In Progress: Darling Shear
Featured images
Darling Shear
Photo: Alison SweatDancer and performer Darling Shear invokes historical forms of dance and fashion in choreographed works and immersive staged encounters. Shear returns to the MCA to present selections from a new performance focused on sensuality and healing from trauma.
In Progress is a series of public programs designed to give artists, thinkers, and curators a platform for developing new works, and to give patrons a glimpse into the creative process. In Progress is organized by Curator January Parkos Arnall and Assistant Curator Christy LeMaster with the Performance and Public Practice teams.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Darling Shear is a Chicago native with roots in Atlanta, where Shear attended the North Springs Charter School of Arts and Sciences and trained there in ballet, modern, jazz, and African. Shear began dancing professionally shortly after high school and worked with choreographers including Bubba Carr, choreographer and artistic director for Cher; Rhonda Henriksen, soloist with both Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Twyla Tharp Dance; Tracy Vogt; Hinton Battle, who originated the role of Scarecrow in the Broadway production of The Wiz and Lauri Stallings, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago soloist and founder of gloATL. Shear moved back to Chicago in 2011 to start Suna Dance, a collaborative artist group. Shear, a freelance dancer and choreographer has worked with the Inconvenience for The Fly Honey Show, the BodyCartography Project of Minneapolis, Links Hall, Victoria Bradford, AIDS Foundation of Chicago, Chances Dances, No Small Plans Productions, Slo 'Mo, the Public House Hotel Chicago, Soho House Chicago, Growing Power Inc., EXPO Chicago, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, DePaul Art Museum, University of Chicago, University of Illinois at Chicago, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Chicago Film Archives, Chicago Athletic Association, Salonathon, and Open Television.
This performance contains some depictions of sexual activity, violence, strong language, and interaction with the audience.