In a word, Glenbrook North's 2020 Orchesis show is special
Each year, the seniors participating in Glenbrook North High School's Orchesis Dance Company pick a word that has typified their experience with the troupe.
That word then becomes the title of their annual show.
The girls from the Class of 2021 considered "perseverance." While it certainly fits the lives they've led since March, it didn't quite work for them.
It lacked a certain something.
"They liked 'perseverance,' but they wanted a positive spin, just a more hopeful approach," said Ashley O'Brien, Orchesis' seven-year director.
"They chose 'Unwavering' as a word that shows that, yes, we're pushing through difficult times, but we're doing this because we love to dance, we love to hang out with each other, and we have a shared passion even during difficult times," she said.
"Unwavering," which will pack 17 dance numbers plus performer interviews into an hourlong remote production, will be streamed online at 7:30 p.m. three straight nights, Dec. 10-12.
The cost is $8 for a single streaming ticket or $28 for a household. For tickets visit www.showtix4u.com/event-details/42384. An additional phone number for information is (847) 509-2671.
This show typically draws about 400 people nightly to the Glenbrook North Center for the Performing Arts. In addition to parents, friends and students, O'Brien said it attracts an increasing number of young dancers and people from throughout the community.
In 2020, however, "Unwavering" began with socially distanced auditions in August followed by rehearsals executed by a split crew, half-outdoors and half over Zoom. Thirteen of the 17 dances were choreographed by the dancers themselves. When the subgroups got their moves down they went outside to hone proper spacing by the whole group.
"They understood that the pandemic and the circumstances brought a different value to the experience," O'Brien said.
The pieces in "Unwavering" span from 10 dancers to 22, with every one of the 65 Orchesis members dancing in at least one number.
When it came to filming the show, which displays various forms of dance, it was again a half-and-half approach.
Half the numbers were filmed in the Center for the Performing Arts and later edited by Glenbrook North teacher Todd Rubin's broadcasting students, with technical work in the theater also done by students.
The other half was filmed on location at a number of sites - on a Lake Michigan beach, in front of a mural in Skokie, on top of a parking garage, and elsewhere.
"The dancers were very excited to film two pieces on the beautiful grounds of the Chicago Botanic Garden," O'Brien said.
Filming onstage wrapped two nights before District 225 went into Adaptive Pause.
"I feel like we need a tagline: This was filmed under approved health guidelines," O'Brien joked.
The dancers - headed by a Student Leadership Team that includes President Lily Kussman, Vice President Hanna LeCavalier and Secretary Hannah Karlin - chose most of their locations.
So yes, perseverance has been crucial to pulling off something as intricate as this Orchesis show. But there's a poignancy the dancers brought to "Unwavering" that makes O'Brien misty eyed when she thinks about it.
"The one thing that really impressed me this year is they're high school girls, 14- to 18-years-old, in the middle of a pandemic, and the amount of resiliency and positivity that they brought to this season was absolutely inspiring to me," she said. "And I think it's one thing they'll show when everybody sees it."