The word liaison commonly refers to a person acting as an ambassador, tour guide, or escort—someone who serves to establish a connection between two entities unable to connect due to cultural, linguistic or other barriers. Not often do we think of an artform serving as this intermediary, but at the Den Theatre three professional, transatlantic tap companies demonstrated how tap dance can transcend human obstacles such as language to create an evening of joy and laughter, married through the celebration of rhythm in motion.
In Chicago Tap Theatre's (CTT) season opener, "Liaison," communication was executed and maintained through rhythm, movement, and unbound joy, creating a collectivity amongst performers from different countries and cultures. CTT—joined Friday by international tap companies Tapage (Toulouse, France), and Tap Olé (Barcelona, Spain)— treated audiences to vibrant movement, percussive arts, live music and tap dancing. In its fifth iteration, "Liaison" brought together over 20 artists from three countries, all united by rhythm and a love for performance.
The two acts were filled with individual company repertoire, collaborative works made possible through modern technology and solos performed by the directors of each ensemble. While it was apparent that the show was rehearsed in person for only a few days, with a few hiccups here and there, audience members left the theater with a buzz of rhythmic electricity coursing through their bones.
The evening was expertly crafted, with the space of the theater so thoroughly incorporated into the staging one would think that the creation of the works took place on site. Influences of each company's heritage could be found in their performance, with hints of flamenco dance from Tap Olé, French mime by Tapage and a grounded, cathartic style of tap dancing associated with Chicago's tap scene from CTT. The conjunction of tap dance, body percussion, vocalization and gestural movement resulted in a symbiosis on stage that could only be produced by the liaison of these three unique dance companies through their shared love and respect for tap dance.
"Vin Blanc, Vin Rouge" at Den Theatre; Photo by Mollie Menuck
"Vin Blanc, Vin Rouge", choreographed by Tapage artistic director Valerie Lussac, opened with a melancholic musical score and lyrics in French. As the lights came up, the dancers began to rub their stomachs uncomfortably, giggling in a child-like manner, glancing around the stage nervously and signaling to the audience that something was amiss. As their feet started to beat out the rhythms of the routine the dancers lost their balance or stopped to steady their heads, as if they may have had one too many drinks. The room was soon filled with laughter as performers acted out the many facets of being inebriated, all while maintaining synchronicity through their feet.
A highlight of the evening was "Sand Dance," performed by Guillem Alonso, accompanied by Roger Raventós on guitar. The dance began with the pouring of the sand, a ritualistic act that Alonso executed with delicate precision and artistic flair as he directed the movements of the sand into ebbs and flows. Taking his place upon the now textured floor, he channeled the joy and passion of the tap masters who have come before. Alsonso counters technical skill with humorous expression as he expertly guides the audience through his act with grand, over-the-top facial contortions and control over every movement on the unstable surface. Not only does the sand dance stand out in its obvious divergence from the rest of the bill, but was the first dance to be confined to one single panel of wood.
Notable performances by Chicago Tap Theatre, featuring members of both guest ensembles, included CTT repertoire "Asturias" and "Birdland" (choreography by artistic director Mark Yonally). Viewing both pieces with a cast size almost double to that of a standard CTT season begged the question: How unstoppable would a tap company with twenty plus dancers be?
Guillem Alonso & Roser Font of Tap Olé , Mark Yonally of CTT, Valerie Lussac of Tapage; Photo by Mollie Menuck
"Under The Table," a formidable all female performance, demonstrated the strength and power of a woman in her favorite pair of shoes. Heartfelt rhythms met assertive stares from each performer; Sara Anderson's command of the stage stood out with a coy smile on her painted red lips, matching her ruby red tap shoes of course. "Under The Table" also showcased the creativity of CTT rehearsal director Molly Smith, placing them as a formidable choreographic presence in the Chicago dance scene.
Throughout the evening CTT, Tapage and Tap Olé exhibited a collective dedication to movement as a vessel for rhythm. Whether it was through the brush of a tap shoe, the thrust of a hip, transitioning through space, or beating out rhythms on their arms and faces, all three companies established a space of joy and celebration through their collaborative endeavor, leaving their audience lingering in the space following the performance and taking in the positivity that filled the air.
Chicago Tap Theatre's "Liaison" runs through March 10 at the Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. For information and tickets, visit chicagotaptheatre.com or click the company link below.
