Posted 9 months ago in dance, Arts & Culture, black history month, Trending
6 MIN READ –Since the company’s inception in 1977, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (HSDC) has been a leading force in contemporary dance, bringing top choreographers and works to Chicago and beyond. Hubbard Street’s ever-evolving repertoire, created by today’s most innovative choreographic voices, makes it a company that dancers aspire to join and performance venues all over the world are eager to present. To date, the main company has performed in 19 countries around the world and 44 cities across the U.S.
The company, born from the Lou Conte Dance Studio in 1977, remains a focal point of Conte’s legacy, underscoring his indelible footprint on the Chicago and global dance community. Hubbard Street has come a long way from the original four ensemble members that frequented senior centers across Chicagoland. Four Artistic Directors and 46 years later, the Chicago born-and-bred institution serves as one of the city’s crown jewels.
Photos courtesy of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.
In 2021, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago named former company dancer Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell as its fourth Artistic Director. Season 44: RE/CHARGE marked Fisher-Harrell’s debut season as the artistic leader of the organization, with the goal of continuing to diversify the company’s repertoire and ensemble, while building on HSDC’s incredible legacy and established reputation.
Before joining HSDC at the age of 19, Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell began her dance training at the Baltimore School for the Arts. She was an apprentice with the Capitol Ballet in Washington, D.C., and a full fellowship student at The Ailey School. While a student at The Juilliard School, she was invited by Hubbard Street founder Lou Conte to join the main company, thus beginning her professional dance career.
After three seasons with Hubbard Street, Fisher-Harrell became a principal dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, under the direction of Judith Jamison. During her 13-year tenure with the company, Fisher-Harrell performed across the globe and was invited to give a number of special performances throughout her career, including the White House State Dinner in honor of the President of Kenya, Mwai Kibaki, and the 12th Annual Kennedy Center Gala with Nancy Wilson and Liza Minelli.
Image credit: Michelle Reid.
Following her career as a principal dancer, Fisher-Harrell spent years dedicating her life to dance education and elevating a new generation of talent. After 16 years as a faculty member at Towson University in Baltimore, Fisher-Harrell felt a call to return to her roots, to Hubbard Street.
Since the beginning of Fisher-Harrell’s tenure, Hubbard Street has experienced a reset, a revitalization of both repertoire and company structure. She’s commissioned twelve new works, nine choreographed by artists of color. When asked about the creative process in program and choreographic selections, Fisher-Harrell puts the dancers first.
“I feel responsible for feeding the dancers creatively and fueling their artistry,” she notes. “Who can I bring in to challenge them?” Reflecting on the ensemble she’s curated, Fisher-Harrell never loses sight of each individual, leading with gratitude. “We are so lucky that each member of the collective company chose Hubbard Street. Of course, we chose them, but they chose us as well.”
Image credit: Todd Rosenburg.
Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell is Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s first Black, female artistic leader. She upholds a new standard of diversity and inclusion in every decision she makes, from ensemble members to choreographic consideration.
“There have been deliberate strides made regarding inclusivity across the board, but we all have room to grow,” she explains. “Inclusivity is not a quick fix; not something you do overnight. The shifting and changing comes from within. If you’re intentional with inclusivity in everything you do, eventually it will show up on the outside.”
With Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell at the helm, Hubbard Street hopes to regain their international touring season without ever losing sight of the Chicago in HSDC.
“Chicago is well represented by the diversity of the company,” said Fisher-Harrell. “There is something for everyone to identify with. HSDC is something that came to be in Chicago, and we keep that as a staple throughout the company.”
Unlike many institutions, most HSDC performances are outside of Chicago, across the country. Fisher-Harrell aims to bring Chicago to new, unfamiliar audiences in a way that is meaningful and representative of the city itself. Along with the progress towards company-wide diversity and inclusion, Fisher-Harrell promises to continue to “shake things up”.
In her words, “shaking it up is the key to sustainability and a sense of thriving; revitalization.”
Image credit: Michelle Reid.
For Chicagoans, the next opportunity to experience a HSDC performance is just around the corner. The Winter Series: Of Hope will be presented at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (220 E. Chicago Ave.) February 23 through March 3, 2024. Program A (Feb. 23-25) will present an encore of Randy Duncan's “Love Infinite”, hailed as "athletic and balletic and crowd-pleasing" by the Chicago Reader, along with the recent Hubbard Street commission “Dear Frankie” by Doris Duke award-winner Rennie Harris, coming to the MCA stage for the first time. A world-premiere duet by Resident Artist Aszure Barton completes the program.
Winter Series: Of Hope Program B (Feb. 29-March 3) will feature two world premieres: one by award-winning Latin Jazz choreographer Maria Torres, and another by Hubbard Street alums Alice Klock and Florian Lochner, known together as FLOCK. The program will also present Rennie Harris’ tribute to Chicago house music, “Dear Frankie”.
Tickets for Season 46 Winter and Spring programs are now available by calling the Hubbard Street Box Office at 312-850-9744 ext. 5, or by visiting www.hubbardstreetdance.com/season-46/tickets/ and range from $15 to $95. Midseason Subscriptions are also available for those interested in unlocking a great suite of benefits for Winter and Spring Series and beyond, and start at $52. Visit www.hubbardstreetdance.com to learn more.
