“Dance Chicago-Future Stars” reviewed by CJ Hyland

[rating=3] I never tire of viewing live dance performances. Whether it’s ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, modern, swing, ballroom – I love them all. Maybe it’s because I used to dance and remember the pure joy of giving yourself over completely to the moment, or maybe it’s because there is something infectious in the controlled movement of bodies to a pulse and a rhythm, or maybe it’s because it’s instinctual, this desire to gyrate to a beat and pay attention to those who do, after all it is how ancient peoples used to pass stories down from generation to generation. Whatever the reason, if I have an opportunity to watch live dance, I am going to shimmy and shake my way to wherever I need to be to do it, and, given that Chicago’s dance scene is as varied and vibrant as the city itself, you never have to look very far to find something cool.

And, find something cool I did, last evening at the Athenaeum Theater in Lincoln Park, which is home to “Dance Chicago,” an annual festival presented by Emergence Dance Theater that celebrates movement in all its forms. This year marks the 25^th anniversary of “Dance Chicago,” which debuted in 1994 and has been an integral part of Chicago’s dynamic dance scene ever since, both for fostering new, emerging talent as well as honoring more established Chicago companies and choreographers. Since it’s inception, the festival, founded by John Schmitz and Fred Solari, has created over 600 shows, showcased more than 15,000 acts with over 150,000 artists taking part. This year alone boasts 250 troupes with over 2500 artists filling the bill, showcasing every conceivable style of dance.

The festival kicked off last Saturday night with “Dance Slam”, an award-winning, interactive, dance competition in which each selected dance group executes a live 5-minute performance with the audience acting as judge and jury, deciding on their favorite. Winners of “Dance Slam” are then invited to participate in other “Dance Chicago” performances, including “Future Stars,” the second show in the festival’s line up and my good fortune to witness last night.

“Future Stars,” which took to the Athenaeum stage last evening at 8PM, highlights artists and choreographers new to the Chicago dance scene. This show is one of the anchor performances of the festival, and one of my personal favorites, as it provides an opportunity for the best of Chicago’s emerging talent to showcase their skills and have their worked performed before a live audience, while giving us, the audience, an inside look into the future of Chicago dance. Last night’s event featured 14 dance groups hailing from in and around the Chicagoland area and representing a multitude of dance styles, including classical ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip hop and aerial, just to name a few.

GG Pre-Professional Company of Gus Giordano Dance School got the evening rolling with a sensual and sexy jazz club number, entitled “Smooth,” that was all languid movements and martini sophisticated style. Thirteen dancers, attired all in black, high kicked, turned and dipped, completely synchronized, in a languorous number that left you wanting more. That was quickly followed by Pospeshil Performing Arts, a group of four female dancers attired in ethereal white flowing costumes that held us all in thrall with a soulful, sensuous number set to the unparalleled grooves of Panic At The Disco’s “This is Gospel.” At once both playful and provocative, this work, entitled Arrhythmia, lived up to its name leaving our hearts beating to a completely new rhythm for having experienced it.

Other highlights of the first act included; Inside Chicago Dance Youth Training Program with a high energy piece, entitled “ Pace,” featuring eight female dancers twisting and gyrating to a thrumming bass line, Extensions Dance Company with a funky work called “Breakout,” utilizing five dancers, joyously hip swiveling, head rolling and shoulder shrugging to a vibrant Latin beat, and Gus Youth Co., of Giordano Dance School, with a fast-paced, high-energy, totally synchronized, hip hop spectacle of smooth moves, entitled “My Prerogative,” that left us all fist pumping as the curtain fell.

The second act opened with Aerial Dance Chicago’s Youth Dance Ensemble in a stunning aerial ballet, featuring nine female dancers partnered by five sets of hanging silk fabric and paired to the dulcet tones of Emancipator. Equal parts acrobatics and dance, “Dreamcatcher,” mesmerized as dancers ascended, spun, and hung, suspended above the stage, in a glorious marriage of artistic ingenuity and athletic prowess. Shortly thereafter we were treated to a jazz-laced, sexy number, entitled “Sucker,” by Dance Forever Performance Group, featuring eleven dancers, all in black, hypnotically pulsating to a slowed-down version of the Jonas Brothers hit single “Sucker.” All hair-flying head spins, leg-extended hip thrusts and confident, slow struts, this work was steamy, seductive fun from top to bottom.

Also included in the second act were; Starr Dance Studio with a work entitled “Beloved,” featuring six female dancers in a high energy, head bobbing, jazzy number, that left us all dancing in our seats, Wheatland Dance Theater Youth Company, headlining four female dancers, garbed in traditional white tutus, dancing a classical ballet called “Pas de Quatre,” and Jazz Theater of Illinois, highlighting eight female dancers, in an up-tempo, pulsating, club-vibe groove, dubbed “T.A.M.E.”

The evening’s final performance was danced by Visceral Studio Company, a training studio for Visceral Dance Chicago, in a work entitled “Passage,” featuring 19 dancers in flowing white costumes, set to the music of Sigur Ros. A ravishing work, encompassing stylized ballet, jazz and contemporary dance, that was grace, power and art brought to life for an exultant close to a magical evening.

Future Stars is unequivocally a triumphant evening for all parties participating. Certainly, for Dance Chicago itself, a festival created to celebrate all that is Chicago Dance, and in the firm belief that dance has the power to inform communities and drive emotional transformation. Most assuredly for the dancers and choreographers, whose joy and passion palpably radiates from them and from every spin, jump, and twist they perform. And, finally, for the audience, those of us lucky enough to get to behold such a dizzying showcase of dance talent and truly witness history in the making. I, for one, cannot wait for next year.

If you missed Dance Slam and Future Stars, don’t worry there is still plenty of dance to see as “Dance Chicago” 2019 continues with:

“Stories of Dance,” November 11-15 at 7PM, Athenaeum Theatre, Studio 2, 2936 N. Southport Avenue

“Dance Chicago 25^th Anniversary Dance Party,” November 16 at 8PM, Athenaeum Theatre, Main Stage, 2936 N. Southport Ave

“Dances from the Heart,” February 15 at 8PM, Athenaeum Theatre, Main Stage, 2936 N. Southport Ave

To purchase tickets call 773-935-6875 or visit www.dancechicago.com