Deeply Rooted Dance Theater to premier ‘Q After Dark’ and ‘Vespers’
Deeply Rooted Dance Theater will premier “Q After Dark” and “Vespers” on Nov.
5. PHOTO BY MICHELLE REID.
“He is the epitome of what an artist is. You are allowed to come in and … he as a director and producer comes into the space, and he brings something, he allows the artist to bring something, but then he leaves space for God to come into the room. That triune is magical, and he’s created magic because of that,” she said.
The Deeply Rooted Dance Theater will premier “Q After Dark,” an homage to the work of Jones, as well as Ulysses Dove’s “Vespers,” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5th, at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive.
The Deeply Rooted Dance Theater was founded by Gary Abbott and Kevin Iega Jeff in 1995. The two met in Denver, Col., and decided to create the contemporary dance company. It is an African-American modern contemporary dance company, based in Ballet, Lester Horton, Martha Graham, African Aesthetics, that speaks to tell the stories of African Americans so others can see themselves inside of it and create a space inside of it. Springer wants the space to allow the dancers to tap into their genius, the height of who they are and who they aspire to be.
“We just are a platform and a place for individuals, one of the many, where you can do that,” said Clarke-Springer, who became the Artistic Director at Deeply Rooted Dance Theater in 2019.
Clarke-Springer began as a summer dance intensive student in 1998. From there, she became a company apprentice, a company dancer. She was the Dance Education Director for 16 years. Clarke-Springer’s background is Classical Ballet. Her first truly intense Modern Dance training came in college, while at Butler University. She remembered her first class with The Deeply Rooted Dance Theater and with Abott and Iega Jeff.
“They worked you to a frenzy, the mirrors were fogged, I was covered in sweat and I remember standing behind him, Iega’s like 6’7”, and it felt like his arms reached from one side of the room to the other. I remember, there was a small voice inside of me that said, ‘you’re never leaving their side,’” Clarke-Springer said.
What caught Clarke-Springer spiritually was the work and intensity of the movements, not just the physicality of it. It worked her spirit, which was very familiar to her because she is the daughter of a Pastor. More than just religion, it was about relationship, and it allowed her to tap into who she was as a young Black woman, being able to be unapologetically Black inside the way she moved. It was important for her coming from a Ballet world, where she never quite felt comfortable as a Black Ballerina in the spaces, she was in. It was important for her to be celebrated for her physicality and have autonomy inside of that space.
Clarke-Springer’s favorites include “The Color Purple” soundtrack, “The Dude,” “Everything Must Change,” “Stomp” by the Brothers Johnson and “Oluwa” from the “Roots” soundtrack.
It wasn’t a stretch to take Jones’ music and use it for ‘Q After Dark,” because Clarke-Springer said it takes people back to a place in time, with the rhythms and the structures.
“It has mood, it sets intention. It’s quite easy for a Contemporary Dance Company to dance to it. I think a Ballet Company could take his work and create something beautiful from it, he’s just a genius,” Clarke-Springer said.
Clarke-Springer described “Vespers,” as iconic Ballet in the Black dance world. Deeply Rooted is one of the few in Chicago that has access to this work. Last year, Deeply Rooted performed “Episodes.”
The performance also includes the premiere of an excerpt of “Madonna Anno Domini” by Artistic Director Nicole Clarke-Springer featuring music by Culoe De Song and Aretha Franklin. The program will conclude with a revival of “Aisatnaf,” choreographed by Co-Founder and Creative/Executive Director Kevin Iega Jeff.
For more information about The Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, visit deeplyrooteddancetheater.org.
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