Hubbard Street Dance Chicago recently captivated audiences during their two-week engagement at New York City’s prestigious Joyce Theater. Showcasing two distinct programs, each featuring a trio of dances, the company demonstrated its dynamic evolution and commitment to innovative contemporary dance. While not strictly defined as Street Dancers, the performers of Hubbard Street embody the same spirit of innovation, athleticism, and captivating movement that resonates with the energy of street dance culture. This review delves into both programs, highlighting the standout pieces and analyzing the company’s current artistic direction.
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago performers Shota Miyoshi and Simone Stevens in Thang Dao’s Nevermore, a piece exploring universal human experiences through dance.
Program One: A Journey Through Diverse Choreographic Landscapes
The March 12th program presented a triptych of dances, each markedly different in style and intent. While the opening pieces displayed technical proficiency, it was the program’s closer that truly resonated, offering a clear vision and impactful execution.
Dear Frankie: An Energetic Homage to House Music and Chicago’s Club Scene
Rennie Harris’s Dear Frankie, a relatively recent addition to the Hubbard Street repertoire, emerged as the undeniable highlight of the first program. This piece is a vibrant tribute to Frankie Knuckles, the pioneering DJ often hailed as the “godfather of House Music,” and to The Warehouse, the legendary Chicago club that became a crucible for this genre. Harris successfully translates the pulsating energy of Chicago’s early house scene onto the stage.
Frankie Knuckles, arriving in Chicago from New York in 1977, transformed the city’s nightlife at The Warehouse. This club became a sanctuary, particularly for the Black and gay communities, seeking liberation and expression through music. Knuckles’ innovative DJ sets and remixes laid the groundwork for house music, a genre that has profoundly influenced global music, fashion, and dance culture. Dear Frankie captures this cultural phenomenon with infectious enthusiasm.
Cyrie Topete of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in Dear Frankie, a dance piece celebrating the legacy of house music pioneer Frankie Knuckles.
Choreographed to music by Darrin Ross and Harris himself, Dear Frankie is less about showcasing complex choreography and more about capturing an atmosphere. It’s a celebration of movement as joy, exuberance, and community. Harris masterfully recreates the ambiance of a night at The Warehouse, or a similar club, making it feel authentic and genuinely engaging. The dancers move with a captivating blend of individual expression and collective energy, mirroring the improvisational yet unified spirit often seen in street dance forms. The structure is fluid, shifting seamlessly between group sequences and solo moments, maintaining a dynamic and engaging pace throughout. The costumes, reminiscent of casual club attire and sneakers, further enhance the sense of realism and down-to-earth celebration. While the entire ensemble shines, the piece’s strength lies in its collective energy rather than individual spotlights, creating a truly immersive experience.
Dichotomy of a Journey: An Exploration of Themes that Remain Elusive
Opening the program was Darrell Grand Moultrie’s Dichotomy of a Journey, a piece conceptually ambitious but somewhat lacking in clarity. The choreographer’s note outlines themes of “vitality, connection, vision, community, and self-encouragement,” which are segmented into distinct parts of the dance, interspersed with “Interlude” sections. However, despite these thematic divisions, the overarching message remains ambiguous.
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in Dichotomy of a Journey, a piece by Darrell Grand Moultrie exploring themes of vitality and connection through movement.
Set to an eclectic score ranging from Ezio Bosso to Dmitri Shostakovich, the dance presents visually appealing segments with impressive dancing. However, the connection between these segments and the overarching “journey” remains unclear. The “dichotomy” suggested by the title is also not readily apparent, leaving the audience searching for a unifying thread. While individual segments showcase strong performances from company veterans and newer members alike, the piece as a whole lacks a cohesive narrative or impactful statement.
Nevermore: Bridging Eastern and Western Narratives in a Dark Landscape
Thang Dao’s Nevermore, positioned in the middle of the program, proved to be a perplexing piece, not due to lack of quality, but because of its conceptual opacity. The choreography attempts to merge Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” with the Asian folktale “The Cowherd and Weavegirl,” aiming to highlight universal human experiences of grief and hope.
Michele Dooley and Jack Henderson of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago perform in Nevermore, a dance piece inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven.
While moments evoking “The Raven,” such as dancers costumed as ravens, are recognizable, the connection to the Asian folktale remains elusive. The program lacked any contextual information about “The Cowherd and Weavegirl,” leaving Western audiences struggling to grasp the intended fusion of narratives. Despite visually striking segments and the dancers’ commitment, Nevermore ultimately felt like a journey through darkness without a clear destination, hindering the intended message of shared human experience.
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago ensemble in Nevermore, a Thang Dao choreography exploring themes of loss and grief through dance.
Program Two: Intrigue and Innovation Take Center Stage
The second program, presented from March 19th, offered a contrasting experience, with the first two pieces proving particularly engaging, while the final piece, despite its pedigree, fell somewhat flat.
Coltrane’s Favorite Things: A Jazzy and Joyful Opener
Lar Lubovitch’s Coltrane’s Favorite Things launched the second program with an upbeat and infectious energy. Inspired by John Coltrane’s 1963 jazz rendition of “My Favorite Things,” the piece is a celebration of musical and movement innovation.
