Monthly Archives: April 2025
Evidence of Good
The Book of Grace
After a ten year estrangement, Buddy has been invited by Grace, his loving and optimistic stepmother, to come back home to South Texas. She’s hoping that a long-awaited reunion with his violent and bullying father, Vet, will patch up their mysterious longtime hostile relationship. The specific occasion for this homecoming is that Vet, a sadistic border patrol officer, is about to receive a medal for his work. And Vet’s proud of his apprehension and arrest of Mexican aliens, either trying to cross the border illegally or smuggling drugs into the country.
Read MoreGiordano Dance Company Flies High in “Soaring.”
Giordano Dance Chicago, “America’s original jazz dance company,” celebrated its 62nd season with two performances and a gala celebration at the Harris Theater this past weekend. Giordano Dance Chicago is an iconic cultural institution with deep roots in Chicago and one of the longest running dance companies in the world. This past weekend’s program, “SOARING: Life, Light, and Legacy,” is a celebration of the joy of living, the brilliance of light, and the lasting impact of Nan Giordano’s 40 years at the helm of Giordano Dance Chicago as well as the vibrant life of her beloved son, Keenan Giordano Casey, that was cut too short this past October.
A blend of old and new pieces were showcased. The evening began with the world premiere of “Sana” (Latin for heal) by Al Blackstone, a choreographer in residence. Sana is his second work created for the full company and is set to an original music score by percussionist and pianist Stahv Danker. A warm, rhythmic piece, it begins with a sultry jazz feel, and ends in a percussive, athletic power that is invigorating and joyful. The next piece was “333,” a solo created for company dancer Erina Ueda, (Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch 2024”) by Nan Giordano and Cesar G. Salinas. Erina dances with a level of sheer, physical power that is captivating. Her body is an expressive, joyful instrument that Giordano and Salinas used as a vessel for a celebration of life.
Ueda’s solo was followed by “SOARING,” a moving tribute to the life of Nan’s son, Keenan Giordano Casey (1995-2024). The piece was created through a collaboration between Nan Giordano, Cesar G. Salinas and the Giordano Dance Chicago Company Dancers. All in white, the dancers sped across the stage at almost dizzying speeds. Keenan Giordano Casey was taken too soon, and the pain of his loss could be felt as the dancers incorporated handheld candles. They created a feeling of collective gratitude to have lived and loved, and the inevitable sorrow that comes with that same gratitude. The audience was clearly packed with friends and family, and it was an honor to be a part of such a beautiful and heartfelt memorial.
The next piece was Red & Black, choreographed in 2024 by Ray Leeper. It felt like a throwback to the early days of jazz dance and an homage to a certain era of Broadway. The collection of songs went from classic to modern, beginning with Eartha Kitt and ending with Club De Beluga. Each vignette told a story of love, lust and adventure. The company is made up of particularly expressive dancers, who not only used their whole bodies, but their faces to tell their stories.
After intermission, the audience was treated to past works by Nan Giordano and Christopher Huggins. “Taal”, originally debuted in 2001, featured music by Anuradha, Suno A.R. Rahman and S Jhaia, and had a distinctly Southeastern Asian feel. The dancers incorporated large, saffron colored sheets that hung from the ceiling and created an atmosphere that felt grounded in nature, perhaps because of the soft, independent movement of the fabric as it reacted to the dancers.
The final work of the night was “Pyrokinesis,” originally created by Huggins in 2007. It won the 2008 Black Theater Alliance Award for “Best Choreography.” Huggins created a piece that builds on itself with a rhythmic intensity that was a joy to witness. The company’s athleticism, especially after a night of already powerful, energetic performance, was staggering.
Throughout the night, as the dancers hurled or spun or leaped or sashayed across the stage with perfect control, or supported each other with impossible strength, or reached toward the sky to bid farewell to a loved one, I was reminded that, above the other performance arts, dance often feels like the purest expression of human emotion. It needs no words, no roles or elaborate sets, only humans and their bodies in motion, living in riotous color. If you are looking for a reminder of what it is to be human, be sure to check out a Giordano Dance show this season.
Highly Recommended
Reviewed by Alina C. Hevia
To learn more about Giordano Dance Chicago, check out their website, and their calendar, here: https://www.giordanodance.org/calendar
Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.
Set Sail on This Campy Ship of Dreams
Titanique
Imagine you’re enjoying a guided tour of a museum—say, the Titanic Museum—which is devoted to the history of the White Star Line’s Queen of the Ocean and the artifacts recovered from the underwater wreckage of this famous Ship of Dreams. Suddenly, in the middle of this tour, a famous pop music star makes an unexpected appearance. It’s none other than Canadian singing superstar Celine Dion, whose signature ballad, “My Heart Will Go On,” became the motif and theme song of the James Cameron 1997 blockbuster film. And even more surprising is that the delightful diva claims that she didn’t just sing during the final credits of the film, but that she was actually aboard the ship during that ill-fated voyage…and survived!
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Sex and Storytelling
No Such Thing
Meet Ren, an attractive, late middle-aged screenwriter, who’s superpower is her talent for powerful storytelling. At the top of Lisa Dillman’s drama, the audience finds themselves becoming voyeurs, watching and listening to a episode of intense intimacy occurring between a man and woman. The sensual encounter takes place in a dimly lit bedroom behind a translucent screen, but it’s very clear what is going on. Ms. Dillman has certainly aroused the adult theatergoer’s attention from the get-go, and her story is off and running.
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