“The world Schlichting reveals is full of clever kinetic asides, streamlined
beauty, hints of mischief and thoughtful juxtapositions.” —Star Tribune
MINNEAPOLIS, January 26, 2015—The Walker Art Center presents the world
premiere/Walker commission of choreographer Chris Schlichting’s Stripe
Tease on Thursday, February 19–Saturday, February 21 at 8 pm in the William
and Nadine McGuire Theater. Named Best Choreographer in 2013 by City
Pages and steadily gaining national attention, Schlichting creates beautifully
designed, meticulously constructed dance worlds combining movement, visual
art, and music. Building on a commission for the Walker’s 25th-anniversary
celebration of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden in 2013, he collaborates with
rock/pop guitarist Jeremy Ylvisaker (Andrew Bird) and his band Alpha
Consumer, which includes Mike Lewis and JT Bates, whose repetition of
musical phrasing is a perfect foil for Schlichting’s movement art. The
collaboration also features Minnesota-based visual artist Jennifer Davis, whose
collages and paintings strike a magical balance between childlike playfulness
and dark yearnings.
Crafting a deeply satisfying mix of patterns and set structures, large-scale
spectacle and delicate intimacy, recurrence and surprise, Schlichting’s newest
work Stripe Tease embraces and slyly subverts dance history. Copresented
with the National Performance Network (NPN).
Chris Schlichting
Chris Schlichting is a Minnesota-based Choreographer and performer. He was
named “Best Choreographer” in 2013 by City Pages for his work Matching
Drapes, which also received two Sage Awards, including one for “Best
Performance” and one for “Best Design”. He is the first recipient of the
American Dance Institute’s (Rockville, MD) Commissioned Artist award, a new
project that provides commissioning funds, developmental and production
support for a new work from one U.S. based choreographer every year.
Schlichting has been presented by venues throughout Minnesota including the
Southern Theater, the Red Eye Theater, the Walker Art Center, and many
more; in New York at Danspace Project and as a frequent contributor to
CATCH! performance series; at ODC in San Francisco, CA; and at Velocity in
Seattle, WA. He frequently collaborates with artists from a variety of disciplines,
including Morgan Thorson, for performances in her works Faker and Heaven,
both of which enjoyed illustrious tours throughout the U.S. and Faker also in
Daejeon, South Korea.
Alpha Consumer
“(Alpha Consumer) reminded us of just how great American oddball rock used
to be. The Modern Lovers meets Talking Heads but heavier is how we describe
Alpha Consumer. In truth, they’re more entertaining than that.” –MOJO
The members of Alpha Consumer have worked with Bon Iver, Arcade Fire,
Andrew Bird, Chuck Statler, Brother Ali, Anais Mitchell, Pieta Brown, A Prairie
Home Companion, and more. Meat is the latest full-length album from the
Minneapolis-based three-piece.
Tickets
Tickets to Chris Schlichting’s Stripe Tease are: $25 ($22 Walker members) and
are available at walkerart.org/tickets or by calling 612.375.7600
Dig Deeper!
The Balcony Bar is open one hour prior to and after performances.
Postshow Reception
Thursday, February 19
Meet the artists after the show at a reception in the McGuire Theater’s
Balcony Bar.
Postshow Q & A
Friday, February 20
Stay after the show for a Q&A with the artists and performing arts curators.
SpeakEasy
Saturday, February 21
After the performance, head to the Balcony Bar to join a discussion or just
listen in as others hash it out. SpeakEasy conversations are hosted by a tour
guide and members of the local performing arts community.
Acknowledgments
Commissioned by the Walker Art Center with support provided by the William
and Nadine McGuire Commissioning Fund, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation,
the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Performance Network
(NPN). Stripe Tease is an NPN Creation Fund project created in partnership
with the Walker Art Center, Legion Arts, American Dance Institute, and NPN.
Additional support provided by The Jerome Foundation and The McKnight
Foundation.
In honor of Dale Schatzlein (1948-2006) and his important work in dance and
jazz in the Twin Cities, additional support is provided by Emily Maltz.
Producers’ Council
Performing Arts programs and commissions at the Walker are generously
supported by members of the Producers’ Council: Russell Cowles; Nor Hall
and Roger Hale; King’s Fountain/Barbara Watson Pillsbury and Henry
Pillsbury; Emily Maltz; Dr. William W. and Nadine M. McGuire; Leni and David
Moore, Jr.; Josine Peters; Mike and Elizabeth Sweeney; and Frances and
Frank Wilkinson.