Hubbard Street Dance Chicago recently captivated audiences at New York City’s prestigious Joyce Theater, presenting two distinct and compelling programs over a two-week engagement in March 2024. This marked a significant return for the company, whom I last encountered in 2019 at the same venue. Five years prior, Hubbard Street showcased their versatility with an “all Naharin” week and an “all Pite” week. This recent season, however, signaled an evolution, moving away from a predominantly Euro-centric aesthetic towards a more diverse and perhaps American contemporary dance identity, reminiscent in some ways of Complexions Contemporary Ballet, albeit uniquely Hubbard Dance.
Under the artistic direction of Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell, who took the helm in 2021, Hubbard Dance Chicago continues to uphold its reputation for high-caliber performances. Fisher-Harrell, a former company dancer and Principal Dancer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, has clearly steered the company into an exciting new chapter, maintaining the exceptional skill of its dancers despite company member transitions. The two programs presented at The Joyce were a testament to this enduring quality and new vision of Hubbard Dance.
Hubbard Dance Chicago ensemble, with Shota Miyoshi and Simone Stevens in the foreground, performing Thang Dao’s “Nevermore”. Photo: Michelle Reid.
Let’s delve into each program, highlighting the pieces that resonated most strongly.
Program One: Dichotomy of a Journey, Nevermore, Dear Frankie (March 12, 2024)
The opening program offered a varied palette of contemporary dance, with three distinct works. While the first two pieces presented their challenges, the final piece, “Dear Frankie,” stood out with its clear intention and successful execution.
Rennie Harris, a choreographer renowned in the dance world, presented Dear Frankie, a piece that premiered with Hubbard Dance last October. Despite some previous reservations about Harris’s work, Dear Frankie proved to be a delightful surprise. This piece is a vibrant tribute to Frankie Knuckles, the “godfather of House Music,” the legendary Chicago club The Warehouse, and the city of Chicago itself. Harris’s program note emphasizes the global impact of Chicago’s house music scene, initiated by Frankie Knuckles and other Chicago DJs, influencing not only music but also fashion, film, and culture.
For those unfamiliar, Frankie Knuckles was a pivotal figure in music history. Arriving in Chicago from New York in 1977 after DJing at the Continental Baths in Manhattan, Francis Warren Nicholls Jr., or Frankie Knuckles, became the resident DJ at The Warehouse. This club became a sanctuary for Chicago’s Black and gay communities, a space for freedom and musical salvation. Knuckles’s innovative DJ sets at The Warehouse attracted crowds of up to 2,000 people. He further revolutionized music by experimenting with song re-edits, laying the groundwork for house music, named after “Ware”house. His groundbreaking contributions were recognized with a Grammy Award in 1997 for “Remixer of the Year, Non-Classical.” Sadly, Knuckles passed away in 2014 at the age of 59.
Dear Frankie is set to music by Darrin Ross and Harris himself. While not deeply versed in house music, the score effectively provides a pulsating, good-natured backdrop for the dance, driving the energy of Dear Frankie.
Hubbard Dance Chicago dancer Cyrie Topete in Rennie Harris’s energetic “Dear Frankie”. Photo: Michelle Reid.
“Dear Frankie,” which premiered with Hubbard Dance in October 2023, is simply a joy to watch. Harris masterfully creates a piece brimming with dynamic movement, yet its true essence lies not just in the action, but in the infectious fun and exuberance it conveys. Harris’s triumph is in capturing a sense of authenticity. It’s easy for such pieces to become mere displays of rapid-fire choreography, prioritizing speed over substance. However, in Dear Frankie, the atmosphere Harris recreates takes precedence. While personal experience at The Warehouse is absent, the stage vividly evokes what one might imagine a night at such a club to be – genuine and full of life.
The structure of the dance is fitting: non-narrative, with a subtle progression, but primarily focused on atmosphere. Harris expertly varies pace and action, seamlessly transitioning groups and soloists on and off stage, creating a fluid and dynamic experience. What sets Dear Frankie apart is its nuanced approach to recreating ambiance. It avoids uniformity, emphasizing individual “grooving” and idiosyncratic movements that contribute to a sense of personalized expression within the ensemble. The choreography moves between loose and tight, fluid and angular, all unified by casual costumes and sneakers, reflecting the club-goers’ relaxed and celebratory spirit. The entire Hubbard Dance company embodies this spirit, making it a true ensemble piece where individual standouts are almost beside the point.
The program began with Darrell Grand Moultrie’s Dichotomy of a Journey. The title itself may leave you puzzled, and you’re not alone. Moultrie’s program note states, “From this moment and beyond: May we continue to live with vitality, connection, vision, community, and most importantly, self-encouragement.” Still puzzled?
Each of these qualities – Vitality, Connection, Vision, Community, and Resilience (replacing “self-encouragement” in the final segment) – is designated as a distinct segment, interspersed with “Interlude” sections. The challenge with Dichotomy of a Journey is that despite these segments, the overall meaning remains elusive.
