The title of Margaret Jenkins’ evening-length work exemplifies the ethos of the performance, both in the connotative meaning of the words and in the gentle play of syllables on the tongue and lips. Massive-scale projections by Naomie Kremer transform the theater walls into a dream-universe of constellations and kaleidoscopic light, bearing equal importance on the stage as on the white-clad dancers, who sidle in to play against a vast field of shifting lights. The opening image feels pulled from a picture book about kids who wake up, still in their pajamas, in the far reaches of outer space. The intensity, color and character of the light gradually transforms as it does throughout our days, dictating the moods and movements of the eight dancers on stage. The atmospheric score, by Paul Dresher, weaves seamlessly into the shifts of light and motion, an example of collaborative art at its finest. (Sharon Hoyer)
At the Dance Center of Columbia College, 1306 South Michigan, (312)369-8330, February 9-11 at 8pm. $26-$30.
Beyond Boundaries: Mandala Maker Festival Moves to Devon Avenue Pranita Nayar is the founder and executive artistic director of Mandala South Asian Performing Arts. She is a celebrated dancer and choreographer in the classical Indian dance form Bharata Natyam, but her organization presents performances by South Asian artists who are working across disciplines—which Nayar is quick to point out are inextricable from one another. Nayar is organizing the Mandala…
Encouragement and Drive: A Preview of Dance for Life at the Auditorium Theatre “Dance for Life” is an annual concert that raises money for The Dancers’ Fund, which provides health care assistance for dancers and people who work in the dance field. But it also happens to be a beloved and joyful celebration of Chicago’s rich and abundant dance scene.
