Chicago Human Rhythm Project’s Anniversary
(Chicago Human Rhythm Project Website)
2936 N. Southport Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60657
773.281.1825

Lane Alexander: Founder and Director
Presents
Global Rhythms 5

Featuring
South Shore Drill Team
Jason Janas

Step Afrika!
C. Brian Williams: Founder and Executive Director
Cast:
Makeda Abraham, Mfon Apkan (Artistic Director)
Michael Alford II, Talibah-Atiya Aquil,
Christopher Brient, Dionne Elbeny,
D. Anthony Jackson, Ryan Johnson,
Jakari Sherman (Artistic Director), Andrew Vinson, Jr.

November 19 to 21, 2009
At
The Harris Theater for Music & Dance
(Harris Theater Website)

205 E. Randolph Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60601
312.334.7777

Susan Weinrebe
November 19, 2009

The joyful noise heard throughout the Harris Theater on the night of Chicago Human Rhythm Project’s (CHRP) 20th Anniversary was the sound of tap and percussive dance resonating through the house. Lead by Lane Alexander, the founder and director of CHRP, the diverse audience was treated to a night celebrating their common tie: love of rhythmic dance movement.

Warming up the stage, a wood sounding board elevated slightly above the actual floor, The South Shore Drill Team, in exponentially expanding numbers to eventually fill the stage, spiffily dressed in top hats and black suits, tapped their way through split second routines with their accompanying white canes. Quite the gents, their many-footed drill lay down a united sound as if one foot to floor. Canes tossed high, caught behind their backs on a turn, were white punctuation marks to their skill. Among the cadre, mock rifles and pennants, likewise thrown, twirled and toyed with in every way imaginable, demonstrated South Shore’s mastery of movement.

The second performance of the night, Jason Janas, was a solo contrast to the previously populated stage. Janas brought his own heat with him, as his tapping expanded in ever-widening circles of complexity. His riffs brought to mind the great tapper Savion Glover. Inventive and quick silver changes were a delight to watch and listen to, as the complex chains of his steps unfolded. With a bit more polished showmanship, Mr. Janas will ensure that the audience credits his range.

A mixed troupe of men and women, Step Afrika! brought an entirely different form of percussive dance to the evening’s program. Stepping, which is intricate stomping, clapping and body slapping, mixed with anything else the dancers’ imaginations and talents can add, is an American art form with African roots. The style of movement was popularized in the Greek societies of African-American colleges at the turn of the century and today has extended beyond those confines.

Simply put, Step Afrika! called to the beat within all of us with the precision and sound of their choreographed dances. Coordinated so that each body clap and foot fall was in unison, hands and legs were often a blur in routines of such complexity as to challenge anyone’s ability to follow the steps.

One slyly clever “bit” hearkened back to the induction of pledges into fraternities or sororities. As they were required to submit to the will of the Pledge Master and learn step movements, the tongue-in-cheek humor of the dancers played out in their parodies of different personality types of students.

The show-stopping number, however, began with two dancers, now drummers, who beat out increasingly layered rhythms as the group, clothed in an array of traditional African garb, abandoned themselves to the roots of their hip hop and stepping form. The beat of drums and the joy of group movement and individually showcased improvisations reached from performers to audience, the cap of the night.

And that is the point of the Chicago Human Rhythm Project’s mission: the beat, sound and feeling are everything that is necessary to join us all together to make a better community.

Chicago Human Rhythm Project
Courtesy of Eric Watson

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Chicago Human Rhythm Project
Courtesy of Eric Watson

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Chicago Human Rhythm Project
Courtesy of Sharon Farmer

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Chicago Human Rhythm Project
Courtesy of Sharon Farmer

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For more information, contact Dr. Roberta E. Zlokower at zlokower@bestweb.net