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AUDIENCE REVIEW: H.T. Chen's "newsteps"

Company:
H.T. Chen

Performance Date:
December 5, 2019

Freeform Review:

You're a choreographer and you don't want to take on the responsibility - not to mention the cost - of producing a full evening of work.  What do you do?  One smart move would be to apply to Chen Dance Center's newsteps, which since 1994 has presented hundreds of dancers and dozens of choreographers showing new works.  A recent newsteps, Dec. 5-7, offered six works choreographed by Catherine Eng, Alice Halter, Caitlin Javech, Susanne McHugh, Amanda Spilinga, and co-choreographers Jessica Alexander and Madison Doyle.    Dances ranged from "Lost Sense," a fine, meditative solo, beautifully realized by choreographer McHugh and sensitively performed by Yejin Lee.  Other dances provided a good variety on the program, and ranged from playful to earnest to jazzy.   Choreographers are chosen at an open audition before a panel of veteran choreographers, and are provided with mentoring, free studio space, and three performances at the intimate and friendly Chen Dance Center.  The dancemakers are clearly allotted a limited amount of time: none of the dances goes on for too long, and the entire program runs only one hour.  A fine opportunity for emerging choreographers and dancers.

Author:
Paul Berss

Website:
www.chendancecenter.org