Being an engaged spectator is a peculiar skill; to fully absorb and process original acts of creation requires the kind of mental clarity, relaxation and undivided focus that’s a rare commodity in our twittering age, when audiences from the AMC to the Lyric must be reminded to silence their mobiles like children reluctant to brush their teeth before bed. Dance demands this dying skill in abundance, as a medium that uses unique physical language to speak to an ever more sedentary, disembodied culture. CDI/Concert Dance Inc borrows a phrase coined by Newsweek—“Digital Fidgeting”—to look at the electronic culprits fracturing our fragile attention spans and the isolating effects of instantaneous, virtual socialization. The piece is part of an evening of works by CDI Artistic Director Venetia Stifler and company dedicated to communication, or lack thereof. Also on the program is “Meetings Along the Edge,” an investigation of cultural intersection set in part to a collaborative composition by Ravi Shankar and Phillip Glass, and “When All is Said and Done,” a journey through the permutations of romantic love. (Sharon Hoyer)
At the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn, (312)337-6543. January 16-18 and 23-25. Fri and Sat 8pm, Sun 3pm. $20 in advance, $25 at the door.
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