DanceWords

Eat to the Beat

2012-01-11T22:48:00.000-06:00

DanceWorks CHICAGO LINKED PROGRAM

_____________________________________________________________________________________

THE COMPANY

Steffi Cheong: facebook |Angela Dice: facebook | Björn Helget: facebook

Marissa Horton: facebook | Demetrius McClendon: facebook | Keon K. Nickie: facebook

_____________________________________________________________________________________

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Julie Nakagawa | bio | contact

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Andreas Böttcher | bio | contact

PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER Todd L. Clark | bio | website

DANCEWORKS IS GRATEFUL FOR THE DONATIONS THAT SUPPORT THESE PERFORMANCES

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THIS PROGRAMMING WITH YOUR CONTRIBUTION. THANK YOU.

________________________________________________________________________________________

12:00 PM

PARADIGM

Choreography by Christian Spuck | bio

Costumes by Yo Ma Ma

Lighting by Todd L. Clark | bio | website

Music by Gary FryMusic performed by Douglas Waddell

Full Company

The six dancers visualized a structure by following the music of each drum. Through this process they bring the composition of the music into choreography - a paradigm

First performed by DanceWorks Chicago at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in Chicago, on November 16, 2010

ADDIO AMORE [PHOTOS + VIDEO]

Choreography by Nelly van Bommel | bio

WMU Rehearsal Direction Whitney MoncriefCostume Concept Nelly van BommelCostumes Construction Elaine KauffmanCostume Assistance Whitney Moncrief

Lighting by Todd L. Clark | bio | website

Traditional Sardinian, Italian, Greek, Sicilian music performed by Savina Yannatou and The Primavera en Salonico Ensemble and Dalaras

Genna Carey*, Steffi Cheong, Connor Cornelius*, Jesse Hoisington*,  Marissa Horton, Sayre Masters*, Katie Mattar*, Demetrius McClendon,  Keon K. Nickie, Marley Schmidt*, Tajh Stallworth*

* Western Michigan University dance majors

Addio Amore was commissioned by the Western Michigan University Department of Dance and was created during two October 2011 residencies at Western Michigan University.

Addio Amore is in the repertoires of DanceWorks Chicago and Western Michigan University and was created so the two groups could perform the dance separately and together.

NOCTURNAL SENSE [PHOTOS + VIDEO]

Choreography by JAMES GREGG| bio

Costumes by Vin| facebook

Lighting by Todd L. Clark | bio | website

Music by Antonio Vivaldi
Music performed by Phillippe Jaroussky

Full Company

"There is no way in which to understand the world without first detecting it through the radar-net of our senses." –Diane Ackerman

Nocturnal Sense is funded in part by The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation.
Created for and premiered by DanceWorks Chicago at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts  in Chicago, on June 5, 2011

________________________________________________________________________________________

SPECIAL THANKS TO

La Creperie, FUZE, Sarah Solotaroff Mirkin, Lynn Finnegan
Chauncey & Marion D. McCormick Family Foundation; Lead Foundation Sponsor, Eat to the Beat Lunchtime Series

DanceWorks Chicago is grateful for 2011-2012 season support from:

dancechance | may

2011-05-02T12:00:00.000-05:00

dancechance |facebook|

guest moderator surinder martignetti

MAY 02, 2011

___________________________________________________________________________________

sarah strackany |facebook|

reflux

MUSIC Timmy Curran |get the music| Feist get the music|

DANCERS Leigh Ann Boatman, Jamie Salas, Sarah Strackany

reflux is a work-in-progress inspired by the concepts of control and dependency - the relationships and events that, at times, have a hold on us, and how we embrace or struggle with that bind.

lizzie leopold |facebook|

une elephante

MUSIC John's Book of Alleged Dances by John Adams |get the music|

DANCERS Melissa Bloch and Nicole Romano Uribarri

une elephante is exploring ideas of endurance and duration, for both the dancers and the audience - working to make portraits out of each musical movement. trying to look at the dance as if you were walking through an art gallery.

dayton castleman |facebook|

valediction

DANCERS Kevin Shannon & Ben Wardell
ACTOR Melissa Hawkins
REHEARSAL DIRECTOR Karen Castleman

As a first foray into the medium of dance for Chicago artist Dayton Castleman, the choreography and staging for “Valediction” was developed in collaboration with all of the artists involved, and built within Castleman’s conceptual framework, musical atmosphere, and literary backdrop.

DANCE CHANCE IS GRATEFULLY MADE POSSIBLE BY DONORS LIKE YOU!

___________________________________________________________________________________

dancechance | march

2011-03-08T12:32:00.008-06:00

dancechance |facebook|

guest moderator eddy ocampo |facebook|

MARCH 08, 2011

___________________________________________________________________________________

david lakein |facebook|

Hidden Revealed

MUSIC anna ternheim & l'orchestra publique |get the music|

DANCERS clare tallon ruen, ryan moore, lexie honiotes,
david lakein

PHOTO BY FUNZ.EU

What is H/R? What remains in the Shadows of the Exposed, in the Spotlight of the Coveredup?

A study in three parts, with the musical accompaniment of L'Orchestra Publique.”

___________________________________________________________________________________

audrey karim |facebook|

Gravita

MUSIC Da Da Da ich lieb dich nicht du liebst mich nicht aha aha aha by Trio |get the music|

DANCERS marissa horton , emilie leriche, johnny mcmillan

___________________________________________________________________________________

tara alperin |facebook|

___________________________________________________________________________________

2011-01-22T10:06:00.002-06:00

danceAuditions DanceWorks CHICAGO LINKED PROGRAM

_____________________________________________________________________________________

THE COMPANY

Amber Jackson: fb | Louis James Jackson: fb | Joseph Kudra: fb

DanceWorks on Facebook

DanceWorks Chicago Website

_____________________________________________________________________________________

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Julie Nakagawa | bio | contact

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Andreas Böttcher | bio | contact

DANCEWORKS IS GRATEFUL FOR THE DONATIONS THAT SUPPORT THESE ARTISTS

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THIS PROGRAMMING WITH YOUR CONTRIBUTION. THANK YOU.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Welcome

Julie Nakagawa | bio | contact

________________________________________________________________________________________

Ballet Class, barre and center, with eliminations

Julie Nakagawa, Alla Dekhtyar (Accompanist), and Candidates

________________________________________________________________________________________

Choreography, with eliminations

Louis Jackson, James Johnson, and Candidates

________________________________________________________________________________________

Post Audition
Following the dance portion of the audition, private interviews with each of the final candidates
will be conducted by Julie Nakagawa.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Welcome Friends

A professional dance audition is traditionally conducted in a dance studio, behind closed doors. We have chosen to open the doors and illuminate the experience with the hope that today’s open audition will create a bridge between audience and artist that will connect all of us in an understanding of the process that is the work of art.

