Amidst concrete and apartment complexes, skyscrapers and trains, our interconnectedness with nature may not be immediately apparent. Wendy Clinard’s “Watershed” is fuel for the fire of remembering that we are all still part of a living, breathing whole. The piece traces the history of the Chicago River: everything from the train tracks that grew alongside, to the shapes and movement of the water itself, to its microscopic bacterial contents.
Three performers, including Clinard herself, dance to Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring,” played by two live pianists. Ink paintings by Dmitry Samarov accompany the performance in large projections. This triangle of dance, painting and piano echoes the traditional flamenco triangle of singer, dancer and guitar. The dancers’ draw from traditional flamenco as well as modern dance forms, influenced in part by Pina Bausch. Their movements range from intimate and symbolic to urgent and expansive, from violent staccato angles to the fluid sweeps and arcs of the manton (shawl). The dance is organic, reflecting an ancient story and ancient rhythm. Dancers plunge beneath the river’s surface, digging down to reach deeper waters, challenging us to do the same. (Lauren Nelson)
At Logan Center for the Arts, 915 East 60th. Friday, June 27, 8pm. $25 general admission, $10 students.
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