Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago to Present David Rousseve/REALITY

The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago offers an exploration of intimacy in a technology-driven world with David Roussève/REALITY, performing February 5-7, 2015 at The Dance Center, 1306 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago.

Choreographed, written and directed by Roussève, Stardust relates the travails of Junior, a gay disenfranchised African-American teenager. Described as "a coming of age story for the Twitter generation," the work allows the audience to meet Junior only through his confessional text messages, projected on a screen by Roussève's longtime collaborator Cari Ann Shim Sham, amidst glorious and pain-wrenching dance from African-American choreographer Roussève's 10-person company REALITY. The sound score juxtaposes the intimate romanticism of Nat King Cole standards with the rough-edged, hip-hop-inflected original music of d. Sabela Grimes. Roussève's lush choreography is leavened by frenetic, angular representations of the protagonist's anxious states of mind. Designer Christopher Kuhl's lighting adds emotional texture and a surreal quality to the work. Contains mature content.

A post-performance conversation with the company takes place Thursday, February 5, and a pre-performance talk with David Roussève takes place Friday, February 7 at 7 p.m., both free to ticket holders. Roussève also will participate in The Dance Center's FREE DanceMakers series, which features contemporary dance artists offering insight into their choreographic process, Monday, February 2, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the American Rhythm Center, Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Avenue, 3rd floor, Chicago. Preregistration is required.

David Roussève/REALITY was founded in 1989 by David Roussève to perform his unique blend of dance-theatre. REALITY is an ethnically, racially and artistically diverse troupe comprising dancers with a wide range of backgrounds, from postmodern to world dance. "Part of my company's artistic agenda is to create a dialogue with as many communities and audiences as possible, both on and off stage, by using African-American culture to speak on 'universal issues of the heart,'" explains Roussève. "Roussève's dancers have modeled themselves on his physical courage, a willingness to push the body to extremes that reveals the ache of a restless soul" (The Village Voice).

The Dance Center's 2014-15 season continues with Chicago Dance Crash (Feb. 19-21), Shantala Shivalingappa (Mar. 5-7) and Urban Bush Women (Mar. 19-21).

The Dance Center presents David Roussève/REALITY February 5-7, 2015, Thursday-Saturday at 8 p.m. at The Dance Center, 1306 S. Michigan Ave. Single tickets are $30. All programming is subject to change. The theatre is accessible to people with disabilities. For information, call 312-369-8330 or visit colum.edu/dancecenterpresents.

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