Hubbard Street Dance Chicago Releases Tickets to 2014-15 Season Performances, 8/25

CHICAGO - Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Artistic Director Glenn Edgerton are excited to release single tickets to the renowned contemporary company's 2014-15 season performances in Chicago, on August 25, 2014 at 10am. All remaining seats to the company's performances at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago's Edlis Neeson Theater will be available online at hubbardstreetdance.com or by phone to the Hubbard Street Ticket Office at 312-850-9744. (Season 37 subscriptions, which include tickets to all four 2014-15 season engagements, went on sale May 1, 2014 and remain available by phone or online at hubbardstreetdance.com/subscribe.) Season 37 single tickets start at just $25; the performance schedule is as follows:

October 16-19, 2014 brings the world premiere of the largest original production in Hubbard Street's history, collaboratively devised with Chicago's renowned home for improvised and sketch comedy, The Second City. (Click here to download the project-specific press release, or visit hubbardstreetdance.com/secondcity.) Major support for the project is provided by Jack and Sandy Guthman through the Imagine Campaign at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, with additional funding from The Walter E. Heller Foundation and Choreographer's Circle Member Sallyan Windt.

December 4-14, 2014, Hubbard Street returns to the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago's Edlis Neeson Theater for a third consecutive year to co-present "Princess Grace Awards: New Works," featuring three ascendant contemporary choreographers: 2013 MacArthur Fellow Kyle Abraham, RUBBERBANDance Group founder and artistic director Victor Quijada, and Hubbard Street alumna Robyn Mineko Williams. All three artists have received Princess Grace Awards in Choreography and will create original works for "Princess Grace Awards: New Works." The new work by Kyle Abraham,Counterpoint, is a Chicago Dancing Festival commission and receives its world premiere on August 20, 2014, opening night of the Festival's eighth annual series of free performances and simulcast live to the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. Major support for "Princess Grace Awards: New Works" is provided by the Princess Grace Foundation-USA.

Hubbard Street returns to the Harris Theater for the Spring Series, March 12-15, 2015, themed on gender identities and relationships, and featuring the company's first performances of work by Kidd Pivot founder and artistic director Crystal Pite. A Picture of You Falling, from Pite's 2010 evening-length work, The You Show, receives its Hubbard Street premiere alongside Cloudless (2013) by Alejandro Cerrudo, called "perfection in its unification of choreography, music and lighting" by Germany's Main Post; and two contrasting ensemble works by Czech-born, Holland-based dancemaker Ji?í Kylián:Sarabande (1990) for six men, and Falling Angels (1989) for eight "powerhouse women" (Chicago Sun-Times).

Hubbard Street's Season 37 concludes with a unique program marking the sixth year of Alejandro Cerrudo's prolific and successful choreographic residency. Hubbard Street's All-Cerrudo Celebration runs June 11-14, 2015 at the Harris Theater, featuring his 14th world premiere for the company and additional repertory to be announced.

In addition, Hubbard Street Artistic Director Glenn Edgerton and Terence Marling, Director of Hubbard Street 2, are pleased to announce the HS2 roster for 2014-15, which expands the organization's ensemble for early-career artists from eight to nine members; and three choreographers selected to create original works for HS2 through its International Commissioning Project: Victor Alexander, Bryan Arias and Ihsan Rustem.

Joining Adrienne Lipson, promoted from HS2 Apprentice, and returning full company members Katie Kozul, Jules Joseph and Andrea Thompson, are Zachary Enquist and Elliot Hammans. Three more dancers join as HS2 Apprentices: Katlin Michael Bourgeois, Natalie Leibert and Megan Myers.

As part of its mission to identify and nurture young choreographers, HS2 initiated the National Choreographic Competition in 1999. Renamed the International Commissioning Project for its 15th anniversary, the program continues to provide residencies to choreographers, offering them the opportunity to create original works for HS2's dancers and to conduct master classes. The IC Project, part of Hubbard Street's Choreographic Development Initiative, has produced 40 original works.

