Guest Artists Hedwig Dances to Perform April 4-5

EVANSTON, Ill. --- Hedwig Dances, a Chicago-based contemporary dance company in residence at the Chicago Cultural Center, will present two evening performances of original dances on Northwestern University's Evanston campus.

The company's "Sweet Darkness" program will take place at 8 p.m. Friday, April 4, and 8 p.m. Saturday, April 5, in the Marjorie Ward Marshall Dance Center's Ballroom Theater, 10 Arts Circle Drive. Both concerts are open to the public and are sponsored by the Northwestern University Dance Program.

The "Sweet Darkness" program will feature three dances. Jan Bartoszek, founder and artistic director of Hedwig Dances, choreographed "Night Blooming Jasmine," a piece that explores the polarity between tension and release. "Rein, Bellow" was choreographed by New York-based guest choreographers Bill Young and Colleen Thomas as a series of vignettes of partnerships in an intimate, otherworldly landscape. It will be performed to an original score by composer Philip Hamilton. Company member Kirsty Mackellar choreographed the duet "An Everyman's Condition" for dancers Justin Deschamps and Joseph Ensign. The work explores the effect of surveillance on creating order and obedience and will be performed to music by Philip Glass.

Bartoszek, an award-winning choreographer, is a resident artist and dance teacher at the Northwestern Dance Program this year. She has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Illinois Arts Council. Bartoszek's choreography credits include works for Steppenwolf, Northlight, Live Bait and Court theaters, as well as with internationally renowned director Ping Chong.

Hedwig Dances marks its 23rd year under Bartoszek's artistic direction. The company's collaborations combine lyrical choreography with sculptural artifacts, projected images and original music to create fresh theatrical dances.

For more information, contact Northwestern's Dance Program at (847) 491-3147, e-mail <nu-dance@northwestern.edu> or after March 26, visit the Dance Program's new Web site at www.dance.northwestern.edu.

Tickets are $20 for the general public; $15 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $10 for Northwestern students with IDs. To order tickets by phone call the Theatre and Interpretation Center Box Office at (847) 491-7282. Online ticket sales will be available through OvationTix at http://www.tic.northwestern.edu/tickets.php.