DanceWorks Chicago is fluid by design, inviting young artists into the DWC family for a period of time before applauding them as they head off into the broader dance world. Fulfilling our mission to be a springboard for young talent, DWC dancers have moved into the national tour of Movin’ Out, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, The Lion King (Las Vegas), Cirque du Soleil’s Viva Elvis show, Luna Negra Dance Theater, and Montreal-based Rubberbandance. We are proud of all of our dancers and are excited to continually welcome new members to the DWC family.

We are happy to have you with us as we search for exceptional dancers to be part of our 2010-2011 season which includes Chicago area and international creative opportunities. This innovative approach to an audition is compelling for its exposure to the possibilities of the body, the activation of the mind, the vulnerability and power of the spirit.

DanceWorks Chicago respects and values the unique individuality, courage, and optimism of each of the dancers you will see on stage. We ask that you, their audience, do the same. Thank you for sharing this time with us today!

________________________________________________________________________________________

About DanceWorks Chicago (DWC)

Founded in May 2007, DWC is an organization committed to building a foundation for the individual artistic growth of dancers and choreographers, providing a laboratory from which early career artists propel themselves and the art form to a new level through training, collaboration, mentorship, and performance. It has been our dream to involve the community, as broadly as we can define it, in the art of dance. We have created opportunities to watch dancers and dance develop via open auditions; open company classes; our free Dance Bytes series offering a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process; Dance Chance, a free monthly event inviting artists and audience to come together around work; and Dance Flight, a different way to shape your performance experience. DWC has enjoyed many national and international opportunities already this season, including debuts in the Czech Republic and Mexico. We are grateful for new friends as well as dedicated fans. DanceWorks Chicago is always moving.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Save the Date!

MARCH 30: New dancer debut, Harold Washington Library, 12:15pm-1:15pm

APRIL 29: Dance Bytes, Ruth Page Center for the Arts, time TBA

MAY 24: Dance Bytes, Harold Washington Library, 12:15pm-1:15pm

JUNE 5: DWC anniversary celebration, Ruth Page Center for the Arts, stay tuned!

________________________________________________________________________________________

SPECIAL THANKS TO

Holly Abney, Kelly Clor, Mara Crestani, Pam Crutchfield, Dan DiLuciano, Sarah Goldstone, Laura Halm, Amber Jackson, Louis Jackson, James Johnson, Sarah Lichtenberg, Marc Macaranas, Jon Mackoff, Julie O’Connell, Vin Reed, Kelly Jo Trimble, and Mike Wallace.

________________________________________________________________________________________

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR AUDITION SPONSOR

Fuze (we think you're "refreshingly smart too!)

________________________________________________________________________________________

SUPPORTERS

DanceWorks Chicago would like to thank the following generous individuals and organizations that have supported us including John and Caroline Ballantine, Michael Cleavenger, Philip Lumpkin, Jim and Kay Mabie, Abby O’Neil, Cathy Peponis, John and Dianne Schwartz, The Service Club of Chicago, John Shea, William & Orli Staley Foundation, Mila Strasburg, James Westerman & Trudy Giesel

DanceWorks Chicago is grateful for 2010-2011 season support from:

DanceWorks Chicago Open Company Audition

2011-01-21T20:47:00.003-06:00

The Chicago Bears are not the only ones getting ready to show their best stuff this weekend. Check out the dancer/athletes at the DanceWorks Chicago open company audition!

http://www.danceworkschicago.org/events.html

2011-01-14T04:11:00.020-06:00

danceFlight DanceWorks CHICAGO LINKED PROGRAM

_____________________________________________________________________________________

THE COMPANY

Kimberly Bleich: fb | Sarah Cecile Goldstone: fb | Amber Jackson: fb

Louis James Jackson: fb | James Johnson: fb | Joseph Kudra: fb

_____________________________________________________________________________________

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Julie Nakagawa | bio | contact

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Andreas Böttcher | bio | contact

PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER Todd L. Clark | bio | website

DANCEWORKS IS GRATEFUL FOR THE DONATIONS THAT SUPPORT THESE PERFORMANCES

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THIS PROGRAMMING WITH YOUR CONTRIBUTION. THANK YOU.

________________________________________________________________________________________

6:00 PM

AJORCA

Choreography by Brian Enos | bio | website

Costumes by Brian Enos

Lighting by Todd L. Clark | bio | website

Music by Antonio Vivaldi

Sarah Goldstone, Amber Jackson, Louis Jackson, Joseph Kudra

Created for and premiered by DanceWorks Chicago at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in Chicago, IL, on November 16, 2010.

TAKADEME

Choreography by Robert Battle | bio

Costumes by Jeff Hancock

Lighting by Burke Wilmore

Music by Sheila Chandra | itunes

James Johnson

Created for and premiered by Parsons Dance Company in 1995. First performed by DanceWorks  Chicago at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in Chicago, IL, as part of DWC’s debut performance  on June 1, 2008.

IF EVER (AN OCEAN) RELINQUISHED

Choreography by Alex Ketley| bio

Costumes by Alex Ketley

Lighting by Todd L. Clark | bio | website

Music by Burial | itunes

Sarah Goldstone, Amber Jackson, Louis Jackson, James Johnson, Joseph Kudra

Created for and premiered by DanceWorks Chicago at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in Chicago, IL, on November 18, 2008.

ETUDE

Choreography by Robert Battle | bio

Costumes by Jeff Hancock

Lighting by Ryan J. O'Gara | bio

Music by Les Tambours du Bronx | itunes

Louis Jackson, James Johnson, Joseph Kudra

Created for and premiered by DanceWorks Chicago at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in Chicago, IL, on September 30, 2008

BEAT IN THE BOX

Choreography by Brian Enos | bio | website

Costumes by Brian Enos

Lighting by Ryan J. O'Gara | bio

Music by Yuri Lane | bio | itunes

Full Company

Created for and premiered by DanceWorks Chicago at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in Chicago, IL, as part of DWC’s debut performance on June 1, 2008.

________________________________________________________________________________________

SUPPORTERS

SPECIAL THANKS TO

Stefanie Böttcher, Mara Crestani, Tura Foster, Craig Miller, and Mike Wallace

DanceWorks Chicago is grateful for 2010-2011 season support from:

DanceLovers Trip - Day Eleven

2010-12-29T02:21:00.005-06:00

Great to travel afar, but always comforting to come home. I will end the blog with an image similar to the one with which I started: a view from the plane. What a beautiful sight!

Thanks for the memories!

DanceLovers Trip - Day Ten

2010-12-29T01:59:00.006-06:00

Our day started with some sightseeing in picturesque Cologne and ended with another add-on performance, this one by Gauthier Dance in Leverkusen, which is only 15 miles away from Cologne, in a full evening work by Christian Spuck. We couldn't pass up this opportunity to see another company and another dance, and we were rewarded for our enthusiasm! "Poppea/Poppea" was a very exciting and completely different work from what we saw of Christian's a few evenings before in Stuttgart. A quiet dinner with Christian, DWC Artistic Director Julie Nakagawa, and our European agent, Franziska Grevesmuehl, was a wonderful end to our whirlwind of performances in Germany. It is said that each end is a beginning, so be on the lookout for new projects ahead and maybe even another DanceLovers Trip!

