Evanston Dance Ensemble is celebrating a milestone anniversary by doing what it does best — showcasing its extraordinary dancers and choreographers.
Artistic Director Christina Ernst has planned a diverse program for “Silver Lining: Celebrating 25 Years of Dance” March 17-19 in the Josephine Louis Theater at Northwestern University. “I chose pieces from different times of the EDE repertoire,” Ernst said. “All of them have their own flavor. It’s a nice variety of times and styles.”
The concert includes works choreographed by Keesha Beckford, Laura Berman, Julie Cartier, Mike Gosney, Elijah Richardson, Enid Smith, and Allison Kurtz Volkers as well as pieces by Evanston Dance Ensemble alum Keerati Jinakunwiphat and by company founder Béa Rashid.
“Some dances have some specialty things that are being choreographed right now,” Ernst said. “But I also feel like it’s pretty nice to go back and look at some other work that can stand forever.”
The concert will open with “Unbreakable,” a piece that Evanston resident Ernst choreographed 35 years ago. The score was created by composer Richard Woodbury.
“I never would have imagined way back when I created the work to have pieces that are part of the history of dance and also my personal history in my journey,” Ernst said. This is the third time that Evanston Dance Ensemble has performed the work. Ernst initially choreographed it with Sam Watson for their company, ernst-watson-dance. The piece has been performed around the world, including in Australia, Paris, Yugoslavia, and Germany.
In “Unbreakable,” eight dancers work with objects made out of glass.
“It’s sort of a risk factor of dancing with glass,” Ernst said. “But it’s kind of celebrating risk. You can’t be safe all the time.”
Jinakunwiphat, who was a member of the Evanston Dance Ensemble from 2008-2012, now lives in New York where she is pursuing a professional dance career, currently performing with A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham.
“I grew up dancing there and I was able to join the Ensemble as I was getting older,” said Jinakunwiphat of the Dance Center Evanston, where the Evanston Dance Ensemble is in residence. “The classes that we took, the rehearsals, the shows that we put on really helped to prepare me for the future.”
The anniversary concert will feature “Commencement,” a dance that Jinakunwiphat choreographed in 2016 when she was a senior at Suny Purchase College Conservatory Of Dance in New York State.
“The piece is a celebration of coming of age, reflections into many chapters,” she said. The work is choreographed for 15 or 20 dancers.
“Being part of EDE was such a crucial part of my growth as an artist and a creator and a mover,” Jinakunwiphat said. “So to be creating a piece for them is really special to my own growth and gratitude.”
Evanston Dance Ensemble founder Rashid of Evanston is choreographing a piece called “Going In and Going Out” for the celebratory concerts. “The dance was originally choreographed on a cast of alumni dancers for the 20th anniversary of the ensemble,” Rashid said. “That piece is being set on the current company.”
Rashid reported that the music is from the Beatles’ song “Dear Prudence,” which will be played and sung by Lisa Lauren of Evanston. “She has an album where she plays all the music of the Beatles,” Rashid explained.
The concept of the piece is about “how important it is to balance those times when you must retreat deep within yourself with times when you are available to the universe, and reaching out and beyond and experiencing community,” Rashid explained.
Eight dancers will perform that piece.
Rashid reflected on the “tiny jewel” that she started 25 years ago.
“What I see as I look back is how many dancers it has positively impacted and how many audiences have been able to be engaged in all of the productions. And how many designers and other choreographers we have collaborated with. The network is vast,” Rashid said. “And the other thing I’ve been able to look back on is how many professional dancers we have graduated. We have a lot of dancers who have come through the Evanston Dance Ensemble who are now dancing professionally.”
‘Silver Lining: Celebrating 25 Years of Dance’
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When: 7:30 p.m. March 17-19, 2 p.m. March 19
Where: Josephine Louis Theater, Northwestern University, 20 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston
Tickets: $25; $15 students
Information: 847-328-6683; evanstondanceensemble.org
Myrna Petlicki is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.