Instead of taking an astronomy class, Northwestern students can experience the rings of Saturn, watch comets fly through space and feel the heat of the sun by attending a performance of “2001, A Dance Odyssey” at the Louis Theatre.
The show, performed by the Evanston Dance Ensemble, combines dance, music and costumes to capture the physical and mythical aspects of the nine planets of the solar system, as well as the sun, comets and meteors, said Bea Rashid, a 1978 NU graduate who conceptualized and choreographed the show.
“The show follows the order of the solar system, beginning with the sun,” Rashid said. “It’s very inspiring to watch all of the planets unfold in light and color and sound and fabric. … You can get a sense of each planet.”
Every segment of the show opens with images and a poem to convey specific elements about each planet. Earth is described as a place “where we can plant our feet, our food and our families.”
The production made its debut in January at the Northshore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie. The show’s popularity inspired directors to hold a second performance, this time in Evanston, Rashid said.
The Evanston Dance Ensemble is composed almost entirely of young people. With the exception of six adults, the show’s cast consists of Evanston middle and high school students ages 11 to 17, said Christina Ernst, one of the four choreographers. All of the student dancers also performed in the original production.
New additions to the cast include Calvin Kitten, a member of the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. Although Kitten had to rehearse on his own most of the time because of his commitment to the Joffrey, he said the show has been a great experience.
“I enjoyed working with the kids,” Kitten said. “It’s been great seeing them dance. They all move incredibly.”
McCormick senior Kevin Johnson joined the production after a choreographer asked him to play one of the male parts. Although he said it was strange being one of only two men in an otherwise all-female cast, he said the best part of the show was meeting people in the dance community outside of NU.
“Northwestern is such a bubble,” Johnson said. “You audition and you know who’s going to get certain parts. It’s a great place to learn the craft, but it’s not really realistic.”
Rashid said she chose to hold the show’s encore at NU because she was familiar with the dance department and because Evanston lacks stages suitable for dance performances.
NU students would enjoy the production because of the variety of the dances and the quality of the show, Rashid said.
The performances are at 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $15.50 at the door, $13.50 for outside students and $7 for NU students.
Rashid said she hopes the show will encourage people to pursue astronomy.
“I hope they’ll walk out inspired and uplifted, basically with a new interest in astronomy,” she said. “I want them to go home and open up that old, dusty astronomy book.”
Ernst said she thought this show would be as successful as the first, appealing to all ages.
“It’s for children and adults,” Ernst said. “There’s an educational component, but it’s something we can relate to.”
Johnson praised the ensemble for exposing young girls to other forms of dance besides ballet.
“The ensemble introduces modern dance to kids at a very young age,” he said. “Most girls do ballet and (the show is) a great experience for them.”