Hubbard Dance Chicago in Darrell Grand Moultrie’s visually rich but conceptually ambiguous “Dichotomy of a Journey”. Photo: Michelle Reid.
Set to an eclectic score ranging from Ezio Bosso to Dmitri Shostakovich and Nils Frahm, each segment is visually and musically distinct. While diversity isn’t inherently problematic, here, the beautiful imagery and fine dancing don’t coalesce into a unified whole. Even the title, “Dichotomy,” is perplexing. A dichotomy implies a clear division between two things. The only possible dichotomy might be between the gospel-like and classical music selections, but this thematic connection is tenuous at best. The “journey” seems to be the audience’s attempt to decipher the piece’s meaning.
This isn’t intended as harsh criticism. Moultrie is a skilled choreographer, and the segments themselves are often compelling, showcasing superb dancing and striking visuals (enhanced by Branimira Ivanova’s costumes). Company veterans Jacqueline Burnett, David Schultz, and Elliot Hammans, alongside newer dancers Aaron Choate and Alexandria Best, deliver strong performances. Yet, in the end, Dichotomy of a Journey feels like a collection of beautiful fragments that don’t quite add up.
Nevermore, choreographed by Thang Dao, the program’s central piece, is even more perplexing – not due to poor quality, but its conceptual incoherence.
Michele Dooley and Jack Henderson of Hubbard Dance Chicago in Thang Dao’s narrative-driven but unclear “Nevermore”. Photo: Michelle Reid.
Nevermore attempts to bridge Eastern and Western narratives – Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” and the Asian folktale “The Cowherd and Weavegirl” – aiming to highlight universal human experiences of grief and hope. Dao’s program note suggests the piece explores “the humanity of our experiences as shared and universal rather than distinct and separate,” with “‘The Raven’” representing loss and death, and “The Cowherd and Weavegirl” offering a ritual for processing grief through hope and memory.
Hubbard Dance Chicago performers in Thang Dao’s “Nevermore”, attempting to merge Eastern and Western narratives. Photo: Michelle Reid.
Despite this ambitious concept, Nevermore struggles to translate these narratives effectively onstage. While moments from Poe’s “The Raven” are recognizable, including figures resembling ravens in black with red feet, and the piece possesses visual appeal, its overall message remains unclear. The absence of any program note explaining “The Cowherd and Weavegirl” folktale further obscures the piece for Western audiences. Ultimately, Nevermore feels like a journey through darkness, surrounded by human-like blackbirds, leaving one with a sense of “nevermore” understanding.
Program Two: Coltrane’s Favorite Things, Aguas Que Van, Quieren Volver, return to patience (March 19, 2024)
The second program presented a contrasting experience, with the first two dances proving engaging and intriguing, while the final piece was less compelling.
Lar Lubovitch’s Coltrane’s Favorite Things opened the evening with an upbeat, jazzy energy. Created in 2010 and premiered by Hubbard Dance last year, the piece is immediately accessible and enjoyable, leaving the audience smiling rather than perplexed.
Simone Stevens and Jack Henderson of Hubbard Dance Chicago in the joyful “Coltrane’s Favorite Things” by Lar Lubovitch. Photo: Michelle Reid.
Inspired by John Coltrane’s 1963 jazz interpretation of “My Favorite Things,” Lubovitch’s choreography mirrors Coltrane’s transformation of the original Sound of Music tune. Coltrane’s version is more abstract and extended, prioritizing his unique sound over the original melody. Lubovitch draws a parallel between Coltrane’s “sheets of sound” and Jackson Pollock’s action painting “Autumn Rhythm,” a copy of which is displayed on the back scrim. Lubovitch aims to connect Coltrane’s sonic density with Pollock’s use of the entire canvas as an “action field.”
While the direct parallel between Coltrane and Pollock might be debatable, Lubovitch successfully creates a dance that stands on its own merits. It’s a spirited and free-flowing piece set to Coltrane’s music, offering a distinct artistic interpretation.
Lubovitch structures the nine dancers into groupings: a duet, a quartet, and a trio, though these formations remain fluid, mirroring the music’s improvisational nature. Coltrane’s Favorite Things is more enjoyable to watch than perhaps Coltrane’s music is to listen to, and certainly more engaging than Pollock’s painting. It’s essentially modern dance applied to a jazz score. While not as groundbreaking as Paul Taylor’s Esplanade, it shares a similar lightheartedness and infectious joy.
Hubbard Dance Chicago’s Alexandria Best in Lar Lubovitch’s “Coltrane’s Favorite Things”, a highlight of the program. Photo: Michelle Reid.