Simone Stevens and Jack Henderson of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in Coltrane’s Favorite Things, a piece inspired by John Coltrane’s jazz interpretation.
Lubovitch draws a parallel between Coltrane’s “sheets of sound” and Jackson Pollock’s action painting “Autumn Rhythm,” a copy of which is displayed as a backdrop. While the dance doesn’t directly mirror Pollock’s chaotic abstraction, it captures the same spirit of freedom and energy in motion. Coltrane’s Favorite Things is fundamentally modern dance imbued with jazz sensibilities. It evokes a similar lightheartedness and joy found in pieces like Paul Taylor’s Esplanade, creating a genuinely uplifting experience.
Alexandria Best of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in Coltrane’s Favorite Things, a joyful and dynamic modern dance piece.
The choreography loosely divides the nine dancers into duets, quartets, and trios, but maintains a fluid structure mirroring the music’s improvisational nature. The dancers move almost continuously, their energy infectious and their athleticism impressive. While the choreography itself may not be groundbreaking, Lubovitch’s approach allows for visual dynamism and expressive freedom, which the Hubbard Street dancers fully embrace. The dancers’ evident enjoyment of the piece further enhances its appeal, making it a truly delightful start to the program.
Aguas Que Van, Quieren Volver: An Intriguing and Otherworldly Exploration
Rena Butler’s Aguas Que Van, Quieren Volver (“Waters that go, want to return”) offered a stark contrast to the preceding piece. While not conventionally “fun,” it proved to be choreographically and visually compelling, creating an atmosphere of haunting intrigue.
Cyrie Topete, Abdiel Figueroa Reyes, and Shota Miyoshi of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in Aguas Que Van, Quieren Volver, a hauntingly beautiful and intriguing dance piece.
The piece is set to a curated soundscape of Spanish songs with a wistful and melancholic tone, creating an “otherworldly” sonic environment. This atmosphere is further enhanced by Hogan McLaughlin’s ascetic costumes and Julie E. Ballard’s evocative lighting design. The dancers appear isolated, engaging in unfamiliar and often unsettling interactions, creating a sense of unique physical communication. Their movements blend fluidity with angularity, twitches with smooth transitions, forming a constantly evolving, almost sculptural tableau. While the meaning remains deliberately ambiguous, Aguas Que Van, Quieren Volver captivates through its strangeness and sustained sense of intrigue.
Abdiel Figueroa Reyes, Shota Miyoshi, and Cyrie Topete in Rena Butler’s Aguas Que Van, Quieren Volver, a piece exploring unique forms of physical communication.
Shota Miyoshi, Abdiel Figueroa Reyes, and Cyrie Topete in Aguas Que Van, Quieren Volver, a Hubbard Street Dance Chicago performance at the Joyce Theater.
return to patience: Minimalism and Meaning in White
Concluding the second program was Aszure Barton’s return to patience, a piece with impressive credentials – choreography by a resident artist, music by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw, and costumes from The Juilliard School. However, despite this pedigree, the piece ultimately felt visually striking but choreographically understated.
return to patience is presented in a monochromatic white environment – white costumes, white stage floor, and white backdrop. The initial image of fourteen dancers in white is visually arresting, reminiscent of Balanchine’s balletic precision. Indeed, the piece opens with a nod to ballet, as the dancers briefly adopt a balletic first position.
However, the balletic references are fleeting. return to patience quickly transitions into minimalist movement, characterized by subtle shifts within the group. Dancers occasionally break away from the ensemble for brief solos before rejoining the mass, creating a cycle of departure and return. The score, while not minimalist, samples familiar musical motifs, particularly Chopin, creating a distinct yet somewhat detached ambiance.
Despite its minimalist approach, return to patience may offer a deeper meaning. The cyclical structure of breaking away and returning to the group, combined with the title, suggests a commentary on patience – a waiting for moments of individual expression within a larger, more rigid structure. The piece could be interpreted as a reflection on the tension between the discipline of classical forms and the freedom of contemporary dance, or even the individual and the collective. Without a clear narrative, however, the interpretation remains open, and the piece risks becoming a purely aesthetic exercise in “white on white.”
Conclusion: Hubbard Street’s Evolving Vision
Despite some less impactful pieces, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s Joyce Theater season successfully showcased the company’s evolution under new artistic direction and the exceptional talent of its dancers. From the energetic tribute to house music in Dear Frankie to the intriguing mystery of Aguas Que Van, Quieren Volver, the programs demonstrated a commitment to diverse choreographic voices and a willingness to push boundaries. While not explicitly street dancers, the company’s embrace of innovation, dynamic movement, and culturally resonant themes places them within the broader spectrum of contemporary dance that shares common ground with the inventive spirit of street dance. It will be compelling to witness how Hubbard Street Dance Chicago continues to develop and redefine contemporary dance in the seasons to come, potentially drawing further inspiration from the ever-evolving landscape of urban movement and street dance culture.
