kodo Drummers of Japan. My mind kept conjuring words like abrasive, harsh, dehumanizing, even gruesome.  A performance that invokes such descriptors yet remains totally captivating is rare indeed.  

At the interval I asked a little girl (8 or 9, perhaps?) for her thoughts; she said, “They don’t have words like a play does, but they speak to us.”

“Groove, in formed” was created in 2019 by Peter Chu. Mr. Chu says, “[music & dance] connects humans at a profound level … rhythms can heal and bring communities together during times of sadness, grief, love, and joy”. The dance begins with a saxophone keening as half the dancers lug the others about: inanimate objects, to be positioned and postured like marionettes until a syncopated percussion returns them to life. “Groove, in formed” includes an exquisite male/male pas de deux. I’m partial to male/male pairings in art and performance – I wish the Olympic figure skating included male/male partner skaters: only imagine how fabulous if both skaters could perform lifts and throws! 

Or maybe I just like seeing boys with boys. Any road ….

We are treated to a world premiere of “lub-dub”, choreographed by Cesar G. Salinas, former GDC dancer and newly appointed Associate Artistic Director. The artist conceived the dance as representative of ‘the normal rhythms of the heart on auscultation’, which was my immediate association as well. The spectacular lighting illuminates the swirling skirts of the dancer’s red waistcoats – like the traffic of red corpuscles, unifying through the driving rhythms.

The final piece, “Soul”, was choreographed in 2018 by Ray Leeper in honor of Chicago philanthropist Candace Jordan. Always a crowd-pleaser, three well-known and beloved songs make for a spectacular ending. Imagination, by Gladys Knight and the Pips, features dancers in abbreviated black formalwear with sapphire bowties on the males and cummerbunds on the girls. At the end of the song the dancers all seem to drop to the ground, which I interpret as homage to the shooting deaths that are wreaking such havoc. In Al Green’s Can’t Get Next to You, various one duos play mating games onstage. And the finale, Tina Turner singing Proud Mary, brought the entire house to its feet. The standing ovation persisted through one curtain call after another; when the ensemble finally left the stage it was only to reappear dancing through the aisles. What a celebration!

Giordano Dance Chicago has done far more than simply survive the pandemic – it has used “the dark years” as a springboard, returning to the stage with all its elegance and vitality not simply revived but enriched.

Nan Giordano Artistic Director   

Michael McSraw Executive Director

ENSEMBLE: Brittany Brown, Joseph Cyranski, Ashley Downs, Ryan Galloway, Rosario Guillen, Amanda Hickey, Adam Houston, Emma Kempson, Sasha Lazarus, Zachary Morris, Skyler Newcom, Katie Rafferty, Fernando Rodriguez, Eduardo Zambrana

Published in Dance in Review

Set on a simple stage with deep techno music, A Glimpse Inside a Shared Story by Yin Yue is a powerful and controlled showing from all of the dancers. The fabric that makes up the costumes is muted and fluid, only showcasing the smooth movement even more.  At times, when the group was onstage, is seemed a bit out of sync, but the solo performances left little to be desired. The ease in which the dancers made the complicated, strong and controlled movement is incredible as it is almost unnoticed.  The entire ballet felt like anticipation; like the music was building up to something more, though it never quite go to that point. 

 

Robyn Mineko Williams returns with 2014's Waxing Moon and the trio of Andrew Murdock, Jacqueline Burnett, and Jason Hortin prove their talent in the emotionally charged piece. A man is battling the demons within his own mind, struggling with the good and the bad, the positive and negative thoughts that we all face. At times he succumbs to the dark thoughts only to later be slowly coaxed back with hope and lights. The piece relates to anyone who has found dark corners in their mind and had to fight their way out. 

 

Out of Keeping by Penny Saunders is a bright and exciting ballet, reminiscent of a watercolor painting. Pairs of dancers in bright colors come to the stage, at times seemingly battling for the attention of the audience, other times reveling in their own space on the canvas. It is an uplifting and fast paced ballet that is enjoyable and well danced by all. 

 

By far the most moving piece of the series Solo Echo by Crystal Pite utilizes the whole stage, bringing snow indoors for the performance. The dancers don cargo pants and vests, and seem to be grieving old memories of friends or family. At times watching the memories fade away and then trying to bring them back one last time. The dancers exude energy and emotion throughout the whole piece, making it exhilarating to watch, and almost exhausting at the end. 

 

The Hubbard Street Winter Series is a compelling ballet from the company playing at Harris Theatre through Sunday. At times there is room for some polish, but overall the works are well rounded and compelling. 

 

 

Published in Dance in Review

 

 

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