**** Highly Recommended Nobody is better at contemporary jazz than Giordano Dance Chicago. Their winter engagement, SOARING, Life, Light, and Legacy, was dedicated to Nan Giordano’s son Keenan Giordano Casey and it was nothing short of spectacular. The program included three brand new pieces, the reprise of 2024’s Red and Black, and two pieces from the Giordano repertoire. The Giordano dancers – who are dancing in every piece – are so strong, so talented, so creative, they are awesome! 4 BIG Spotlights
The evening began with the world premiere of Sana (the Latin word for healing), choreographed by Al Blackstone to original music by Stahv Danker. Sana had a distinctly yoga-like feel to me. They even ended with a Namaste bow. The dancers wore loose pants and tops from the darkest to the lightest of burnt oranges with hoods of darker colors draped around their necks.
The Dancers: George Brous, Amanda Hickey-Newsom, Adam Houston, Sasha Lazarus, Talia Luzo, Skyler J. Newcom, Sydney Priestly Fernando Rodriguez, Smon Schuh, Erina Ueda, Analysse Vance and Eduardo Zambrana.
The World Premiere of 333 was choreographed by Nan Giordano & Cesar Salinas to a song called Try a Little Tenderness by Otis Redding. The numbers 333 represent angel numbers connecting to Gus, Keenan and Nan. This evocative solo by Erina Ueda totally expressed the feeling of the song.
A short film about Nan and Keenan led into a piece called Soaring, a special tribute choreographed by Nan Giordano, Cesar G, Salinas & the Dancers to music by Antonio Pinto. Since Keenan was known KeeBird to his friends, the tribute fit. White doves fly at the end of film fading into dancers wearing white wing-like costumes flying across the stage, weaving in and out of rows of candles. Gradually the entire company made its way onto the stage, each carrying a candle.
In addition to the Giordano ensemble, the KeeBirds included Olivia Achatz, Colleen Ahern, Elsa Brodarick, Blake Brumfield, Tom Burns, Lizzy Caan, Tara Calkins, Claudia Casas, Ben Cavenagh, Caitrina Connelly, Jack Connelly, Patrick Connelly, Johnny Fifrock, Emily Ford, James Ford, Joe Ford, Kyle Jacobs, Steph Leftwich, John Marks, Margaret McPherrin, Frankie Nix, Matt O’Hara, Owen Sorensen, Drake Swope and Ryan Willock.
Red & Black, choreographed by Dancing with the Stars choreographer, Ray Leeper, premiered in 2024. The music: Another Show, Music by Eartha Kitt; The Pursuit, Music by Moloko; Hope, Music by Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox, Haley Reinhart; Blue Current, Music by Michael Bublé; and Together We Dance, Music by Club De Belugas.
Red & Black celebrates jazz dancing and Giordano’s place in the dance world. Five glamorous showgirls, and the men who pass through their lives, dance their way through five contemporary pieces of music. At the beginning, they're wearing sexy black dresses with slit skirts while the men sport red shirts. Toward the end, the showgirls change into slinky, satiny red dresses while the men are all in black.
The Dancers: George Brous, Amanda Hickey-Newcom, Adam Houston, Sasha Lazarus, Talia Luzzo, Skyler J. Newcom, Sydney Priestly, Fernando Rodriguez, Simon Schuh, Erina Ueda, Analysse Vance and Eduardo Zambrana.
Taal, choreographed by Nan Giordano to music by Anuradha, Suno A. R. Rahman, and S. Jhaia, premiered in 2001. This is piece is heavily influenced by the dances of India. In fact, Nan Giordano thanked Hema Rajagopalan of Nat Dance Theatre for her suggestions at rehearsals
Four gossamer panels hanging above the stage are incorporated into the dance. The fabric was amazing – springing smoothly back, even after being twisted and tied. The female dancers wear white sari-like skirts, while the male dancers were long Nehru-style jackets.
Dancers: Amanda Hickey-Newcom, Adam Houston, Sasha Lazarus, Skyler J. Newcom, Fernando Rodrigues, Erina Uedo, Analysse Vance and Eduardo Zambrana.
Pyrokinesis, choreographed by Christopher Huggens to music by George Winston, United Future Organization, premiered in 2007. It won the 2008 Black heater Alliance Award for “Best Choreography”. Pyrokinesis is a remarkable piece of jazz dancing. In various groupings, each dancer could show off what he/she did best. A couple of the male dancers blew me away with consecutive side leg hold turns. They were awesome.
Dancers: Amanda Hickey-Newcom, Adam Houston, Sasha Lazarus, Talia Luzzo, Skyler J. Newcom, Fernando Rodrigues, Simon Shuh, Erina Uedo, Analysse Vance and Eduardo Zambrana.
If you missed this fabulous show, relax, Giordano will be back with another program of flawless jazz dance in the spring.