Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s (HSDC) 43rd season will resume Thursday, March 25, 2021, at 7:30 p.m. with a virtual world premiere of new work by critically acclaimed choreographer and former HSDC dancer Penny Saunders. The piece will also be streamed Saturday, March 27 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 28 at 2:00 p.m. Each presentation of the film will be followed by live, interactive conversations with Saunders and other members of the creative team.
Saunders’ 30-minute piece is entitled “In Any Event.” Created at a time when gathering for events is not possible for most due to the coronavirus pandemic, the film explores the complex interpersonal dynamics inherent within significant life celebrations.
“There is an array of events that one experiences in their lifetime, from birthdays to New Year’s parties, and from weddings to funerals. These monumental ceremonies merge casts of characters with individual narratives—some more private, some more evident. With intermingling storylines and layered histories, these gatherings can be intense and complex collisions of viewpoint, rather than the easy celebrations that they appear to be,” says Saunders.
“In Any Event” was co-directed by Saunders and Bruno Roque and filmed by HMS Media. The film includes music by Franz Schubert, original compositions by Michael Wall, and stories and songs recorded by Hubbard Street dancers. The work was filmed at Walden, a private event space in the West Loop neighborhood, and performed by the full HSDC company.
“Using the Walden event space as our setting, this film shifts the audience’s point of view within those walls to reveal a series of hidden perspectives and agendas,” Saunders continued. “Our film compassionately peels back the complicated dynamics present at any gathering of family and friends.”
The choreography, casting, rehearsals, and filming all took place with social distancing practices in place. Duets and trios are performed by HSDC dancers who share a residence or who temporarily quarantined together for the making of the film.
Audiences are asked to RSVP at www.hubbardstreetdance.com to receive the link via email. The RSVP link will be made available two weeks prior to the premiere. HSDC will stream the will stream the work on Vimeo.
About Penny Saunders
Penny Saunders, originally from West Palm Beach, Florida, graduated from the Harid Conservatory in 1995 and began her professional career with The American Repertory Ballet under the direction of Septime Webre. She went on to dance with Ballet Arizona, MOMIX Dance Theater, Cedar Lake Ensemble, and in 2004 she joined Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. In 2011, Saunders won the International Commissioning Project, which launched her choreographic career. She has created pieces for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Cincinnati Ballet, Whim W’Him, Oklahoma City Ballet, BalletX, Sacramento Ballet, The Royal New Zealand Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Diablo Ballet, Dayton Ballet, and others. Saunders is honored to be the Resident Choreographer at The Grand Rapids Ballet, where she has created many new works including her first full-length work, The Happy Prince and Other Wilde Tales. Saunders has received support from The New York City Ballet Choreographic Commissions Initiative, participated in The National Choreographers Initiative, and was the recipient of the 2016 Princess Grace Choreographic Fellowship. This year she is excited to be creating a range of new dance films with Whim W’Him, BalletX, Ballet Idaho, Seattle Dance Collective, Grand Rapids Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.
About Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s mission is to bring artists, art, and audiences together to enrich, engage, educate and change lives through the experience of dance. Celebrating Season 43 in 2020-2021, HSDC is committed to keeping its dancers creating and finding innovative ways to continue to share an exceptional contemporary dance with the community. Hubbard Street also offers extensive Education and Adaptive Dance Programs to ensure that residents in every neighborhood of Chicago have access to the benefits of dance. Visit www.hubbardstreetdance.com for more information.