Evanston Dance Ensemble Presents: Body of Work - The Dance of Art
For the dancers of the Evanston Dance Ensemble, art in its many forms is the inspiration for the youth dance company’s original production, Body of Work: The Dance of Art, premiering Friday, March 11 at 7 p.m. at the Josephine Louis Theatre on Northwestern University’s campus. From Chagall’s windows to Leonardo da Vinci’s hands to the photographs of Ansel Adams to the mobiles of Alexander Calder, a group of choreographers has created the dance of art.
Chicago, IL, February 11, 2011 --(PR.com)-- If impressionist painter Edgar Degas was inspired by the ballet, what or who inspired his dancers? For the dancers of the Evanston Dance Ensemble, art in its many forms is the inspiration for the youth dance company’s original production, Body of Work: The Dance of Art, premiering Friday, March 11 at 7 p.m. at the Josephine Louis Theatre on Northwestern University’s campus (20 Art Circle Drive). From Chagall’s windows to Leonardo da Vinci’s hands to the temples of the ancient Greeks to the photographs of Ansel Adams to the mobiles of Alexander Calder, a group of professional choreographers have selected a wide ranging group of artists and art forms to use as inspiration for their choreography. The production includes projections from nationally renowned projectionist John Boesche and performances by special guest dancers Joseph Caruana of Elements Contemporary Ballet and emerging young artists on the Chicago dance scene Jean-Paul Weaver and Trenton Williams. EDE, the dance company in residence at Dance Center Evanston, presents five additional performances of Body of Work: The Dance of Art on Saturday, March 12 at 4 p.m., Sunday, March 13 at 2 p.m., Saturday, March 19 at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, March 20 at 2 p.m. Tickets are priced at $15.00 for children under 18, students and seniors, and $22.00 for adults. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Northwestern Box Office at 847.491.7282 or by going online at www.tic.northwestern.edu.
EDE co-artistic directors Béa Rashid and Christina Ernst have looked in many different directions for inspiration, but never has a bumper sticker provided the genesis for the theme of an EDE dance production.
“I saw a bumper sticker with the word ‘Earth’ and the a-r-t was boxed in,” explains Rashid. “It struck me that art is everywhere, and the inspiration for that art comes from many different places. I thought it would be interesting to bring different art forms together in collaboration.”
The ten professional choreographers involved in the project were told to “go find an artist that inspires you.” The result is a broad and varied group of art and artists and, true to the Evanston Dance Ensemble’s 14-year performance history, a wide range of choreographic styles, including: a jazzy, hip hop exploration of the art of the graffiti artist Banksy by Stephanie Paul of Be the Groove; a study of the varied roles Frida Kahlo portrayed in her life by Annie Besserra, artistic director of Striding Lion Performance Group; the use of gesture in the early paintings of Leonardo da Vinci by EDE founder and co-artistic director Bea Rashid; the mobiles of Alexander Calder by Enid Smith of Enid Smith Dance; the haunting work of Henry Darger, one of the most famous figures in the history of outsider art, by Allison Kurtz of Dance Center.
Evanston; classical Greek and Roman architecture and sculptures by Mike Gosney, artistic director of Elements Contemporary Ballet; the photography of Ansel Adams by Julie Cartier of the Cartier Collective; exploring the theme of love in paintings by Monique Haley, principal dancer and choreographer with River North Chicago Dance Company; a view of Edgar Degas’ ballerinas by Vicki Barlow; and a celebration of women in art from EDE co-artistic director Christina Ernst.
Body of Work: The Dance of Art also features the choreography of 16-year-old EDE ensemble member Amelia Nawn who has drawn her inspiration from the Chagall windows at the Art Institute of Chicago. The dance company annually presents the Young Choreographers Project, a spring production devoted to the choreography of its young members who range in age from 12 to 18 years old. For the March show, EDE members submitted petitions for inclusion of their dance in the Body of Work production with one being chosen.
The Evanston Dance Ensemble continues to devote itself to bringing the artistry and excitement of dance to the community and has gained a reputation over the past 13 years for creating innovative, exciting productions for audiences of all ages.
For additional information on the Evanston Dance Ensemble, check the web at www.evanstondanceensemble.org or call 847.328.6683.
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EDE co-artistic directors Béa Rashid and Christina Ernst have looked in many different directions for inspiration, but never has a bumper sticker provided the genesis for the theme of an EDE dance production.
“I saw a bumper sticker with the word ‘Earth’ and the a-r-t was boxed in,” explains Rashid. “It struck me that art is everywhere, and the inspiration for that art comes from many different places. I thought it would be interesting to bring different art forms together in collaboration.”
The ten professional choreographers involved in the project were told to “go find an artist that inspires you.” The result is a broad and varied group of art and artists and, true to the Evanston Dance Ensemble’s 14-year performance history, a wide range of choreographic styles, including: a jazzy, hip hop exploration of the art of the graffiti artist Banksy by Stephanie Paul of Be the Groove; a study of the varied roles Frida Kahlo portrayed in her life by Annie Besserra, artistic director of Striding Lion Performance Group; the use of gesture in the early paintings of Leonardo da Vinci by EDE founder and co-artistic director Bea Rashid; the mobiles of Alexander Calder by Enid Smith of Enid Smith Dance; the haunting work of Henry Darger, one of the most famous figures in the history of outsider art, by Allison Kurtz of Dance Center.
Evanston; classical Greek and Roman architecture and sculptures by Mike Gosney, artistic director of Elements Contemporary Ballet; the photography of Ansel Adams by Julie Cartier of the Cartier Collective; exploring the theme of love in paintings by Monique Haley, principal dancer and choreographer with River North Chicago Dance Company; a view of Edgar Degas’ ballerinas by Vicki Barlow; and a celebration of women in art from EDE co-artistic director Christina Ernst.
Body of Work: The Dance of Art also features the choreography of 16-year-old EDE ensemble member Amelia Nawn who has drawn her inspiration from the Chagall windows at the Art Institute of Chicago. The dance company annually presents the Young Choreographers Project, a spring production devoted to the choreography of its young members who range in age from 12 to 18 years old. For the March show, EDE members submitted petitions for inclusion of their dance in the Body of Work production with one being chosen.
The Evanston Dance Ensemble continues to devote itself to bringing the artistry and excitement of dance to the community and has gained a reputation over the past 13 years for creating innovative, exciting productions for audiences of all ages.
For additional information on the Evanston Dance Ensemble, check the web at www.evanstondanceensemble.org or call 847.328.6683.
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Contact
Evanston Dance Ensemble
Maria Ballantyne
847.869.2249
www.evanstondanceensemble.org
Maria Ballantyne
847.869.2249
www.evanstondanceensemble.org
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