The popular belief that the cells in our bodies replace themselves about every seven years has been challenged by the brief lives of cells in our stomachs and the longevity of those in our brains. This fall Visceral Dance Chicago launches its seventh year with seven new dancers, as well as one new dance. Yet its season opener this week at the Athenaeum takes a long look at the past with a selection of repertory from previous seasons by artistic director Nick Pupillo. These works include Impetere, the vividly athletic piece he choreographed in 2013 to introduce his new ensemble; Synapse, commissioned by the Harris Theater in 2017; and Keep, a revision of a duet first presented in a warehouse at Rockwell and the river last autumn.
Reflecting on Cervantes’s engagement with Visceral, Pupillo says, “I felt Monica’s 2014 piece Changes was an important turning point for the company—with Homage, again I see the company growing in another new direction. I don’t want to define what Visceral is—I want it to constantly evolve.” v
Fri 10/4-Sat 10/5, 8 PM, Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport, 773-935-6860, athenaeumtheatre.org, $28-$58.
