Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Hubbard Street settled into the Joyce Theatre in August, winding up the last two weeks of dance events in New York City and living up to their reputation as one of the finest contemporary dance companies around. The group has a stalwart reputation for being an ensemble of robust, tough dancers: broad-shouldered men with strong, clean technique and women with great stamina who generate an enormously appealing and sensuous presence. Clearly Jim Vincent, the director, knows that without a ballet center, dancers can look like gym rats. The Hubbard dancers are firmly grounded in classical technique and can pull off pirouettes and attitude turns with the best of them. With feet articulated, legs spear-straight and the women soft and undulating through the arms, these Chicagoans are a thrilling bunch.
“Palladio,” choreographed in 2007 by Jim Vincent, has heady program notes, never mind that the piece is a movement gift for the eyes. In attempting to set some 1,570 writings of Andrea Palladio to a 1996 super score by Karl Jenkins, Vincent has created a line of flawless connections between his dancers. Men and women costumed in fetching short skirts with trains down the back plow through the intricate lifts, leap across the floor with legs cutting through the stage space and fearlessly abandon themselves to the demands of the choreography. The structure is textbook: a luscious pas de deux, group dances in varying numbers veering in and out and good usage of floor work are all included in the varied choreography. It seems not a corner of the stage was left unattended. Vincent has delivered an exuberant closer for all seasons.
Extremely Close
Photo by Rosalie O'Connor
In 2005, Alejandro Cerrudo joined the company as a dancer and is now a choreographer. His “Extremely Close” was performed on a stage covered with white feathers. The piece began with large white panels on wheels moved around to conceal or reveal the dancers hidden behind. All this stirred up the feathers and seemed a bit gimmicky, which is acceptable if the choreography rises to the occasion. As the dancers became progressively wet with sweat, the feathers began to stick to their bodies. There were stretches of time when little was going on, and the long kiss between principals became awkward and silly. Cerrudo had ideas, but seemed thin on vocabulary, and with these dancers who are able to do anything, that becomes too evident. A fulfillment and a rich text of meaning were missing, and eventually the eye was too interested in what the feathers were doing.
“Cor Perdut” (Lost Heart), an exquisite duet for Penny Saunders and Cerrudo, though placed second in the program, was the memory one took to the streets. To expect anything less from Nacho Duato, the choreographer, is folly as he continues to fine-line his enormous skill, creating pieces large and small that have such relevance and beauty. Set to a poignant vocal selection of Maria del Mar Bonet, this piece was simply thrilling.
What goes on in the choreographic expanse of Ohad Naharin’s mind that permits his every piece to have that sharp edge of mastery in its wake? A small duet to the traditional melody of “Greensleeves” caught fire in a millisecond as Yarden Ronen flew from the dark at the back of the stage to the front, his black jacket flailing open. He was frantic, waving his arms uncontrollably until the calming and beautiful Kellie Epperheimer entered. Now he has a focus: to woo her—not an easy task. “Passomezzo” is deliriously wonderful, a study in opposition: he, a bundle of energy; she, as calm as a deserted beach; together, absolutely magnificent. There were moments of humor, eroticism and originality, and in the end, he was abandoned as she walked off leaving us with a sense that we had witnessed something wonderful. Accolades to Vincent! He continues to collect valuable pieces for his repertory, enhancing the exciting reputation of Hubbard Street Dance.