Says Terence Marling: "I'm eager to start my second full season as Director of Hubbard Street 2, and I'm thrilled we've gathered such a formidable group of young dancers to celebrate 15 years of commissioning new choreography. Looking back at this program's history, I'm struck not only by the artistic and demographic diversity of past recipients, but by how far they've come since working in our studios with HS2. Our first two choreographers were Robert Battle, now artistic director at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; and Jessica Lang, who founded and directs her own successful company. Camille A. Brown and Aszure Barton came to us back-to-back, in 2002 and 2003. Edwaard Liang and Andrea Miller create all over the world. The list goes on and on, and our three IC Project choreographers for 2014-15 absolutely hold the same potential."

IC Project-supported premieres by Victor Alexander, Bryan Arias and Ihsan Rustem will be choreographed during residencies in fall 2014, at the Hubbard Street Dance Center in Chicago, and at Indiana University Bloomington's IU Contemporary Dance department. The IC Project's 15th anniversary celebration, December 16, 2014 at 5:30pm at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, features all three of these new works alongside recent IC Project premieres as part of the Harris Theater's popular, affordable series "Eat to the Beat."

"Lunchpass" subscriptions to the six unique "Eat to the Beat" programs, October 2014-May 2015, are available beginningAugust 25 for just $25, online at harristheaterchicago.org or by phone at 312-334-7777. Single tickets to "Eat to the Beat" programs will be available at a later date.

About the International Commissioning Project 2014 choreographers

A native of Pinar del Rio, Cuba, Victor Alexander's international career as a dancer, teacher and choreographer began with studies in modern and Cuban folkloric dance at the prestigious Escuela Nacional de Arte in Havana. He graduated ENA in 1992, the same year he was awarded first place for dance at Havana's 4th National Union of Writers and Artists. Alexander then joined Danza Contemporánea de Cuba, where he remained a principal dancer until 2002 and established and refined his technique and artistry. Alexander has studied with many distinguished teachers including Donald McKayle, Chuck Davis and Jeffrey Bullock; and has performed throughout Europe, Asia, the Caribbean and the United States. Since relocating to Chicago in 2002, Alexander has performed with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, Hedwig Dances, CDI / Concert Dance Inc. and Luna Negra Dance Theater. Of particular importance to him is teaching in programs bringing dance to youth in Chicago Public Schools including Dance Art (2007-10) and the Elementary Dance Scholarship Program (2010-11). In 2012, he was selected by the Chicago Dancemakers Forum as one of four choreographers in CDF's year-long Lab Artists Program for creative development, and was included among Dance Magazine's list of "25 to Watch" internationally for 2013. He received a fellowship from the Illinois Arts Council for his work Line of Sighs, named by the Chicago Tribune as one of the 10 best dance productions of 2013, and was one of the 2013 Novel Affair Artists selected by the Ragdale Curatorial Board. In summer 2013, Alexander joined the artistic and administrative team of the Ruth Page Center for the Arts; as both director of the Ruth Page School of Dance and co-director of the Ruth Page Civic Ballet, he continues their traditions of exceptional training, and mentoring the nation's next generation of dancers.

A native of Puerto Rico, Bryan Arias moved at age eight with his family to New York City, where he was exposed to multiple dance styles and studied intensively at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School (LaGuardia Arts). Upon graduation, Arias received the school's Jacques d'Amboise ballet award, going on to perform in New York with Complexions Contemporary Ballet and internationally with Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) and Kidd Pivot. Arias has originated roles in and performed works by notable choreographers including Ji?í Kylián, Ohad Naharin and Crystal Pite; he received First Place and Audience Choice awards for his work Without Notice at the Sixth Copenhagen International Choreography Competition, and the Audience Favorite Award for his work at New York City's Dance Gallery Festival. He has choreographed for dancers at the Juilliard School, Peridance Contemporary Dance Company, LaGuardia Arts, and "Switch," NDT's annual choreographic workshop and charity benefit. Arias' full-evening production, a place where something flourishes, premiered to sold-out audiences in November 2013. He is currently a freelance artist, exploring dance through choreography, collaboration, and education.