The Hubbard Dance dancers appeared to revel in Coltrane’s Favorite Things, constantly in motion, whether in structured groups or dynamic combinations. While the choreography isn’t overtly innovative, Lubovitch’s choice to not strictly adhere to Coltrane’s beat allows for visual flexibility and athleticism, which the dancers exploit to entertaining effect. While the entire company shone, Morgan Clune appeared particularly joyful, and Alexandria Best and Shota Miyoshi delivered outstanding performances.
The program’s middle piece, Rena Butler’s Aguas Que Van, Quieren Volver (“Waters that go, want to return”), is less immediately enjoyable but profoundly interesting. It’s choreographically and visually compelling, though challenging.
Aguas Que Van, Quieren Volver uses a curated score of two Spanish songs with a wistful and melancholic tone, expertly meshed by Darryl J. Hoffman. Butler’s inspiration for the songs remains unclear, but the choreography clearly resonates with their haunting percussion and ethereal quality.
(l-r) Cyrie Topete, Abdiel Figueroa Reyes, and Shota Miyoshi of Hubbard Dance Chicago in Rena Butler’s enigmatic “Aguas Que Van, Quieren Volver”. Photo: Michelle Reid.
The dance’s “other-worldly” atmosphere is enhanced by Hogan McLaughlin’s ascetic costumes – black skirts/shorts applied uniquely to each dancer – and Julie E. Ballard’s lighting, featuring color bands that echo the costume’s black swatches. The stage presence is stark, yet the dancers’ interactions are captivating.
(l-r) Abdiel Figueroa Reyes, Shota Miyoshi, and Cyrie Topete of Hubbard Dance Chicago in Rena Butler’s “Aguas Que Van, Quieren Volver,” a piece of intriguing movement vocabulary. Photo: Michelle Reid.
Seemingly isolated, the three dancers—Cyrie Topete, Alysia Johnson, and Shota Miyoshi, each intensely focused, with Miyoshi as a possible focal point—engage in strange, unfamiliar movements, as if communicating through a unique physical language of twitches, yielding forms, jabs, head pulls, and shakes. The result is a constantly evolving, almost sculptural experience, reminiscent of bending and intersecting paper clips. Despite a hint of sensuality, gender appears irrelevant, as past performances featured different gender combinations.
Ultimately, Aguas Que Van, Quieren Volver may hold meaning only for the dancers themselves. Nevertheless, it remains consistently interesting, different, and strangely intriguing, showcasing the versatility of Hubbard Dance.
(l-r) Shota Miyoshi, Abdiel Figueroa Reyes, and Cyrie Topete of Hubbard Dance Chicago in the captivating “Aguas Que Van, Quieren Volver”. Photo: Michelle Reid.
The final dance of the evening, return to patience, came with impressive credentials: choreography by Hubbard Dance’s Resident Artist Aszure Barton, music by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw, and costumes created by The Juilliard School. However, these accolades didn’t fully translate into a compelling piece.
return to patience (created in 2015) initially appears striking, but soon becomes visually monotonous, akin to a “white on white” canvas in dance form. The costumes are white suits, the stage is white, and the backdrop is white. Despite being described elsewhere as a masterpiece, its memorability stems primarily from its monochromatic aesthetic and minimalist choreography. Yet, a potential meaning does emerge.
The curtain rises on fourteen dancers in white, evenly spaced across the stage, a visually arresting image reminiscent of Balanchine’s ballerinas in white. return to patience even subtly nods to ballet, with an opening move echoing Balanchine’s Serenade.
However, the balletic connection largely ends there. return to patience lacks significant group movement beyond its minimalist framework. Dancers occasionally break away from the group, which then collectively shifts to the opposite side of the stage. The group might lean or sway, then return to stillness. Fleeting references to “The Thinker” sculpture, with a female dancer briefly assuming a seated, balancing pose, are recurring motifs, but otherwise, movement vocabulary is sparse.
The score, while not minimalist, samples well-known musical references, particularly Chopin, creating a distinct Chopin-infused ambiance. Composer Caroline Shaw describes “Gustave le Gray” as “a multi-layered portrait of Chopin’s Op. 17 #4 using some of Chopin’s ingredients overlaid and hinged together with my own,” evoking a sense of time travel between the present and Chopin’s elegant world.
Each time a dancer breaks from the mass, their brief, freer movements feel like “other dances at a different kind of gathering,” before they return to the unified white mass. This cycle of breaking away and returning, coupled with the title return to patience, suggests a possible interpretation: individuals periodically seek freedom from the constraints of the group, only to eventually return to a state of patience, awaiting the next moment of liberation.
This interpretation, if intended, could be seen as a commentary on the rigidity of ballet versus the freedom of contemporary dance. However, if this meaning is absent, return to patience risks being simply “plain vanilla” – white on white, visually and choreographically.
Despite some less impactful pieces, Hubbard Dance Chicago’s two programs at The Joyce Theater successfully showcased the company’s evolution, new dancers, and continued excellence in contemporary dance. It will be fascinating to witness the future trajectory of Hubbard Dance under Fisher-Harrell’s direction.
