“Flamenco Takes a Surreal Leap: Chicago dancer-choreographer Wendy Clinard cuts a path through the opposing worlds of life and death in her latest flamenco-based performance, Jondo Portraits. In the process, she probes the surreal manifestations of grief, especially in times of war….Jondo Portraits is not a depressing dirge. It can take on the tragically whimsical qualities of a Pedro Almodovar film. And it places the intricate presentational aspects of flamenco in a vital contemporary context.”
- Lucia Mauro, Chicago Tribune
All shows will be presented at Links Hall, at 3435 N. Sheffield in Chicago:
Friday, September 19th @ 8:00pm
Saturday, September 20th @ 8:00pm
Sunday, September 21st @ 7:00pm
Each evening includes the premiere of our new work.
-a new work of interdisciplinary dance theatre
rooted in the art of flamenco
incorporating painting, sculpture, and dance-
featuring:
legendary flamenco guitarist Pedro Cortes
composer Kinan Abou-afach
the work of painter Thomas Masters
and sculptress Susan Clinard
Photo by Thierry Emonet
Photo by John Boehm
Flamenco, cello, guitar, spiraling surfaces, flesh and wood, multiple
frames, swirling fabric, live sculpture, painting, and video projection
integrate to create Clinard Dance Theatre’s new work, JONDO PORTRAITS.
In Clinard’s quest for new ways of communicating personal and
global events she has chosen the Jondo (Spanish translation of
“deep song”) branch of Flamenco music and dance as the
springboard for JONDO PORTRAITS. The traditional boundaries of flamenco are stretched, culminating into this contemporary dance theatre work.
JONDO PORTRAITS
is structured as three vignettes surrounding the themes of madness,
loss, and longing. It aims at creating still and moving portraits that
recharge our astonishment, our questioning, our grief, and our
compassion in our contemporary climate of war. Historically, through
their song and dance, the Jondo forms transcended human sufferings by
communion with the unknown. It was art intended for the community that
encompassed not only the human but the divine.
In
the creation of this powerful and moving work, Clinard has sought the
artistic collaboration of legendary flamenco guitarist and composer
Pedro Cortez, Syrian-born cellist and composer Kinan Abou-afach,
world-recognized sculptress and sister Susan Clinard, and renowned painter Thomas Masters.
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