Dance Fri Mar 07 2008

Voguing Demystified: Links Hall Dance Festival Opens Tonight

Tonight marks the start of the latest month-long Links Hall dance festival, Chroegraphing Coalitions: Dancing the Other in the Self, curated by Artistic Associate Peter Carpenter. Three dancers--Darrell Jones, Gesel Mason & David Rousseve--take the stage to examine issues of race, color and sexuality through interpretive performance. Jones, of the 2007 show, Third Swan From The End, lifts the veil off this misunderstood dance form. Voguing started in the 70s and 80s among gays in Harlem who used the dance form of "striking poses," (stolen by Madonna to use in her popular 90s song, Vogue) to settle disputes in a non-violent manner. Yes, voguing is about more than just looking good, or imitating Vogue models, as Jones shows in his performance, in which "gay" and "black" represent a struggle for social justice.
Show opens tonight and Saturday at 8pm, and on Sunday at 7pm. $15, $12 for seniors, students and low-income. Reservations are recommended: 773.281.0824.

- Marla