Pictured: Cathy, Renato Arismendi, Eric Gauthier, Pam, and Christian Spuck

DanceLovers Trip - Day Nine

2010-12-29T01:51:00.006-06:00

Our longest travel day took us from Munich all the way to Cologne for a performance of "Love Hurts...Petrushka", performed by DanceWorks Chicago and their European partners. As the Opera Cologne is currently under renovation, an alternative site, the Palladium, was the location for this sold-out performance. We finished the evening with a cast party and were excited to see some familiar faces!

DanceLovers Trip - Day Eight

2010-12-29T01:24:00.009-06:00

We took a side trip to nearby Augsburg, my hometown, a last minute addition due to the fortunate coincidence that Tobin Del Cuore was setting a work by Alejandro Cerrudo on Augsburg Ballet. We made the quick trip to Augsburg where Artistic Director Robert Conn invited us behind-the-scenes to observe Tobin at work in rehearsal. Robert also graciously invited us to the evening performance of "Orpheus" by Leo Mujic.

Pictured: Cathy, Robert Conn, Tobin del Cuore, and Pam.

We also found time to enjoy a few hours of sightseeing in charming Augsburg, including a visit to the famous Christmas Market.

DanceLovers Trip - Day Seven

2010-12-29T01:14:00.006-06:00

Munich Day #2: shopping! After a relaxing day, we met up for the evening performance of one of John Cranko's signature works, "Eugine Onegin", with the Bavarian State Ballet at the national theater in Munich. A spectacular theater and performance, well-received by a very appreciative audience in a sold-out house!

DanceLovers Trip - Day Six

2010-12-29T00:26:00.011-06:00

It was off to Munich after our adventures in Stuttgart. We arrived early in Munich and enjoyed lunch at the famous Hofbräuhaus. We rested in the afternoon to be ready for the evening Ballet Gala in Munich, which started at 6:00pm and was held at the petite but marvelous Cuvillies Theater. From our cozy box seats, we had the great fortune to see Lucia Laccara dance, who is one of four ballerinas to be recognized as "Ballerina of the Decade". Bavarian State Ballet Artistic Director Ivan Liska also performed in the Gala in a duet by Hans van Manen.

DanceLovers Trip - Day Four and Five

2010-12-05T02:30:00.011-06:00

I am a bit behind with my blog due to not having an internet connection, but also due to our active schedule. It is hard to get to the computer if you are having fun.

Our trip to Frankfurt was pleasant and simple and the experience at the Bockenheimer Depot to see three pieces by The Forsythe Company were stunning. Pam and Cathy had a chance to follow up with the choreographer himself to get their questions answered.

Pam, William Forsythe and Cathy

The next day it was off to Stuttgart to see Leonce and Lena by Christian Spuck. We arrived early enough to stroll around the Christmas markets, had dinner with George Bailey, who works as a pianist for Stuttgart Ballet for a staggering 38 years now. During the intermission we got invited by Reid Anderson, artistic director of the Stuttgart Ballet to join him for a conversation and had the pleasure of meeting the major of Stuttgart.

Cathy, Pam and George Bailey.

There was of course time to congratulate Christian Spuck to this recent accomplishment right after the performance.

DanceLovers Trip - Day Three

2010-12-02T19:01:00.007-06:00

We all got a good night sleep and after breakfast made our way to Dresden for some sightseeing and giving our body a chance to adjust to the time change.

A visit to the oldest Christmas market was obligatory and a major reason for visiting Dresden. The weather could not have been better beside being cold. The city received around 5 inches of snow overnight and it was pictures as one imagine it should be.

We ended the day back in Leipzig with a delicious meal at the Auerbach cellar where Goethe supposedly wrote Faust. We certainly where inspired.

DanceLovers Trip - Day Two

2010-12-02T03:01:00.008-06:00

What a day! It is chilly in Leipzig and after the group arrived and checked into the hotel we hit the holiday market, also known as Weihnachtsmarkt. Of all the food offerings we saw we decided on the none German salmon feast. They grilled or smoked the salmon right there on open wood fire and we ate in a tipi tent. How about that for a first day German food experience.

After seeing the Nikolai Church and the Bach museum, we stumbled into the St. Thomas church where Bach was cantor for 27 years, got invited to join a private group of senior university student attendees for the holiday mass. Here is my bootleg video of the sparse church interior and some music from the church service.

Late afternoon we had a private meeting with the artistic director Mario Schroeder and discussed over a nice cup of tea his latest creation "Chaplin". Needless to say, we were excited to see the real thing a few hours later and were not disappointed. What incredible visual imagery and great dancing. See the trailer of Chaplin below!

Cathy, Mario Schröder and Pam

DanceLovers Trip - Still Day One

2010-12-01T01:46:00.007-06:00

I was dosing off on the plane right after sitting down, but woke up shortly before landing in Munich to take the picture of the snow covered country side.

Later at night, I guess these are the hazards of international travel within different time zones, I woke up early to take a picture from my room which overlooks the plaza at the train station. Not much happening there at 3am. Killed some time and had a 6am breakfast, a first for me.

DanceLovers Trip - Day One

2010-11-29T10:37:00.005-06:00

How exciting that the time has finally come to depart for our first ever DanceLovers Trip. We will have action packed days ahead of us and I can't wait to write about them.

I, being the designated tour and dance guide for this trip, have decided to leave one day ahead of the group to make sure our trip will get off to a great start in Leipzig. Upon arrival we will have our first event already on Wednesday evening attending the full length work "Chaplin" by Mario Schroeder, Artistic Director of Leipzig Ballet. My flight is delayed leaving Chicago as Munich just received its first foot of snow for the season. I guess this will guarantee us the picture perfect scenery everyone expects to see.

Here comes my boarding call!

Always moving,

DRE

Review | DanceFlight | Laura Molzahn

2010-11-20T13:43:00.001-06:00

Laura Molzahn asks

"am I being overly cranky to complain that the program aimed too hard for entertainment?"

she might be right, or she might be cranky. Read Laura's full review here with impressions of the premiere work that was presented on Tuesday.

2010-11-16T11:36:00.012-06:00

danceFlight DanceWorks CHICAGO LINKED PROGRAM

_____________________________________________________________________________________

THE COMPANY

Kimberly Bleich: fb | Sarah Cecile Goldstone: fb | Amber Jackson: fb

Louis James Jackson: fb | James Johnson: fb | Joseph Kudra: fb

_____________________________________________________________________________________

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER

Julie Nakagawa | bio | contact Todd L. Clark | bio | website

________________________________________________________________________________________

6:00 PM FIRST FLIGHT

PARADIGM COMPANY Premiere

Choreography by Christian Spuck | bio | website

Costumes by Yo Ma Ma

Lighting by Todd L. Clark | bio | website

Music by Gary Fry

Music performed by Douglas Waddell

Choreography set by Jessica Tong

Full Company

The six dancers visualized a structure by following the music of each drum. Through this process they bring the composition of the music into choreography—a paradigm.

