The South American dance sensation, MALEVO, comes to the McAninch Arts Center (MAC) for its exclusive Chicago area engagement 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25. This dynamic troupe of men has created a performance that pushes the traditional Argentinian Malambo style of dance beyond its limits for a show that combines the percussive energy of “Stomp”, the allure of Latin dance and thrills of martial arts. Growing up together in poverty in Argentina, the members of MALEVO used dance to create a new life for themselves and shot to worldwide acclaim thanks to “America’s Got Talent,” which they recently returned to as “All Stars.”
Pictured: MALEVO. Photo courtesy of IMG Artists
MALEVO was created by director, choreographer, and dancer Matías Jaime. Under his direction the company re-envisioned what is a traditional dance handed down from older South American Cowboys to their younger counterparts and turned it into something that is modern, avant-garde and transgressive. Classic technique has been fused with Flamenco and other dance styles, and incorporated with live percussion. Set to the pulsating rhythm of drums, the choreography combines the use of boleadoras, a leather and stone hunting tool used by Gauchos, with fast leg movements, energetic zapateados (stomping), and quick cepillados (“brushing”/ “scrubbing”). Chests are puffed and poised, and feet paw at the ground like those of horses. Like manes, long black hair trails the men who face off, preparing for a battle of complex rhythm and footwork.
MALEVO has been recognized as "Cultural Ambassador of the National Identity of Argentina,” given its performances in numerous events, shows, festivals and tours around the world in locations including Las Vegas, New York, Dubai, Paris, Qatar, Saint Petersburg, Canada, London, and Moscow. MALEVO has also been featured in special presentations with Latin pop star Ricky Martin, Cirque du Soleil and a year-long season of performances at Universal Studios Japan. Most recently, MALEVO capped 2022 with an electrifying performance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and opened 2023 on Jan. 9 with their standing ovation-generating performance on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent: All-Stars.”
Tickets
MALEVO comes to the McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd. in Glen Ellyn, Ill. 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 25. Ticket prices range from $58 to $63. For tickets or additional information call 630.942.4000 or visit www.AtTheMAC.org. Box Office hours are Tuesday – Saturday, noon – 6 p.m. and three hours prior to performances.
About the MAC
McAninch Arts Center (MAC) at College of DuPage is located 25 miles west of Chicago near I-88 and I-355 at 425 Fawell Blvd. It houses three indoor performance spaces (the 780-seat proscenium Belushi Performance Hall; the 186-seat soft-thrust Playhouse Theatre; and the versatile black box Studio Theatre), an outdoor venue, the Lakeside Pavilion, plus the Cleve Carney Museum of Art and classrooms for the college’s academic programming. The MAC has presented theater, music, dance and visual art to more than 2 million people since its opening in 1986 and typically welcomes more than 100,000 patrons from the greater Chicago area to more than 230 performances each season.
The mission of the MAC is to foster enlightened educational and performance opportunities, which encourage artistic expression, establish a lasting relationship between people and art, and enrich the cultural vitality of the community. For more information about the MAC, visit www.AtTheMAC.org, @AtTheMAC on Facebook and Instagram.
Support for the McAninch Arts Center is provided in part by the DoubleTree by Hilton Lisle/Naperville; Follett, WDCB 90.9 FM, a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and the College of DuPage Foundation.
Established as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable organization in 1967, the College of DuPage Foundation raises monetary and in-kind gifts to increase access to education and to enhance cultural opportunities for the surrounding community. For more information about the College of DuPage Foundation, visit www.foundation.cod.edu or call 630.942.2462.