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Molly Shanahan/Mad Shak. Photo: W. Frederking
In 2007, Chicago choreographer Molly Shanahan – forever in search of fresh and meaningful movement impulses – debuted her solo, My Name Is a Blackbird, for her company Mad Shak. Beguiling and baffling, it obviously came from somewhere deep in the fibers of the body and psyche – as discussed in my review for the Chicago Tribune. Beginning tonight Shanahan remounts her trail-blazing solo, then she brings in an ensemble for the Chicago premiere of Stamina of Curiosity: Our Strange Elevations.
At a recent rehearsal, Stamina of Curiosity appeared to be a mesmerizing exchange of energy among a singular organism of dancers, who steadily scattered outward into diverse molecules. Their effort was palpable through their audible exhaling of breath and the sense that they were partnering the air, which served as an individual barrier for them -- even though air is inherently infinite. A recurring image of curled fingers and cat paws evoked the feeling that the dancers were beckoning, seducing and shielding. They clung together before breaking apart…frequently resembling flocks of birds. In one section, the dancers appeared to be forming an assembly line, passing sandbags during a natural disaster. They became a compassionate string of individuals who were part of an equally empathetic community.
Shanahan shares her motivations for segueing from solo to ensemble:
“During Blackbird I was exhilarated and excited by what I was discovering and experiencing...but I was also somewhat lonely and recognized how easily my process could become overly introverted. I also guessed that some of the connections I was experiencing--with space, my inner life and the energy of the witness--would be exponentially more kaleidoscopic with others involved. And, significantly, that my experiments with releasing my own weight (within the 'confines' of my skin and skeleton) could be thrilling when paired with other dancers.
“The ensemble process has been both joyous and painstaking. The dancers I invited into the studio are smart, sensitive dancers and good, good people capable of thinking with their intellects, hearts, and bodies. But before we picked up momentum I was pretty petrified and exhausted that I was expending so much energy teaching both movement and approaches before I was wholly confident that we would gain enough traction to be able to really meet my vision. What I'm finding is that the process has made me more rigorous in communicating my ideas, values, visions and (on a very literal level) the source images and physical mechanics for movements. Now that the ensemble has cultivated expertise, courage and fortitude for the methods and the movement, it's still painstaking and joyous but those experiences are shared among the five of us. I feel that I'm responsible for my work (a great liberation) and not for the dancers, who take on an increasing level of responsibility for their role in developing emotional availability.
“Now that I'm immersed in both the solo process and the ensemble process, I can see how much they intersect and nurture each other.”
Molly Shanahan’s Mad Shak performs My Name Is a Blackbird May 13-16 at 6 p.m.; Stamina of Curiosity: Our Strange Elevations runs May 20-23 at 6 p.m. at Epiphany Episcopal Church, 201 S. Ashland Ave. Tickets: $20-$30, individual; $35-$50, series pass. Purchase tickets at www.madshak.com.
In other news…
During the Joffrey Ballet’s spring season this month, beloved longtime dancers Calvin Kitten and Suzanne Lopez marked their retirement from the company. Both exuberant and exacting fixtures, they are also respected for their commitment, professionalism and generosity toward their fellow artists. Kitten distinguished himself in spot-on, bullet-speed virtuosic roles; while Lopez retained a dignified and radiant presence in a range of ballets. They leave while still at the top of their game.
Also playing….
DanceWorks Chicago opens up its studio today, May 13 at 3 p.m., for a free informal showing of a new collaboration between guest choreographer John Carrafa and trumpeter John Hagstrom, set to the music of Astor Piazzolla, at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St. More information: www.danceworkschicago.org.
The Civic Ballet of Chicago, a pre-professional ballet troupe, performs To Larry with Love, a tribute to late artistic director Larry Long, featuring his choreography and a video montage of his life and work. Performances run May 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m. and May 16 at 2:30 p.m. at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St. Tickets: $15-$25. Call 312-337-6543 or visit www.ruthpage.org.
Flamenco singer and dancer Chiara Mangiamelli and her company, Idilio, perform a free concert May 14 at noon as part of the Music Without Borders series at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St. They also appear at Café BaBa Reeba, 2024 N. Halsted, on May 16. Seating at 5 p.m.; show at 6 p.m. Tickets: $10, plus tax and cost of dinner. More information: www.idiliomusic.com.
Chicago’s fearless 15-year-old physical theater company, Plasticene, premieres From a Fading Light, a site-specific performance inside an historic Wicker Park church, directed by Dexter Bullard. Show runs through May 22 at 8 p.m. at St. Paul’s Cultural Center, 2215 W. North Ave. Tickets: $20. Visit www.brownpapertickets.com. More information: 312-409-0400 or www.plasticene.com.
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