DanceWorks Chicago premiere at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in Chicago, IL, on November 16, 2010.

AJORCA WORLD Premiere

Choreography by Brian Enos | bio | website

Costumes by Brian Enos

Lighting by Todd L. Clark | bio | website

Music by Antonio Vivaldi

Kimberly Bleich, Amber Jackson, James Johnson, Joseph Kudra

Created for and premiered by DanceWorks Chicago at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in Chicago, IL, on November 16, 2010.

MY WITNESS | PRESS PHOTO

Choreography by Gina Patterson | bio | website

Costumes by Gina Patterson

Lighting by Todd L.Clark | bio | website

Music by Sons of the Never Wrong | website

Full company

To those who have walked beside us as our witness through life;
some come and go, but their spirits will always remain close to our hearts.
– Gina Patterson

My Witness is dedicated to Pam Crutchfield who inspires
so many with her uniquely beautiful dance through life.

Created for and premiered by DanceWorks Chicago at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in Chicago, IL, on March 10, 2009.

________________________________________________________________________________________

7:00 PM SECOND FLIGHT

SADA

Choreography by Edgar Zendejas | bio | website

Costumes by Revecca Torres

Lighting by Ryan J. O’Gara | website

Music by Stephan Micus

Kimberly Bleich, Sarah Goldstone,
Amber Jackson, Louis James Jackson, Joseph Kudra

Philip and Marsha Dowd are the Exclusive Underwriters of Sada.

Sada is dedicated to DanceWorks Chicago and was premiered at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in Chicago, IL, as part of DWC’s debut performance on June 1, 2008.

DIE BLUME COMPANY Premiere

Choreography by Christian Spuck | bio | website

Costumes by Yo Ma Ma

Lighting by Todd L. Clark | bio | website

Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Kimberly Bleich and James Johnson

Two dancers, one flower and a patch of grass…

DanceWorks Chicago premiere at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in Chicago, IL,
on November 16, 2010.

BLUES FOR ANN | PRESS PHOTO

Choreography by Harrison McEldowney | bio

Costumes by Jeremy Plummer

Lighting by Ryan J. O’Gara | website

Music by Eddie Boyd, Floyd Dixon, Willie Dixon, Paul Gayton, Myrtle Jones, Little Walter, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson, Howlin’ Wolf

Full company

Blues for Ann is a sexy, sassy dance celebrating the grittiness of Chicago Blues and is dedicated to Chicago’s legendary dance writer and historian Ann Barzel.

Costumes for Blues for Ann have been generously underwritten by Cathy Peponis.

DanceWorks Chicago premiere at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in Chicago, IL, on June 7, 2009.

MEET THE ARTIST SESSION

Please join us for a discussion about the creative process with the artists.

________________________________________________________________________________________

SUPPORTERS

SPECIAL THANKS TO

Stefanie Böttcher, Mara Crestani, James Kelly, Tanya Russell, and Mike Wallace

DanceWorks Chicago is grateful for 2010-2011 season support from:

Join DanceLovers in Germany December 1

2010-11-15T13:30:00.001-06:00

Pre-show anuncios

2010-11-13T14:35:00.001-06:00

Last night was the first performance of ajorca and it went very well! Of course, being in Mexico, we couldn't find anyone to make the pre-show announcement in Spanish, so , naturally I was volunteered to do it. Julie handed me a (full) sheet of paper written in English, which I had to then translate before reading it to a theater full of people. I little nerve wracking. Luckily I was able to find someone to proof read my translation before reading it to make sure I wasn't making any egregious errors. The last thing I needed was the entire audience bursting into uproarious laughter on account of my Spanish translating skills. I had enough to worry about with the whole reading part.

At least I was able to pronounce the dancers' names. Although, it did feel a bit funny going between speaking in the best, most authentic sounding Spanish accent I could muster and then a list of names in English. It all went off without any major travesties, aside for what I'm sure amounted the almost total fatigue of my adrenal glands, and I have another chance tonight. I think I'll work on my delivery. Perhaps find a new motivation. I think some character study is called for.

Now it's time to get ready for day número dos. Off to erect the mohawk...

ps- why isn't "mohawk" recognized by spell check? :-/

-Brian Enos

Ser Coreógrafo (sounds deep no?)

2010-11-11T22:52:00.009-06:00

Let me begin by introducing myself. My name is Brian, and over the last eleven days I've been making a new work with the incredible dancers of DanceWorks Chicago. Perhaps I'll write more about the creative process in another post, but this post is a special request from Julie Nakagawa herself, to talk about something that we were discussing earlier this afternoon, before my very humbling Spanish master class. (Again another topic.)

So here I am, in Mexico City with the DWC gang preparing to show the new piece, ajorca, to an audience for the first time. (Perhaps it would be more appropriate to say preparing to watch the new piece with an audience for the first time, but I digress.) I'm very excited, and the dancers are dancing it beautifully.

I must say though, that I'm once again reminded of the somewhat solitary life of a choreographer. As a dancer, for ten years, every time I traveled for work I had a roommate, for better or for worse. I admit at times it could be trying, but now, as I write this alone in my hotel room, I realize how even sitting in the same room, in silence, working on our respective computers, with our headphones on. There's something about having someone you know in the room that can keep you from feeling quite so isolated when you're in an unfamiliar place. Even when I was traveling for choreography in the past, I was almost always traveling as a dancer in the company as well, so I always had other company members to spend my off hours with. We could get things off our chest, discuss the plight of the dancer, the artistic staff, the tyrannical slave driving choreographers, (Oh wait, thats me isn't it?), or just act like idiots and laugh until we cried. I'd say the latter is the best medicine by far.

Last night as I watched “South Park” in Spanish by myself, I had a fleeting sense of this solitude, but this afternoon Julie mentioned something about thinking choreography somewhat of a lonely profession, and it all clicked in my brain. (Sometimes I must be bludgeoned with the obvious.) It gave context to what I had experienced last night. I suppose it's just one more thing to look forward to in my transition from dancer to choreographer.

But now I must run. Nothing gets between me and my telenovelas... NOTHING!

-Brian Enos ;-)

dancechance | november

2010-11-09T10:23:00.008-06:00

dancechance guest moderator harrison mcEldowney

NOVEMBER 09, 2010

louis jackson, untitled

MUSIC take five :: dave brubeck quartet |get the music|

SOLOIST louis jackson |bio|facebook|

“Right now I’m not in a choreographic mode but a ‘performance’ mode. I’m anchored to the music and experiencing what my body does.”

PHOTO BY SASHA FORNARI

andré zachary, trenches

MUSIC moby & mogwai

DANCERS aubrey klinger |bio|facebook|

jeff wolfe |facebook|

carly whitehead |facebook|

alia k.c. zachery |bio|facebook|

andré m. zachery |bio|facebook|

“Trenches is part of Project: CO-OP an evening of dance addressing the absurdity of perfection and how lives can be touched by people you hardly know.” at The Ruth Page Center Nov. 19+20.

| SEE VIDEO FROM RENEGADE PERFORMANCE GROUP | RENEGADE PERFORMANCE GROUP ON FACEBOOK|

PHOTO BY ALPHA

james johnson, untitled

MUSIC celibacy blues :: jill scott |get the music|

SOLOIST james johnson |bio|facebook|

“After exploring the movement with different soloists I came to the conclusion this is for fun.”

