Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (HSDC) has been around for a while, and rightly so. Founded by Lou Conte, the company now has Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell (once a dancer with HSDC) as the fourth Artistic Director who is responsible for continuing its growth and relevance to the audiences of today as well as its Youth, Education and Community programs. From its beginnings in Chicago in 1977 to national and international tours, the company has grown exponentially and has garnered acclaim wherever they perform. This was all too apparent Friday evening when they took to the stage at the beautiful Musco Center for the Arts , presented as part of the Marybelle Musco Contemporary Dance Series, on the Chapman University Campus after having done a week-long residency.
HSDC knows how to put on a show. The lighting throughout was spectacular and was responsible for half of the punch delivered by each piece. Interestingly, there were four different lighting designers for the four different pieces yet the first three had a great deal in common while the fourth was more sedate. Choreography by four different choreographers also had similarities in structure, attitude and execution.
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in “Echoes Of Our Ancestors” choreography by Maria Torres – Musco Center Photo by Karen Tapia.
The first work, “Echoes Of Our Ancestors” was a full company piece choreographed by Maria Torres. The program note states it is a “captivating exploration of Caribbean Latin heritage.” It was certainly fun and vibrant with gorgeous colorful costumes by Luis Razo which caught the light and moved so fluidly. Lighting by Aja M. Jackson was powerful with sunset hues splashed across the cyc upstage, then changing to dark, moody shadows for a different section, and ending another one in stark silhouette. It was a veritable roller-coaster of dramatic lighting and eager dancers embodying rhumba and striking poses. Music by Philip Hamilton was sensuous, infectious and heady, catching the audience up in the Caribbean rhythms.
Next was a solo for the extremely capable Shota Miyoshi titled, “Show Pony.” He was a stand-out in the first piece and then let loose in this solo. It is exactly what the name implies – a showing of, or showing off of dexterity and technique, full of glitz and glam. He wore a dark gold lamé unitard, long sleeved with a mock turtleneck which took the lights very well. Costume by Fritz Masten. Truly it was as if someone designed a T-1000 Terminator model for dance. Choreography by Kyle Abraham would have been more at home in a music video than a contemporary dance concert, but Miyoshi overcame that commercial aspect of the work. Music by Jlin supported the gestural arms and many episodes of brushing the hair off of the face quite well. I would expect a bootleg video of this piece to go viral on TikToc at any moment. Lighting by Dan Scully was very dramatic and changed often, including overhead down pools and beautiful specials.
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in “Into Being” choreography by FLOCK – Musco Center Photo by Karen Tapia.
Next was “Into Being” choreographed by FLOCK, a duo made up of Alice Flock and Florian Lochner. Three individuals are in a diagonal line stage left while two more enter slowly from down right. They come together and the rest of the piece is spent in individuals breaking off from the group to do solos and duets while the others mark time in unison gestures. Lighting by Julie E. Ballard was specific and delineated areas and boundaries that were utilized by the dancers. The costumes by Hogan McLaughlin were the same for all five performers lending an air of belonging to a group or clan. Music by Michael Wall was somber, contemplative.
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in “return to patience” choreography by Aszure Barton – Musco Center Photo by Karen Tapia.
The final work of the evening was also a full company piece, “return to patience” choreographed by Aszure Barton and set to music by Jonathan E. Alsberry and Caroline Shaw. This had a haunting opening with a very slow cue for lights coming up where we see the dancers as shadows all standing still facing the audience until the lights reach full. The dancers all in white with a white flooring creates a stark, antiseptic and slightly futuristic tableau. There follows different sections where the group is in unison and individuals break off into duets and trios and realign into the group. Perhaps a comment on adapting to society at the expense of one’s own individuality? Costumes by Fritz Masten were reminiscent of soft pajamas and also the hazmat suits from “The Andromeda Strain.” Hence the somewhat alien, futuristic feel to the piece.
All in all, it was a crowd-pleasing evening worthy of its standing ovation if only for the energetic output of the dancers. But add to that the fantastic costumes and strong dramatic lighting, HSDCs’ Youth, Education and Community Programs, and there is so much more to appreciate and applaud.
To learn more about Hubbard Street Chicago Dance, please visit their website.
For more information on the MUSCO Center for the Arts, please visit their website.
Written by Brian Fretté for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in “Into Being” choreography by FLOCK – Musco Center Photo by Karen Tapia.
