Time Out Chicago & Culturadar Critic's Pick: Celebrating Our Legacy
Red Clay Dance: Celebrating Our Legacy
#CriticsPick Red Clay Dance: Celebrating Our Legacy at Kennedy-King College, Katherine Dunham Theater trib.al/R5hzoY#Chi— Culturadar (@Culturadar) May 29, 2012
Time Out Chicago and Culturadar got it right when they chose Red Clay Dance's Celebrating Our Legacy as Critic's Picks!
Running for a single night, in the Kennedy King College Katherine Dunham Theater, Red Clay Dance performed in characteristic company fashion: embodying stories born in the African Diaspora and cultivated on Chicago’s South side. Celebrating Our Legacy introduce a growing youth company, tackled challenging political issues, and showcased work by emergent African American choreographers.
Red Clay Dance welcomed new members to the company in 2012, including an additional 6 members of the youth company. The Youth grew from four talented young women, to an ensemble over twice the size, and adding young men, who add to the complexity and balance of the youth company.
The youth company presented two premiere works in Celebrating Our Legacy: “Take Care” an energetic hip hop piece choreographed by Jasmine Collins, and “See Line Woman,” set to a remix of a Nina Simone classic by Muntu Dance Theater’s, Amansu Eason. The featured picture, above, of young women carrying one another, captures one of the many striking moments of their performance.
“Celebrating Our Legacy” premiered 3 new works. The adult company danced the World Premiere of “Gone 2 Soon,” influenced by the Trayvon Martin killing, exploring the relationship of mothers and their sons.Red Clay Dance surprised this year’s audiences with other unique collaborations. Alongside Jasmine Collins and Amansu Eason, Chicago choreographer, Tosha Ayo Alston, Artistic Director of Ayodele Dance & Drum joined the show for a rousing finale danced by both companies—Ayodele Dance and Drum, and both the Red Clay Dance youth and adult dancers. The grand finale brought the crowd to cheers!Red Clay Dance must congratulate the cast and crew, who contributed their energy and talent to the event. This show was, truly, a critic's pick!