PHOTO BY SASHA FORNARI

THANKS TO Kay Meyers, lighting design |facebook|

PRESENTED BY

DanceWorks Chicago |site| The Ruth Page Center for the Arts |site|

LIKE CHANCE? SEE MORE ON FACEBOOK

Siempre moviéndose

2010-11-09T07:37:00.002-06:00

Tonight we host the last Dance Chance of 2010...hope to see you there!

Tomorrow we (DWC plus Todd Clark and Brian Enos) travel to Mexico. Just got our work visas on Friday morning...whew! We are looking forward to our performances on Friday and Saturday:http://www.danza.unam.mx/foro_teatro_juan_ruiz.html

We return on Sunday; dancers have a day off on Monday; and then we head into Dance Flight on Tuesday. It's the last opportunity to see DWC in action (in Chicago) this year, so let's get EVERYONE there!

véale esta noche

From Sarah via the whiteboard

2010-11-08T10:04:00.002-06:00

p.s. William Safire

2010-10-15T08:51:00.002-05:00

Greetings from Brno, Czech Republic, where DWC will conclude this three-city tour with a performance of Love Hurts...Petrushka this evening as part of a gala event. Andreas told me that there have been 800+ viewers (mostly from the Czech Republic) of the LH...P video THIS WEEK. For some context, there have been 3200+ views since the video was posted last year.

In addition to class and performance prep today, we will also walk through some DWC rep as we have an heavy week coming up: Harold Washington Library on Thursday, guest appearance on the Natya program on Saturday (if I do not hear from you, I will assume that you are not interested in a comp ticket), travel/tech/showcase in Columbus on Sunday, free lunchtime community show on Monday in the studio theater of Ballet Met (just confirmed on Friday--we will send info as I believe Vin and Pam, you mentioned that you might like to give a heads up to some Ohio folks).

Just saw this from Time Out Chicago

Sending good thoughts to you all for a wonderful rest of the weekend. Hope to see you at the Harold Washington Library on Thursday and/or Saturday!

Your German tour cheat sheet :)

2010-03-08T00:59:00.002-06:00

Dear DanceWorks Chicago,

Before you fly off to Germany this Wednesday, I think I ought to share with you a things that I hope will make your experience that much more exciting...

1) I'm jealous! I wish I was going to Germany (and so does everyone else!) so take this opportunity and make the most of it. Don't be afraid to explore, try new things, eat new food, meet interesting people and soak in all that Deutschland has to offer. I'm dead serious about this. The Germans are lovely people and very friendly.

2) Maximize your luggage space by bundling! You'll be amazed at how much you can pack by following this technique. Check out more detailed instructions here.

3) Bring ziploc bags and plastic containers! The hotel management may frown upon it, but you can save a lot of Euros by making a sandwich at frühstuck (that's breakfast auf english) and packing it for later. Just ask James Johnson, he happens to be the king of this – if you're lucky, he'll even show you how to pack bowls of yogurt ;)

3) While we're on the subject... Budget your per diem! That coat at H&M in Berlin might look hot out of context, but you probably won't have room in your luggage for it (unless you bundle your clothes... heyyy!) and it'll be on sale at the H&M on Michigan Ave when you get back home. Trust me on this one :)

3) Take lots of pictures! (I'm going to live through you vicariously, remember)

4) The toilet seats are self cleaning!

5) Respect each other! You're going to spend a lot of time with each other in very close quarters. Be kind and compassionate toward each other. Each of you is coming at this tour from a different perspective and level of experience. It isn't fair to assume otherwise, and even less fair to act without patience and understanding. It will make for a much happier tour, I promise.

6) Try to speak German! I know it's not easy, but if you're open to listening, reading and remembering, it's not so hard. Plus I think the Germans find it charming :) Here are a couple words that might help you out (probably not spelled correctly and in no particular order, because this is just how i remember them):

ich – me / I
du – you (informal)
sie – you (formal) / she
wir – we

ich bin – I am
du bist – you are
wir sind – we are

mit – with
und – and
ein(e) – a / an
dein(en) – your

gut – good
schlecht – bad

mein deutsch ist nicht so gut! – my German is not so good
mein deutsch ist sehr slecht / schwach – my German is very bad / poor

tag – day
heute – today
morgen – morning / tomorrow
bis morgen – until tomorrow (like "see you tomorrow")
guten morgen / tag / abend – good morning / day / evening

das – that
straße – street
haar – hair

einfach – easy
genau – exactly (Julie uses this one in class a lot!)
genug – enough
jetzt – now
sofort – immediately

bitte – please / here's your food (at a restaurant)
danke – thank you
entschuldigung – sorry / excuse me

links – left
rechts – right
gerarderaux – straight
armen – arms
beinen – legs
augen – eyes

frühstuck – breakfast
mittagessen – lunch
abendessen – dinner

ich möchte... – I would like...
zum mitnem bitte – to go, please
können sie es bitte einpacken? – can you please put this in a box?
kann ich ein _____ bekommen? – can I have a _______?
die rechnung bitte? – the check please? (this is a really archaic way of saying it, I forgot the more common way to say "can I pay now?"
stimmt so – keep the change

toiletten – bathrooms
wo ist die toilette? – where is the bathroom?
kann ich das probien? – can I try that?
kann ich meine haar schneiden lassen? – can I cut my hair?

kurze – short
lenger – longer

spiegel – mirror
eier – egg
spiegel eier – eggs sunnyside up

zimt – cinnamon
zucker – sugar

kein(e) / nicht / nein – all different ways of saying "no" or "without" or "hold the..." it all depends on the context, i guess. i definitely have not mastered it.

tisch – table
bett – bed
zimmer – room
decker – blanket
licht – light
drücken – push
zielen – push

schlau – smart
schnell – fast
tage geld – per diem (literally i think it means daily money)

verboten – forbidden (Toni knows all about this one!)
excusitin – ask James Johnson, he'll give you the translation :)
ich liebe diech – I love you (this one is Becca's favorite)
quatsch – nonsense (my favorite word)
du bist sehr schön – you are very beautiful
tschüs! – bye!

7) You should be aware that "milchreis" is not the same as rice milk, even though milch is milk and reis is rice ;) It's a yummy dessert that goes great mit zimt und zucker ;)

8) Above all, do your best and enjoy. It's an honor and a privilege to share what you love doing, especially when you're sharing it with people half a world away.

I can't wait to see you all when you get back! Bring me back stories... and souvenirs, too! ;) I'm especially fond of Haribo gummy bears (I'm just saying...)

Merde! Toi toi toi! Much love and luck!

