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Giordano Dance Chicago

Giordano Dance Chicago

 
Spring Series, 2018
 
Harris Theater

Giordano Dance Chicago

Frank Brichetto   

Friends, last night we had the extraordinary pleasure of seeing Giordano Dance Chicago’s Spring dance presentation, “55 Exhilarating Years”.  The Giordano Dance company, founded by legendary dancer, choreographer and dance technique author, Gus Giordano, is the first Jazz dance company ever created, America’s (and the world’s, really) premier Jazz dance group.  They are AMAZING.

This was the most approachable, enjoyable, enlightening and uplifting presentation we have seen yet from GDC.  These dancers do amazing things on stage, leaping, spinning, turning, and throwing each other around in ways no ballet company ever imagined.  It’s a brazen show of dancers at their peak, such as when one man went up on his toes and spun, in a three fast – three very-fast pattern, five times without stopping. (yes, 30 non-stop spins, I counted.  If I counted wrongly, then 30 is too low a number.)  This dizzying display did not end there; the dance and dancers continued to perform boldly and flawlessly for many minutes more.

Giordano Dance Chicago

Give and Take, the opening number, was an elegant, graceful and emotional exploration of the relationships between men and women, expressing in movement what we so often cannot express in words.  Energetic, with argument and passion, then flowing with grace, tenderness and love.

Take a Gambol, a world premier by Joshua Blake Carter, was particularly entertaining, as it reached back to classic Jazz numbers by Maynard Ferguson, Quincy Jones and even Perry Como, and this set the tone for the 8 male dancers to completely show off their strength, grace, speed and consummate skills on the stage dance floor.

Hiding Vera, a world premier piece by Davis Robertson developed explicitly to highlight the talents of GDC’s women dancers, accomplishes the goal admirably as these gifted dancers play, leap and seem to fly across the stage in so many ways.

Crossing/Lines, one act in this piece featured two women in a display of leaps, constant kicks and spins, blazing foot movements, and arm-in-arm twirling that struck me immediately as “Take that, River Dance!” I don’t know if that was the intention, but if it was, ladies, mission accomplished.

These are just a few of the most memorable moments from a show that was totally memorable; so fantastic, so gloriously rich in celebrating the human form at its very best, that for me, it will never be forgotten.  That this show also celebrates so many accomplishments provides even richer value to anyone who appreciates skilled, athletic, forward reaching dance.

Friends, acquaintances, anyone anywhere near where GDC is performing, please take this bit of advice and go see them for yourself.  Just go.

Giordano Dance Chicago