Dance Crash Returns With -gasp- A Normal Concert

By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Nov 9, 2012 7:00PM

Dancer Daniel Gibson aka "Qwan"

Chicago Dance Crash has made themselves known for their contemporary approach by combining all things ballet, acrobatic, hip hop and beyond. Celebrating a decade as a company, and and coming off the success of the ambitious “Gotham City” production this summer, CDC returns with a traditional repertory concert, but per usual, expect the works to be anything but traditional. With a total of seven pieces on the program, six are world premieres, and this time around, they've collaborated with a slew of choreographers for the Fall Concert, including guests Jon Lehrer from Buffalo and Stephanie Martinez, formerly of River North Dance Chicago.

In “Morphic Slip,” Lehrer has expanded on a duet piece from his own company set to Aphex Twin in which bodysuit-clad dancers show off their acrobatic training and control with some interesting slide work on gloved hands. Martinez’s piece titled “They All Seem Sweet” is a long-form work with three sections that embody the contemporary style of CDC. One male piece and one female piece combine for “organized chaos” in the final section. Of course there are also pieces from inside the Dance Crash family. Artistic Director Jessica Deahr and Producing Director Mark Hackman, the two minds behind “Gotham City,” collaborate on an abstract piece called “I Didn’t Know I Wasn’t Minding My Own Business,” while company member Lyndsey Rhoads brings back the popular work “We Deal With It In Different Ways.”

The 2012 Fall Concert begins tonight at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts (1016 N. Dearborn) and runs for two weekends with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm. Tickets are $18 in advance, $25 at the door.