Happy dancing days!
Marc

Full Circles

2010-01-23T17:31:00.009-06:00

I once walked head on into a catapult. Daredevil that I am, I climbed in, sat down and waited for it to launch. And before I knew it, a nearly inaudible boom sent me flying.

That was two years ago, when I walked into the very first DanceWorks Chicago audition at the Auditorium Theatre. I didn't realize it then, but it was the start of a grand adventure that would ultimately give me (and my dancing career) a completely new direction. Now that my journey with DanceWorks Chicago has led me to Luna Negra Dance Theater, I'm starting to realize how important that audition was for myself and for 5 other founding dancers. I won't get all sappy or nostalgic, dear reader – I'll only tell you that I was incredibly inspired last Saturday at the most recent DanceWorks Chicago audition (or "go-see" as James and I have been calling it, haha).

Toni, Eugene, James and I spent the day of audition welcoming hopeful auditionees and teaching segments from DWC's repertory.
It was a thrill getting to teach Alex Ketley's If Ever (an Ocean) Relinquished to so many talented dancers. I think the excitement came from the responsibility on my shoulders that day: two of those dancers would be performing that choreography onstage in a month for DWC and Harris Theater's Eat to the Beat series and this would be their first taste of that work.

Next up was James with Robert Battle's signature solo Takademe. Definitely not an easy piece to pick up in 20 minutes, so I applaud everyone who attempted it.

Eugene closed the day with a hip hop segment from Love Hurts... Petrushka. Tons of fun and high energy. A difficult task at the end of a long day, to say the least.

Who's next to join the DWC family? That I don't know, but I hope that whoever they are, they're not afraid of flying fast and hard. I can't wait to meet them :)

Happy dancing days!
Marc

2010 and I'm already dancing

2010-01-01T20:28:00.006-06:00

Happy New Year everyone!

I was super excited to ring in the new decade with Voice Dance Company. I've been in the studio for the past five days with Gina Patterson, who gave Danceworks In Time and personal favorite My Witness. Myself, along with five other gorgeous movers, have been spending our holiday doing what we love: Dancing and creating in a fun and supportive environment.

Everyone involved is just incredible. I feel so honored to be dancing with Chris, Masa, Fernando, Maggie, and Eric. Each mover brings something different to the space, creating a collective of fierce talent and raw emotion. We have one more week together before Voice will have its debut performance in Austin, TX on January 8th and 9th at the Zach Theater.

I couldn't think of a better way to jump into a new year. Read up on the hot dancers, on the voice website. http://web.me.com/ericmidg/ginapatterson/Welcome.html Or check out a video of the original creation of My Witness with Gina and Sons of the Never wrong. http://www.danceworkschicago.org/my-witness.html

Forever grateful,
Rebecca

All Good Things... (part 2)

2009-12-15T13:59:00.004-06:00

It's funny how much my experience in Germany affects me even now, a month later. While it's nice to be home, where I don't have to think in another language or attempt to translate for my friends, I equally miss being abroad. There was something special about being in a place where language is no longer a common denominator: (I believe I've mentioned it before, but) I think it reveals a portion of your "core" self... and the uncomfortableness of that was refreshing and enlightening. I'm finding out more and more everyday how much I hold that close to me. So I'll continue on with that sense of discovery and adventure and leave you with these videos from our first full day in Berlin. We ventured out to Mauer Park to a fantastic flea market – you really must go if you find yourself in Berlin – where we ran into our CEO Andreas and the kids, and Ruth and Britt from Chicago(!) who had recently moved to Germany a few months before we arrived. Enjoy :)

Happy dancing days!

Marc

donald taking a nap.....what am i going to eat.............Toni Lee fall out her seat lol ....we came in blue so funny

2009-11-30T22:10:00.006-06:00

James and Toni Lee

2009-11-30T21:53:00.008-06:00

on the train going to see Berlin it was really sunny

Me and Toni Lee went to the Park Market and it was amazing with people and dogs everywhere. we ran into some Chicago faces Bret and Ruth and some nice people we met

Donald doing his thing

2009-11-30T21:49:00.003-06:00

We had Donald aka D-Ray also get in on the action with a lil Ego

On The Train

2009-11-30T21:39:00.003-06:00

while coming back from seeing Berlin on the Tram I just felt like dancing, so that's what me and Eugen did in honor and much respect to the fabulous Kirby Reed...get well soon man

James and Toni Lee

2009-11-30T21:31:00.004-06:00

Toni and I giving funny face on our first time on the Tram in Berlin

my 1st post and Berlin

2009-11-30T21:04:00.005-06:00

Hello All,
My name is James and I'm a proud member of DWC. I've been with the company since April of this year but my interest was with the company since the start. The past 8months working with DanceWorks and sharing with the dancers has been amazing. I Thank all of them for helping me fit right in.

Now as some of you may know DWC went international!! Yes we made our first international debut in Germany this past November doing "Love Hurts...Petrushka". A tour that was for 7.5 weeks touring Germany starting in Berlin, Ludwigshafen, Leverkusen, Bolingen, Wolfsburg, and Heidenheim. Now I will be posting different pictures and videos that i have from tour in these different cities.

I wont be able to sit here and tell you about everything in one sitting but join me and the rest of the DanceWorks family as we show you our memories of tour in Germany

All Good Things... (part 1)

2009-11-30T00:45:00.006-06:00

DanceWorks Chicago is happily back in the United States from our whirlwind tour of Germany. Lots of stories and pictures to share, of course, but far too many to tell in one sitting.

The best place to start, they say, is at the beginning – so with that I'll post a video I made during our first night stay in Berlin. Mind you, everything was new and unfamiliar (as such things tend to be) and it took us a little while to adjust. And adjust we eventually did – quite happily at that. But here, in choppy and mostly unedited form, is our reaction to that first night. Just watching it makes me laugh... I hope you'll laugh along too :)

There's obviously much more to come!

Happy dancing days!

Marc

Long lost love

2009-11-29T00:17:00.004-06:00

Ahhh! Finally, writing again. We're back in Chicago, and boy does it feel good to be back. After 7 packed full weeks in Germany a little Thanksgiving R&R is exactly what we all needed. But, only after performing our last show of the season at the Harris only days after returning. This contract has been a whirlwind, and its flown by.

Since my voyages in Germany induced very little blogging (okay... none), I decided I'm going to make up for that now on our Holiday time-off. Expect to hear about good memories, and new friends, times we'd rather forget, and friends we never will. Beautiful photos, and hilarious videos may just make their way in as well.

Check back in a couple days. I'll start at the beginning of the trip to avoid confusion and get everyone on the same page. Until then... Guten nacht.

With love,
Rebecca

Guten tag!

2009-10-20T07:43:00.003-05:00

Today I spoke broken German with a woman from Thailand cleaning my hotel room in Ludwigshafen. And it was beautiful. She's been in Germany for 20 years and I've been here 3 weeks, but we shared a few phrases and words we both knew and recognized. Smiles and nods and cheerful tones are the same in any language, and I think perhaps that may be enough.