Born in London, Ihsan Rustem studied from 1998-2000 at the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance. His professional performance career includes work in the UK with the National Youth Dance Company and Matthew Bourne's Adventures in Motion Pictures; in Germany at Ballet Theater Munich; at Introdans in the Netherlands; and in Switzerland as a founding member of both the State Theater Berne Ballet and Lucerne Dance Theater. Rustem has worked with many of today's leading choreographers including Mats Ek, Ji?í Kylián, Hans van Manen and Paul Lightfoot and Sol León; has originated roles in works by Matthew Bourne, Alexander Ekman, Wayne McGregor, Hofesh Shechter, Stijn Celis, Karole Armitage and Cayetano Soto; and has performed works by master choreographers including William Forsythe, Maurice Béjart, David Parsons and Twyla Tharp. He works extensively with and regularly assists choreographer Patrick Delcroix and, since creating his first work for the Rambert School in 1999, Rustem has choreographed for numerous organizations including Northwest Dance Project, Istanbul State Ballet MDT, Lucerne Dance Theater, BYU Contemporary Dance Theater, Würzburg Ballet, Interdans Festival and Holland's ArtEz Dansacademie. He was named winner of the Sadler's Wells Global Dance Contest in 2011 for his work State of Matter, which also received the Publikumspreis (Audience Choice Award) at the 25th International Competition for Choreographers in Hannover, Germany. Rustem has also received the Fewster Cecchetti Scholarship's silver medal, going on to represent the UK as a finalist at the Cecchetti International Ballet Competition in Melbourne, Australia. Visit ihsanrustem.com to learn more.

About Hubbard Street 2's 2014-15 season new dancers

Zachary Enquist (Plymouth, MN) began training at Summit School of Dance in Plymouth, MN. He holds a BFA in Dance from SUNY-Purchase College in New York, where he performed works by choreographers Doug Varone, Lar Lubovitch, Stephen Petronio, Bill T. Jones and Merce Cunningham. Other training includes summer studies at the Juilliard School, Movement Invention Project and Springboard Danse Montréal, where he performed repertory by William Forsythe, Stijn Celis and Robyn Mineko Williams. Enquist spent a semester abroad at Codarts in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and was an apprentice at Mark Morris Dance Group. Enquist joins Hubbard Street 2 as a full company member in August 2014.

Elliot Hammans (Santa Fe, NM) began his formal dance training in 2008 with Robert Sher-Machherndl, former principal dancer with Het Nationale Ballet (the Dutch National Ballet), and continued his ballet and modern dance education with Moving People Dance in Santa Fe, NM. Hammans joined Moving People Dance Company as an apprentice in 2010, trained on full scholarship at the Alonzo King LINES Dance Center in San Francisco, and attended Hubbard Street Dance Chicago's 2011 and 2012 Summer Intensives. Following one season with Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance and studies abroad at Austria's Tanzzentrum SEAD (Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance), Hammans earned his BFA in Dance in 2014 from Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. Choreographers whose work he has performed include Sean Curran, Gail Gilbert, Crystal Pite, Kendra Portier and Nathan Trice. Hammans joins Hubbard Street 2 as a full company member in August 2014.

Adrienne Lipson (London, ON) began her dance training in London, Ontario under the tutelage of Jennifer Swan, and continued her studies at Ryerson University, where she received the Theatre Dance Award, the Jack and Hedda Rothman Award, and a BFA with honors upon graduation in spring 2013. While in Toronto, Lipson performed with Typecast Dance Company and was a founding member of Rock Bottom Movement. Lipson attended the Proarte Danza Summer Intensive and Kenny Pearl's Emerging Artists Summer Intensive, in addition to training programs at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, LADMMI (Montréal's L'École de Danse Contemporaine), the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival and Springboard DanseMontréal, where she performed works by choreographers Barak Marshall and Robyn Mineko Williams. Lipson joined Hubbard Street 2 as an apprentice in August 2013.

