Musco Center for the Arts at Chapman University and Backhausdance present “The Elasticity of the Almost & Other Works” on Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m.
Ferociously moving among a shifting sea of red balls, “The Elasticity of the Almost” creates worlds of athletic, fluid, contemporary movement artfully crafted and infused with a sense of humor and theatricality. This piece and three incredible premieres highlight an evening of powerful dance by Orange County’s own Jennifer Backhaus and her company.
Formed in 2003, Backhausdance is a powerful and entertaining voice in the dance world. The company’s repertory offers an eclectic and dynamic vocabulary with a wonderful sense of fluidity and strength. Backhausdance’s innovative and visually appealing work has received 15 nominations and 10 Lester Horton Awards from the Dance Resource Center of Los Angeles. The acclaimed company has performed extensively in venues nationwide and internationally, including Schimmel Center at Pace University, and Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre in British Columbia.
Walter Matteini’s world premiere of “Beyond the Noise” will display a deeply human and accessible, emotional, and athletic creation hinged on the quest to explore the human soul. Vulnerable, shedding the armor of technique, it asks us to accept one another for who and how we truly are. Matteini is the Artistic Director and Choreographer for the Italy-based imPerfect Dancers Company.
Theatrical, humorous, and raw, “The Empty Room” features an extremely physical duet that blends innovative partnering and soul-wrenching contemporary movement. With the entire lifespan of a relationship as a canvas, the dancers capture the sorrows, triumphs, and the moments in-between. Considered to be one of Israel’s most celebrated artists, choreographer Ido Tadmor will be joining the company onstage as a guest artist during the U.S. premiere of his work as well as opening the program with the Southern California premiere of his piece, “Netta.”dance Dedicated to his mother, Netta Berdichevsky Tadmor, the solo performed in silence challenges the physicality and the inner musicality of the body. Tadmor is a winner of Israel’s Landau Prize for life achievement in the arts and serves as a Presidential Fellow of Chapman University’s College of Performing Arts.
Tickets for Feb. 22 are on-sale now for $27-47 and may be purchased through the Musco Center online at www.muscocenter.org or by calling the box office at 844-OC-MUSCO (844-626-8726). All print-at-home tickets include a no-cost parking pass. Musco Center for the Arts is located on the campus of Chapman University at 415 North Glassell, Orange, Calif.