The last few weeks in Germany with DanceWorks Chicago have been amazing. Not always pleasant moments (if everything were pleasant, how would you ever know the difference between pleasant and its opposite?), but always full of resonant realizations and impactful growth. There's something about being foreign – about not being able to speak the same language and communicate in convenient ways – that brings out your core self. And part of my core self that has become clear to me is my curiosity and sense of exploration. I like the way that feels, the realization of it, and I hope it stays with me throughout the duration of our tour here and beyond.

But back to the nitty gritty, shall we? I've been remiss in posting our goings-on and I apologize for that. I would explain my internet difficulties, but that wouldn't make up for the lack of posts. So instead, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

There are plenty more pictures to be shared, and more stories to be blogged about, but I'll save that for another post – and I PROMISE there will be others.

Happy dancing days!
Marc

Another update from Deutschland :)

2009-10-07T09:06:00.000-05:00

Sitting in the lobby of our Ludwighafen hotel, listening to late 80's Madonna purring gently over the lobby radio and reminiscing on a hard, but ultimately successful week and a half – this is how I'm enjoying the first day of our week-long break here in Europe :)

Ludwigshafen is an interesting town. A little sleepy and a little gray, but that doesn't mean that we didn't make the most of it. Following our 10 hour days and "full power, 1000%" rehearsals in the theater, we took time to enjoy time with our European cast and crew and even sampled the local "Mexican" cuisine :)

One of the highlights of the week was the arrival of one of our vibrant and lovely founders, Pam Crutchfield! We celebrated her birthday with the whole cast and crew of "Love Hurts... Petrushka" with dinner at the hotel.

Amongst the wild assortment of characters we have in the cast is Smiley Garfield. It's pretty clear where he gets his name :)
James and I have been roommates on tour for the last month on tour (can you tell we're rubbing off on each other???)

And of course there's the premiere of "Love Hurts... Petrushka"! We performed in the

Following the performance, we had a great time cel

German 101

2009-08-25T16:56:00.003-05:00

Hello,

My name is Kim, and I am currently a dancer with DWC :) I had the opportunity to attend German classes for 3 weeks before we head across the pond for a couple months. I have never taken any German classes, so it was shock when I walked in the door. However, it was so much fun and I learned more than I thought I would in those 3 weeks and I am looking forward to being able to use it. After not attending classes for 4 years (outside of dance) I was worried about going....ha. During that first class, I realized how much I enjoyed going to "school." It's true, once a nerd, always a nerd. Learning a language is something that can help in every thing you do though, and now I can really enjoy Oktoberfest :)!!!! JK......Anyways, highly recommend the Goethe Institut of Chicago. Got any questions, please feel free to ask. Vielen Dank! Aufwiedersehen!

DWC @ CDF!

2009-08-21T08:37:00.004-05:00

Chicago Dancing Festival is in full effect this week and DanceWorks Chicago is happy to be a part of it! Tuesday and Thursday evenings this week, we took "field trips" to the Harris Theater to experience great dancing from all over the country. As part of the Festival this Saturday, DWC is performing Twyla Tharp's The One Hundreds at various locations throughout Millennium Park throughout the afternoon. Check out our performance schedule here.

If you'd like to get a head start, here's a video of the company performing the work (I'm not in it because I herniated a disc the day before this performance was recorded... ugh). See if you can pick up a couple phrases of movement and then be ready to dance with us tomorrow afternoon before the Festival begins!

Happy dancing days!
Marc

What goes around comes around

2009-08-19T21:26:00.004-05:00

Taking a little time out of our daily rehearsals, DWC headed out to teach a master class for the wonderful dancers at After School Matters on July 28th. Marc and Toni got the energy going with a fun and interactive warm up. James and myself brought out the dancers' technique and personalty with some across the floor action. And to finish things off, Eugene and Kim threw down some of "Beat in the Box" for everyone to put their skills into action. After School Matters also attended our performance at the Harold Washington Library that Thursday. Their enthusiasm radiated onstage from the audience, leaving DanceWorks energized and gracious.

It was a wonderful learning experience for us, seeing what ASM enjoyed and were drawn to. Most rewarding though, were the heart-felt notes we received from them a few days ago. Below, I've included a few of our favorites...

"To see someone's dream come true, it shows dancers like me that we can make it big time in the dance world if we just keep trying, and never give up." - Tiara Saddler

"DanceWorks is a company that has reminded me why I love to dance this summer. The company members have put all they have into this new company to create beautiful art. They love to push boundaries and think outside the box. That has inspired me a lot as a young dancer." - Julia Coffou

"The masterclass I had with them was very fun and has helped me improve my balance... my dance instructor even notices the improvement. They are wonderful dancers as well as wonderful people. I wear my danceworks button almost everyday. They really inspire me to go after my passion" - India Khan

"The workshop with DanceWorks to me was very motivational. It taught me that I can have fun and use my personality in every type of dance... I appreciate and will cherish that positive experience." - Nina Cook

Thanks guys, we love you too! Keep dancing from the soul, living through the heart, and giving it all you've got :)

Much love,
Rebecca

A day in the life

2009-08-11T00:35:00.002-05:00

The last few days I've been thinking about posting a blog about my typical day at work. There are the nitty-gritty details: waking up, preparing for the day, the commute, class, rehearsal, end of our work day and the myriad other activities that occupy my waking hours until it's time to go to bed and start each day anew. And the more I thought about it, the more stale and stagnant it seemed. Mind you, "stale" and "stagnant" are hardly words I would use to describe my typical work day at DanceWorks Chicago -- and I probably shouldn't even use the word "typical" in describing my work days either, because the work is anything but that. Besides, who wants to read about my commute, the contents of my dance bag, and the yogurt I eat between class and rehearsal? Probably just my mom. Maybe not even my mom.

Point is, a lot goes everyday at DanceWorks Chicago, especially right now as we spend 3 weeks working with Mario Schroeder on Love Hurts... Petrushka, a topic far more interesting than the contents of my dance bag ;)

This dry erase board represents (in theory) what our days tend to look like. Part inspirational quote, part German lesson, part daily schedule -- this board is sort of like our DWC roadmap [steer clear of 11s and 12s, but keep an eye out for 16 ;) ].

The biggest difference I've found in this creative process versus any other we've had thus far is language. Until now, all of our choreographers have been fluent in English and have been able to describe when they can't demonstrate. Mario, because he isn't fluent, doesn't always describe in a way that I get right away... but holy hell can the man demonstrate! I'm amazed at how he demonstrates everything, not warmed up, from the smallest gesture to the most acrobatic of breakdancey moves – definitely a sight to see. Very Harrison McEldowney-esque, actually.