Katlin Michael Bourgeois (Gonzales, LA) began dancing in 2010 at various studios in Louisiana including NOCCA (the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts) and A Touch of Class Performing Arts. After attending Alonzo King LINES Ballet's Summer Program in San Francisco in 2012, he accepted a full scholarship to join the Alonzo King LINES Ballet Training Program, from which he graduated in May 2014. Bourgeois has performed in works by numerous choreographers including Andrew Brader, Sandrine Cassini, Lee-Wei Chao, Kara Davis, Gregory Dawson, Maurya Kerr, Nikoloz Makhateli and Uri Sands. He joins the company as an HS2 Apprentice in August 2014.??

Natalie Leibert (Moorpark, CA) began training at various dance schools in the Los Angeles area including company work with Westside Dance Project in Redondo Beach, and Pacific Festival Ballet in Agoura Hills. She continued training at the Miami City Ballet School and, most recently, completed a year in Alonzo King LINES Ballet's Training Program. Leibert has attended workshops and programs at the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, the Joffrey Ballet School, the School of American Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet and the Juilliard School, in addition to Nederlands Dans Theater and Batsheva Dance Company. She has performed works by choreographers including Iratxe Ansa, Sandrine Cassini, Jessie Hartley, Will Johnston, Menghan Lou and Carmen Rozestraten. Leibert joins the company as an HS2 Apprentice in August 2014.

Megan Myers (West Chester, OH) began her formal training in dance at age 13, with Z Company in Monroe, OH under the direction of Zandra Thomas, Aly Moss, and Justin Daniel. She then continued her studies at Cincinnati's de la Dance Company with Meridith Benson, Mario Nuez and Amy Harold. Myers worked in Chicago with teachers Brian McGinnis, Cheryl Mann and Laura Wade, and has attended summer training programs at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Complexions Contemporary Ballet and the Juilliard School. She joins the company as an HS2 Apprentice in August 2014.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago extends special thanks to its 2014-15 Season Sponsors: Athletico, Official Provider of Physical Therapy; Chicago Athletic Clubs, Official Health Club; and Target, Lead Community Programs Sponsor.

About Hubbard Street

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, under the artistic leadership of Glenn Edgerton, celebrates its 37th season in 2014 and 2015. Among the world's top contemporary dance companies and a global cultural ambassador, Hubbard Street demonstrates fluency in a wide range of techniques and forms, and deep comprehension of abstract artistry and emotional nuance. The company is critically acclaimed for its exuberant and innovative repertoire, featuring works by master American and international choreographers. Hubbard Street's artists hail from four countries and 12 U.S. states, and comprise a superlative ensemble of virtuosity and versatility. Since its founding by Lou Conte in 1977, Hubbard Street has grown through the establishment of multiple platforms. Each is dedicated to the support and advancement of dance as an art form, as a practice, and as a method for generating and sustaining communities of all kinds.

Hubbard Street 2, directed by Terence Marling, cultivates young professional dancers, identifies next-generation choreographers, and performs domestically and abroad, in service of arts education, collaboration, experimentation and audience development.

Extensive Youth, Education and Community Programs, directed by Kathryn Humphreys, are models in the field of arts education, linking the performing company's creative mission to the lives of students and families. Hubbard Street also initiated the first dance-based program in the Midwest to help alleviate suffering caused by Parkinson's disease. Youth Dance Program classes at the Hubbard Street Dance Center include Creative Movement and progressive study of technique, open to young dancers ages 18 months to 16 years.

At the Lou Conte Dance Studio, directed by founding Hubbard Street Dancer Claire Bataille, workshops and master classes allow access to expertise, while a broad variety of weekly classes offer training at all levels in jazz, ballet, modern, tap, African, hip-hop, yoga, Pilates® and Zumba®.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago

1147 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60607 • 312-850-9744 • hubbardstreetdance.com

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