Ron De Jesus Dance Brings HYPER HUMAN to Ruth Page Center for the Arts This Weekend

Ron De Jesus Dance presents its first full evening of dance in Chicago this weekend, April 25 and 26 at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts (1016 North Dearborn Street, Chicago). "Hyper Human" is a mixed repertory program of six works, by notable guest choreographers Arte Phillips and Benjamin Millepied, in addition to RDJD artistic director and Chicago native Ron De Jesus. Acclaimed Chicago jazz vocalist Paul Marinaro performs live the score for a world premiere suite of dances by De Jesus, Without a Song... Mic Check 1, 2.

The titular work Hyper Human is one of two additional world premieres on the program, choreographed by De Jesus to music by Ben Frost and Ralf Hildeneutel. The work is inspired in part by the choreographic process itself, and how it has helped De Jesus find inner calm. Says the choreographer, "As a child and professional dancer, I was always told to calm down. At times even my feverish foot tapping under the table was 'too much.' I call my anxiety 'the dangerous animal,' and this work addresses how the craft of choreography has helped me tame it."

The complete "Hyper Human" program includes:

Triade (2010; 22 minutes), a Chicago premiere by Benjamin Millepied, choreographer of the film Black Swan and incoming director of ballet at the Paris Opéra. Millepied designed and conceived Triade, to music by celebrated composer Nico Muhly, as an homage and respectful tribute toward influential choreographer Jerome Robbins (West Side Story), paying specific tribute to Robbins' neoclassical and contemporary creations for New York City Ballet.

Leather Tongues - 50/50 (Ron De Jesus, 2014; 5 minutes), a world premiere with special guests Benjamin Wardell and Michel Rodriguez Cintra of Chicago's The Nexus Project, named by Dance Magazine one of "25 to Watch" worldwide in 2014.

Without a Song... Mic Check 1, 2 (Ron De Jesus, 2014; 30 minutes) a world premiere collaboration featuring jazz vocalist Paul Marinaro and musical guests performing favorites from the album "Without a Song," such as When I Look In Your Eyes, That Old Black Magic, and I Get a Kick Out of You.

Secret Garden (Arte Phillips; 5 minutes), a trio originally premiered at Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS in New York City.

Excerpt from ...and in the endless pause, they came (Ron De Jesus, 2012; 10 minutes), landscapes of the future and subconscious, set to music by Scanner.

Showtimes for "Hyper Human" are as follows: April 25 and 26, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 North Dearborn Street in Chicago. Tickets are $25-$50 and available online at ruthpage.org, or in person at the theater's box office before each performance. For further information, visit www.rondejesusdance.org or facebook.com/RDJDance, or call the Ruth Page Center for the Arts offices at 312-337-6543.

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