Chicago dance group kickstarts Great Performance Series

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BODY LANGUAGE — Pictures from previous performances highlight the dance company’s diversity and contemporary talent. (Visceral Dance Chicago)

Every semester, Hope College students get the opportunity to watch some of the greatest artists from around the world who have been recognized for their incredible talent perform in Hope’s Great Performance Series. Throughout the school year, students and faculty have the chance to take a break and watch the unbelievably talented artists that we welcome to our stage.

The Great Performance Series consists of dancers, musicians, actors and many other talented groups who are known for their ability to create something that is both unique and draws an emotional response, making their performances unforgettable.

Last year, Hope welcomed artists including the Limon Dance Company, St. Lawrence String Quartet and multi- Grammy nominee Dave Douglas to the stage. This school year, Hope will be inviting even more talented artists from various backgrounds all across the nation.

This coming Friday, Sept. 29, the group known as Visceral Dance Chicago will be performing at the Knickerbocker Theatre at 7:30 p.m.

For the past couple of years, Visceral Dance Chicago has travelled across the U.S. performing unique dances created by many different choreographers. The company was founded in 2013 by Nick Pupillo and has since grown into a diverse group of dancers. They have performed a wide variety of styles, from hip-hop to contemporary to ballet. The group is more popularly known for contemporary ballet and modern dances, which have been choreographed by a creative group of people including Pupillo.

Some of their past performance titles include “Minor Threat” by Mark Godden, “Atlas” by Pupillo and “Ruff Celts” by Marguerite Donlon.

Through these different types of dances, the audience has the chance to get to know the performers individually and come to understand what is being expressed by this diverse group. These dancers have the ability to perform through such natural movements that they are able to connect to the different types of people in the audience.

Visceral Dance Chicago is able to bring real life problems into the unique and complicated art of dancing, showing perspectives of the world and of themselves. Visceral Dance Chicago has also collaborated with various orchestras and musicians, including the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra.

Performances like Visceral Dance Chicago, gives the Hope community the chance to come together and learn to embrace and appreciate the performing arts. Everyone from students to faculty is encouraged to go to the first of many performances from the Great Performance Series this coming Friday for the chance to see a life changing performance by an incredibly talented group of dancers.

Tickets are free for Hope students, $22 for adults and $16 for Hope faculty/staff. 2017-18 season tickets are also now available and are sold at the Hope Ticket office located in Anderson-Werkman, or by calling 616-395-7890. Visit www.hope.edu/arts/great-performance-series/ for more on Hope College Great Performance Series.