Chicago Repertory Ballet, September 2012

[Willie]

I attended the Chicago Repertory Ballet’s premier performance on Friday, 21 September. Here are a few of my thoughts about the mixed bill (in order of performance).

 

"Très Hip: A Love Story" is something one would expect to see performed on Broadway, not by a ballet company, contemporary or otherwise. The saving grace was a wonderful duet by Lizzie MacKenzie and Matthew Wenckowski.

 

"La Vie En Rose"was a beautiful pas de deux danced by Danielle Scanlon and Tony Suhadoinik to the music of Edith Piaf.

 

"Lent Et Douloureux" is slow ("lent"); however, as my French guest pointed out, there was no painful ("douloureux"). The mirror image dancing between the two female dancers was excellent.

 

"Peoplescape: Juxtaposition" was a well conceived, well danced, and extremely intense contemporary dance.

"Of Alice" is a beautiful tribute to choreographer Autumn Eckman’s grandmother and grandfather in their younger years. Danielle Scanlon’s solo dance was beautiful.

 

"Its Not Enough to Close Your Eyes" is an interesting duet that involves one male and one female dancer dancing around a single light on stage shining from the stage upward on an otherwise dark stage.

 

"Shostakovich Piano Concerto." It wasn’t until this finale that he dancers were given the opportunity to unfurl their wings and really show off their stuff.

 

A side note. Ruth Page Center for the Arts has no box seats, and fate sat me behind a gentleman with a large head.

Edited September 23, 2012 by Willie

[Jan McNulty]

Thanks for posting Willie. I enjoy hearing about other companies abroad.