DANCE FOR LIFE 2019 Preview

Editor's Note:  Click here to read reviews and previews of prior years' DANCE FOR LIFE performances.

Joining the Partner Dance Companies that perform at Dance for Life each year—Giordano Dance Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and The Joffrey Ballet—are Chicago Dance Crash, Chicago Human Rhythm Project’s Stone Soup Rhythms, Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater, a work choreographed by Robyn Mineko Williams, and a finale choreographed by Randy Duncan. The event is geared to raise funds through dance.

Giordano Dance Chicago performs SOUL, choreographed by Ray Leeper, a high-energy contemporary work to music performed by Tina Turner, Gladys Knight and the Pips and Al Green.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago performs an excerpt from Decadance/Chicago, choreographed by Ohad Naharin.

The Joffrey Ballet performs a pas de deux from Bells, choreographed by Yuri Possokhov for the Joffrey to music by Sergei Rachmaninov, which is based in classical ballet but is more contemporary, with hints of Russian folk dance. The second work, Lorelei, choreographed by Nicolas Blanc to music by Jessica Rose Weiss, is based on the mythological title character, that explores the energy of longing and the movement of desire, as Lorelei and Henri dance a pas de deux quite literally to death.

Chicago Dance Crash performs Leap of Faith, choreographed by Artistic Director Jessica Deahr, which showcases its span of breakdance, acrobatics, hip hop and concert dance techniques with movement in the most raw, pure form: a freestyle.

Chicago Human Rhythm Project’s Stone Soup Rhythms performs MOVEMENT 11, choreographed by Dani Borak, who was inspired by the musical work of the same name by Bugge Wesseltoft, Henrik Schwarz and Dan Berglund. Borak says, “The movements and rhythms evolved through a process of captured improvisation, music visualization and emotional response. “

Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater performs an excerpt from Mar de Fuego/Sea of Fire, a flamenco contemporary ballet choreographed by Carlos Rodriguez with music by Delirios Ibericos by Rao Kiau & Ketama, honoring Dame Libby Komaiko, Ensemble Español founder.

Also on the program, former Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (HSDC) dancer and award-winning choreographer Robyn Mineko Williams presents a first look at Echo Mine, a work performed by Robyn Mineko Williams and Artists that is inspired by the late Claire Bataille, one of HSDC’s founding dancers, as well as a choreographer and director of the Lou Conte Dance Studio.

Randy Duncan is creating a finale using dancers from the participating companies and around Chicago.

For more information, visit the Chicago Dancers United/Dance for Life website.

Editor's Note:  Click here to read reviews and previews of prior years' DANCE FOR LIFE performances.