Chicago is an arts town and home to some of the finest dance companies in the world. Deeply Rooted Dance Theater was co-founded by Kevin Iega Jeff and Gary Abbott with LaVerne Alaphaire Jeff, Diane Shober, and Linda Spriggs. The company made its debut in 1996. I had the pleasure of having a conversation with artistic director Nicole Clark-Springer about the company. November 3 is the kickoff for the 2023-2024 Made in Chicago Dance Series at the Auditorium Theatre. Clarke-Springer's Madonna Anno Domini will be making its world premiere at the opening.
Clarke-Springer spoke about original Dance Theater member Ulysses Dove's Vespers being a much-requested revival that will be a part of the program. "It was a tribute to the women in his life. Vespers are considered the highest form of prayer and this was his connection to the spirit of those women. It is also important that we create new works to continue telling our stories. There is immense value in continuing the history and legacy of our stories." I asked about the influences on the choreography—in particular, by Katherine Dunham who trained some of the most well-known choreographers.
"The ballet world was difficult for the African-American and that continues to this day, even with the breakthroughs by Black dancers. Dunham was the first to break through that by creating her own style out of ballet basics. Katherine Dunham was an ethnic anthropologist who traveled to Haiti and Africa to study how movement and dance tell a story. Dance is like the griot in African villages. Dunham codified different movements such as the squatee (a more earthy and deeper plie) into dance and made those movements part of the language that is American dance."
Look for revivals of dances by co-founder Greg Abbott (associate artistic director), Kevin Iega Jeff, and more at the November 3 performance of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater. Tickets start at $25 and are available now at www.auditoriumtheatre.com. The Auditorium Theatre is at 50 W. Ida B. Wells Drive.