River North Dance Chicago Returns To The Harris Theater

Building upon the success of their 21st anniversary season, River North Dance Chicago (RNDC) unveils a new name, new logo and world premiere in the New Year. The critically acclaimed company returns to the Harris Theater, where they performed to a full house this past fall, to present their annual Valentine's Weekend Engagement, Feb. 11 - 13.

The red hot line-up features a world premiere, "Al Sur Del Sur," a suite of tangos featuring 12 dancers in five movements choreographed by internationally recognized Argentinean tango stars Sabrina and Ruben Veliz. Artistic Director Frank Chaves reprises his romantic rift "Love Will Follow" and presents "Duets," a compilation of his most sensual duets. Powerhouse dancer Christian Denice, who was named one of the top ten male dancers of 2010 by Time Out Chicago, will perform his show-stopping muscular solo "Beat." Full programming enclosed at end of release. The engagement will take place Friday, Feb. 11 and Saturday, Feb. 12 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 13 at 3 p.m. Tickets to the Harris Theater engagement are $30-$65 and available at harristheaterchicago.org or 312-334-7777.

Sabrina and Ruben Veliz, husband and wife dancers and choreographers, will host a free tango lesson for the public, Friday, Jan. 28 at 12 p.m. inside Daley Plaza, 118 N. Clark St. The first 100 people to arrive will receive a free ticket voucher to the Friday, Feb. 11 performance. The Veliz's will perform a demonstration of their famous tango moves and will lead a tango lesson appropriate for all skill levels. The event will be approximately one hour long. For more info, visit rivernorthchicago.com.

Husband and wife team Sabrina and Ruben Veliz are internationally acclaimed dancers and choreographers. Since 1997, they have toured the globe performing in countless high-profile festivals and engagements. Highlights include Mallorca Tango Festival (Spain),El Tangon (Antalya, Turkey), Montpellier Tango Festival (France), Bieselmorten Tango Fest (Holland), Oster Tango (Switzerland), Sitges Tango Festival (Spain), Fivizzano Tango World Festival (Italy), Hamburg Tango Festival, London Tango Festival, Tango Fiesta Prague, Alesandria (Italy), Dublin Tango Festival, Wuppertal Tango Festival (Germany), Tango Encounters of Monterrey and Mexico DF (Mexico), New York Tango Festival, Tango Magia (Amsterdam), Chicago Tango Festival (USA).

In 2010, the couple toured in Japan with the show "Dramatic Tango," as choreographers and lead dancers. In 2008, they toured China with their show "Radio Latina," covering six cities including Shanghai. From September of 2005 through 2007 they were part of the cast of the Rojo Tango show showcased at the Faena Hotel in Buenos Aires. In April 2005 they made an appearance during the celebration of the 25th anniversary of Queen Beatrix of Holland reign, performing Gallo Ciego, choreographed especially created for this occasion with live music from the Canyengue sextet directed by Karel Craayenhof.

The Valentine's Weekend Engagement features:

•The highly anticipated world premiere suite of tangos, "Al Sur Del Sur," by Argentinean superstar dancers and choreographers Sabrina and Ruben Veliz. The piece features five movements and is set to selections Duo De Amor, Eduardo y Juliana and Vuelvo Al Sur by acclaimed Argentine tango composer Ástor Piazzolla, as well as other selections, including Ma y Pa by Roberto Alvarez, A La Sombra Del Fueye by Victor Lavallen and Pavadita by A. Aieta. The tangos will feature 12 River North dancers.

•Artistic Director Frank Chaves presents "Duets" a compilation of his most celebrated and sensual duets, "The Mourning," "Fixe" and "At Last."

•"Love Will Follow" (2001) Chaves returns to his favorite reasons for dancing - romance and elegance, both synonymous with ballroom dancing. Set to the music of Kenny Loggins and choreographed for six couples, this piece is a stunning highlight of the Valentine's Weekend engagement.

•"Evolution of a Dream" (2009) A full-company re-envisioning of the company's classic signature work, "Reality of a Dreamer" (1992) by Co-Artistic Director Emerita Sherry Zunker, set to a new version of the original song, "Sweet Dreams," by co-composers Annie Lennox and David Stewart as performed by His Rock Fabulous Orchestra. Chicago Examiner declared the piece "a beautiful and visceral crowd pleaser."

•"Beat" (2001) Choreographed by Ashley Roland, the Artistic Director of BodyVox (Portland, Ore.), "Beat" is a percussive, spirited solo set to music by Evan Solot to be performed by Christian Denice. The structured improvisation combines the dancer's own movement with
segments shaped or choreographed by Roland. Of the 2010 performance, the Chicago Sun-Times raved "Beat" is "danced to giddy-making effect by Christian Denice (the virtuosic workhorse of the evening), who gave the whole spotlighted bravura turn a sort of bodybuilder mystique."

