WINDY CITY RHYTHMS GOES GLOBAL MAY 29–31

Bringing a new spin to its annual celebration of National Tap Dance Day, the Chicago Human Rhythm Project (CHRP), the world’s only year-round presenter of American tap dance and contemporary percussive arts, presents Windy City Rhythms Goes Global, featuring the postponed Chicago debut of the Brazilian body band Barbatuques, joined by Emmy Award winner Jason Samuels Smith and CHRP’s performing ensemble BAM!. Windy City Rhythms Goes Global, presented in association with the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), takes place May 29–31 at the MCA Stage, 220 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago.

Barbatuques defies boundaries by combining Afro-Brazilian chants, body drumming, stomping feet, video montage and pulsating rhythms to create a visual and auditory feast. Founded in 1996 by Fernando Barba, this 14-member “body-band” has performed on television and at special events in its native country as well as in France, Portugal and Spain. “Barbatuques was originally scheduled to appear at our annual Global Rhythms performances at the Harris in November 2008,” explained CHRP Founder and Director Lane Alexander. “Due to visa delays, however, we had to postpone these concerts. We are thrilled that we can fulfill our commitment to present Barbatuques’ utterly original work to Chicago.”
Jason Samuels Smith won a 2004 Emmy Award and a 2004 American Choreography Award for Outstanding Choreography for the opening number of the 2003 Jerry Lewis/MDA Telethon. He launched his career in the Tony Award-winning Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk, and, as an original member of Savion Glover’s N.Y.O.T.s (Not Your Ordinary Tappers), he has performed internationally. He recently completed the first volume in his own Tap Workout series, now available on DVD/VHS. He most recently choreographed and performed the role of Dr. Fayard Nicholas in Debbie Allen’s production of SAMMY – a musical on the life of Sammy Davis Jr. He also has founded his own company, A.C.G.I. (Anybody Can Get It).
BAM!, CHRP’s resident ensemble, literally shakes the stage with one of the most diverse repertories of American tap dances in the world. Directed by Alexander and Kristi Burris, BAM! will premiere new works by Spanish tap and sand dance master Guillem Alonso, Ted Levy and a collaborative work created by Barbatuques’ lead percussionist, Bruno Buarque. All these new works are sponsored by the Sara Lee Foundation and will culminate in 20th anniversary concerts at the Harris Theater in 2010.
In addition to the performances, Windy City Rhythms Goes Global features a First Night post-show talk with Alexander and the artists on Friday, May 29. Members of Barbatuques lead two body percussion workshops: Thursday, May 28 at 6 p.m. at the Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln Ave., and Sunday, May 31 at 4 p.m. at the MCA.
CHRP’s 2009 season continues with Rhythm World, the oldest and most comprehensive festival of American tap in the world, now in its 19th year of performance and education programs, July 27–August 9 at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, the Fine Arts Building, Chicago Cultural Center’s Claudia Cassidy Theater, Roosevelt University’s Ganz Hall, Loyola University and the MCA. The season concludes with Global Rhythms, contemporary percussive arts performances featuring the Chicago debut of Washington D.C.’s Step Afrika!, November 19, 20, 21 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park.

CHRP’s 2009 season is supported by The MacArthur Fund for the Arts and Culture at the Prince, The Chicago Community Trust, Prince Charitable Trusts, the National Endowment for the Arts, Target, American Airlines, Leo’s Dancewear, The Illinois Arts Council, The Judd A. and Marjorie Weinberg Family Foundation, The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The Jerome and Jeanette Cohen Family Foundation, The Oppenheimer Family Foundation, L!VE Marketing (sic), Charter One Bank, the Illinois Arts Council, the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, the Farny R. Wurlitzer Foundation, Arts Midwest, The The Dr. Scholl Foundation, American Overseas Transport, L and L Hardwood Flooring and generous individual donors. All programming is subject to change. For information, visit chicagotap.org.
Founded in 1990, the Chicago Human Rhythm Project is America’s oldest institution dedicated to preserving, presenting and teaching tap and percussive dance by bringing together generations of tap dance legends, professionals, students and enthusiasts for classes, performances and workshops. CHRP has four artistic focuses: presenting world-class dance concerts, building a permanent educational forum for tap and percussive dance, sustaining the art form through preservation and documentation and promoting respect and appreciation between various communities by presenting ethnically and aesthetically diverse artists.

As the Museum of Contemporary Art’s program of performing arts, MCA Stage is a nationally recognized presenter of contemporary theatre, dance, music and multimedia performances. Featuring leading performers from around the globe, including Chicago’s most innovative artists, MCA Stage is the most active interdisciplinary performing arts presenter in Chicago. MCA Stage enjoys working year-round with numerous arts and community organizations for co-presentations of the performing arts, making the MCA a shared resource for the cultural life of our city. MCA Stage celebrates artists and their creative process, connecting audiences with artists in meaningful discourse with its Artists Up Close series of post-show talks, panels, roundtable discussions, workshops and residencies. Audiences at MCA Stage performances receive one free museum admission with each ticket stub on the performance date or during the following week. For information and tickets, call the MCA Box Office at 312-397-4010 or visit mcachicago.org.

Windy City Rhythms Goes Global takes place May 29–31, Friday–Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at the MCA Stage, 220 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago. Tickets are $35, $28 for MCA members, and are available at 312-397-4010 or mcachicago.org. The Barbatuques workshop on Thursday, May 28 at 6 p.m. at the Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln Ave., is $20; there is a 20-student limit, call 773-728-6000 to register. The Barbatuques workshop on Sunday, May 31 at 4 p.m. at the MCA is $25, $15 with a ticket purchase to Windy City Rhythms Goes Global; registration is available at chicagotap.org. All programming is subject to change. For information visit chicagotap.org.