The Windy City's leading contemporary dance company, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, is bringing the Joyce Theater's 2007-08 season to a substantive close with two completely different programs of largely unfamiliar choreographic works.
The most provocative piece on the program I saw was a poetic ensemble work, "Extremely Close," choreographed by company member Alejandro Cerrudo. On a stage covered with white feathers, and in striking contrast to the lulling, continuous phrasings of Philip Glass and Dustin O'Halloran piano solos, eight dancers move through unpredictable solos, duets, and trios built of dynamic, angular movement. Dressed in black, the performers roll stark white rectangular panels into changing configurations that differently frame each section of the dance. Unfortunately, the piece disintegrates at the end, when the panels and the crisply moving dancers exit and the choreography degenerates into a wishy-washy, sentimental pas de deux.
The evening's finest piece was "Passomezzo," a tickling duet about an odd relationship, created by Israel's always intriguing Ohad Naharin. Dancing to "Greensleeves," the performers share energies and trade power positions, but it's apparent he's mesmerized by her while she's simply amused by him. Yet by the end the couple's movements grow synchronized, and they polka together with a bizarre glee. Congratulations to dancer Terence Marling for capturing the choreography's challenging combination of passion and quirkiness.
Inspired by the design principles of 16th-century Italian architect Andrea Palladio, Jim Vincent's "Palladio" succeeds only in conveying a sense of the word Renaissance: the historical period is reflected in the costumes and the heavy curtains draped overhead, while the notion of rebirth pervades the work's opening scene as two near-naked men struggle against the pull of ropes resembling umbilical cords. Vincent's plain ensemble choreography is rhythmically dull and kinetically flat, and the duets, danced with forced emotion, are made of markedly unromantic movement.
Completing the program was Toru Shimazaki's large ensemble piece "Bardo," magnificently lit by Ryan J. O'Gara and constructed of loose, flowing movements — all of which you've seen before — set to delectable, international-flavored musical selections by Dead Can Dance.
Presented by and at the Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Ave., NYC. Aug. 4-16. Mon.-Wed., 7:30 p.m.; Thu. and Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2 and 8 p.m. (212) 242-0800 or www.joyce.org.