•"Hidden Truth" (Excerpt from "Forbidden Boundaries") Performed by a trio of dancers, "Hidden Truth" is the second section from Frank Chaves' tour de force "Forbidden Boundaries," which premiered in 2009. Featuring an original score by Evan Solot and music by Michael Cusson, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Gustavo Santoalalla, the piece uses a unique prop, a stretchy mesh-like shirt, which forces the dancers to twist and contort in a way that portrays an internal, emotional struggle. The Chicago Sun-Times raved that "[‘Hidden Truth,']...features a mix of suppressed flight and gymnastic magic that was performed to riveting effect...that was the real knockout sequence." SeeChicagoDance.com shared, "The most alarming and passionate of the dance's four sections - the trio ‘Hidden Truth,' for two men holding a woman by her sleeves-heightens these challenges. And the dancers not only met but surpassed them."

•Excerpt from "Train" (2008) Hanna Brictson will revive her critically acclaimed solo from "Train" choreographed by Robert Battle. This powerful and bold work is an abstract ritual in three parts set to a percussive live recording. The Chicago Sun-Times raved, "The sensational Hanna Brictson reprised her knockout solo" and the Chicago Tribune raved "...an innovative, seemingly harsh, but ultimately irresistible assault...a metallic, percussive score, flush with all manner of clever choral lines and nifty, intricate footwork."

New Branding Campaign
Due to the generous pro-bono work of VSA Partners, a design and advertising firm, and donated photography sessions from internationally recognized photographer Sandro, the company was able to unveil a stunning rebranding campaign in 2011. The campaign includes a new logo designed by Steven Ryan at VSA Partners, which rebrands the company's name as River North Dance Chicago, as well as new marketing materials, also designed pro-bono by VSA Partners including stationary, sales and marketing collateral, direct mail and advertising. All printing was provided pro-bono by Quantum Group. Jamey Lundblad, who is on the Board of Directors at RNDC, is an associate at VSA Partners and served as Project Manager for this campaign.

"When I was approached by River North with the opportunity to participate in establishing a new direction for the brand, I was thrilled. I've been a life-long participant in and supporter of the arts, and I've been looking for a chance to give back to a community that has given so much to me in my profession. River North has come into their own in both the local and national dance community: the company has found its voice and its stride. They deserve to have a brand that reflects that," said Steven Ryan, Principal, VSA Partners.

"We are thrilled at the way VSA Partners fully grasped our mission and our aesthetic in this new campaign," said Gail Kalver, Executive Director of RNDC. "We can't thank them enough for the time, talent and energy they have shared with us. The result is a groundbreaking new image that embodies who we are as we continue to thrive and grow."

VSA Partners is an independent branding collective that harnesses the power of ideas to help companies achieve their purpose. Since 1982, the 150-person firm's creativity has contributed to the success of some of the world's most respected organizations; through forging a reason for being, inspiring internal audiences and engaging consumers.
For more info, visit vsapartners.com.

About River North Dance Chicago

Founded in 1989 by four visionary dancers/choreographers, River North Dance Chicago has established itself as one of Chicago's leading dance companies, receiving critical acclaim on a national and international level. In 1993, founding member Frank Chaves assumed the role of Artistic Director, succeeding River North co-founder Sherry Zunker, and has since led the jazz-based contemporary company through 17 years of tremendous growth, success and acclaim.

In May 2010, Gail Kalver, revered arts leader and longtime Executive Director of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, was named the Executive Director of RNDC, after serving in an interim capacity the previous year.

Under the artistic direction of Frank Chaves, River North Dance Chicago embodies a true flavor of "Americana" in their dynamic repertoire. Elements of River North Dance Chicago include highly skilled and emotive dancers, stimulating music and bold, commanding choreography.

The Chicago Sun-Times observed, "This is one sleek, confident, athletic, daring, versatile company that easily can compete with the best of them." The core works developed by Frank Chaves, along with an array of pieces by nationally and internationally renowned choreographers, construct the varied, eclectic and powerful repertoire that River North Dance Chicago possesses. The repertoire consists of works from choreographers including Robert Battle, Lauri Stallings, Daniel Ezralow, Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Ashley Roland, Randy Duncan, Julia Rhoads, Harrison McEldowney, Kevin Iega Jeff, former Co-Artistic Director Sherry Zunker, as well as Artistic Director Frank Chaves. The company has been the subject of three documentaries produced by HMS Media for WTTW Chicago, which have each won an Emmy and numerous Emmy nominations. For more information on RNDC, visit rivernorthchicago.com.