Another difference isn't so much the movement (the vocabulary isn't necessarily unfamiliar), but the style and quality with which the steps are executed and performed. There's an interesting subtlety and dynamic that goes into all of Mario's phrases that I'm not yet able to articulate. It's a balance of technique (and trust me, it's all very technical), weightedness, and unabashed explosiveness. And floorwork – my knees want me to tell you there's floorwork involved ;)

I think perhaps one of the differences that surprised us the most was our schedule. Instead taking a lunch at 1:30 and calling it a day at 4:30 like we usually do, we've been working straight through until 3pm with a couple of breaks here and there for a Clif Bar and SmartWater. Personally, I kind of like this schedule: it keeps the energy of the day going and keeps my body warm and moving without an hour long break in the middle of the day. Apparently, Mario's own company, Ballett Kiel in Germany, works from 10am to 2pm, takes a break in the middle of the day, then goes back to work from 6pm to 10pm! An interesting way to work, I think – and not entirely unlike the schedule some of us with second jobs keep after we're done at DWC each day.

If you want to see for yourself what Mario and DWC have been making, come check us out this Wednesday, August 12 from 6-8pm at the Ruth Page Center. We'll be showing the work we've done so far with Love Hurts... Petrushka in a performance that benefits both DanceWorks Chicago and Goethe-Institut Chicago. Hope to see you at die tanzvorstellung – don't miss it!

Happy dancing days!

Marc

Do we do hip hop?

2009-08-10T23:46:00.005-05:00

Oh yeah we do! Today we met with D Ray, who is playing the main character in our new show Love Hurts: Petrushka. Hoping to share some of his flavor, he got us gettin down and grooving with some R&B jams and hip hop moves. We all had a lot of fun, and I personally feel inspired to work it out on the dance floor that way a little more often.

I check out this video of this popping battle when I got home. Maybe we'll start doing this next... you never know!

Much love,
Rebecca

Welcome week 3 and Mario Schroeder!

2009-08-02T23:33:00.003-05:00

In a few short hours, DWC starts creating and rehearsing for an international project called Love Hurts... Petrushka! Our choreographer, Mario Schroeder, landed in Chicago on Saturday and will be working with us for the next 3 weeks. I'm not sure what a contemporary/street version of Petrushka will look like, but if these clips of his choreography are any indication, it's going to to be hot :)

However it turns out, we'll be taking it to Germany this Fall for seven weeks! I know I can't wait to go overseas, but if you're not ready to part with us just yet, come hang out with us at 916 S Wabash. Our open company class is FREE every morning, Monday through Friday, until August 21. Check out this week's schedule on our website. See you at barre :) Happy dancing days! Marc

Some Inspiration

2009-08-02T22:44:00.003-05:00

Every week at DWC one of us is responsible for contributing some motivating words for the group. This coming week, its my turn and I thought I would share it with all of you ...

"When you become comfortable with uncertainty, infinite possibilities open up in your life"
- Eckhart Tolle (A New Earth)

With love,
Rebecca

Word of the week: SORE!

2009-07-27T07:32:00.002-05:00

I'm sore! My shoulders, low back, butt... even the second toe on my right foot!

And for very good reason – one week into our contract period and we've already had two performances. Wednesday night was spent at the Harris Theater performing at opening night of Jazz Dance World Congress, and this morning we had a (summer) school show at Old Town School of Folk Music in Lincoln Square. It's been a busy week :)

Performing at the Harris has definitely been one of the highlights of my dance career in Chicago thus far. I've seen a lot of great dance on that stage and it was a nice kind of satisfaction to experience it from the other side of the curtain. Surprisingly, it wasn't at all the nerve-wracking, butterfly-inducing experience I might have imagined it to be. (I auditioned for DanceWorks onstage at the Auditorium Theatre... talk about nerves). No time to be nervous about it, I suppose – the whole experience really snuck up on me. I woke up on Wednesday morning and, as I started packing my bag for the day, only then did it hit me that I would be onstage that night!

Look, there we are! :)

There we are again, and again, and again...

One of our dressing rooms!

All smiles before tech :)

Teching Blues for Ann onstage the afternoon of the performance was a tough reminder that I need to get my stamina back. First, the costume is hot: two shirts, a tie, wool sweater vest(!), polyester pants and a hat. I think I got heatstroke just standing under the lights ;) Second, the running. I have a couple crosses to make during the piece whilst (thankfully) removing some of those aforementioned layers. Third – lather, rinse, REPEAT. We did spacing, a light run, and a full run. That, coupled with the heat and the running and Harrison's cardio-ography... well, you can imagine. Under normal circumstances, I'm in well-enough shape for that to not be a problem. Under these circumstances, I found a nice couch to take a nap in between tech and the show :)

The incomparable, ineffable Sasha Fornari (dance enthusiast/enabler extraordinaire) was on hand to capture photos from our tech. As soon as I get those from him, I'll post a few for everyone's viewing pleasure.

In contrast to the Harris stage, we finished out our week at the (smaller in size, but not in impact) Old Town School of Folk Music stage.

And old school photo of me and Donna :)

School shows are my favorite to perform. 6-10 year olds, in my opinion, happen to be the most informed audiences around. They always expect greatness and they look for it in everything that gets put in front of them. And I think we gave them a great show. Beat in the Box by Brian Enos, Robert Battle's signature solo Takademe Mojo from Harrison McEldowney's Blues for Ann and Twyla Tharp's The One Hundreds.

All in all, a great first week back – a challenging and demanding first week, but a great one nevertheless ;)

And you can still join us for class for FREE company class through August 21. Check out our class schedule for more information.

Happy dancing days!

Marc

We're back!

2009-07-22T09:51:00.004-05:00

DanceWorks Chicago is back to work!

We ended our season in June with our 2nd anniversary benefit performance at our home, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, before going on a six-week summer break.

Here are a few photos from that night:

James and his Blues for Ann look!

James, Lar Lubovitch, and Julie

Julie and DWC's colorful cast of characters!

Some of us have been a little more incognito than others since that night, but that doesn't mean we haven't been keeping busy – between traveling, seeing performances and having our own individual adventures, everyone at DanceWorks has been on the go in (at least) one way or another. Europe, Canada, and all over the US – a few of us spent the summer literally on the go. I took a staycation (is that in the dictionary yet?) to make the most of my Chicago summer and do some marketing work for Chicago Dancing Festival, a free week-long event that I encourage all of our DWC friends and fans to attend!

And now six weeks later, like no time has passed at all, we're back in the studio hard at work. You can find us for the next few weeks at Columbia College at 916 S Wabash where, in addition to refreshing some of our rep, we've been spending the last two days getting ready for opening night of Jazz Dance World Congress – that's tonight, folks! We'll be performing a shorter (but no less exciting) version of Harrison McEldowney's Blues for Ann, so come check us out. There will be a ton of great companies performing tonight and every night through Saturday at the Harris Theater.

While we're getting accustomed to our temporary digs at Columbia College, come join us for open company class every morning. Our classes, by the way, are free through August 21(!) so take a look at our schedule and come doing a little dancing with DWC :)

Here are a few photos I snapped of DWC in our bright, shiny space:

Some teaching/review of Brian Enos's Beat in the Box

TheraCanes have many useful applications :)

That's it for now, friends. Be sure to bookmark or RSS the blog for more updates.

Happy dancing days!

Marc

[Since this blog is new, let me know what you'd like to see more of. Photos? Videos? DWC's fave book of the month? You tell me!]