In addition to performing here as part of the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago company two years ago, Shannon Alvis was a student with the University of Utah's ballet department from 1995-97.

"I love Salt Lake City," the Indiana native said by phone from Chicago. "I have a soft spot in my heart for the city. It's beautiful.

"I loved the university. When I was there with Hubbard Street the last time, I felt a sense of pride. I was excited to go back to show that I was still dancing."

Although Alvis didn't graduate, she said she made the right decision for herself. "I took the leap of faith and auditioned for Hubbard Street 2. I got the job in 1998 and was with the company for two years. Then in 2000, I became a member of the regular company, and I've been here ever since.

"Since I can remember, I've always wanted to be in a professional dance company. I'm living my dream."

The hardest part of getting into the company was that she had to get back to her dance roots. "When I joined Hubbard 2, I had to dig up my jazz and tap roots," she said. "Before I started studying ballet, I was a jazz dancer. And being in H2, I learned to find that style again. I had to move my body in a different way than I had studied, but I loved every minute."

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago will be bringing in Jiri Kylis — 'Petit' and 'Gnawa.'

"The two works are different, but similar. They are different because 'Petit' is technically challenging. It is comprised of six duets, and the partnering is beautiful. 'Gnawa' is more flowing. The costumes are long and gownlike. The similarities of these works is that they are balletic and lyrical. They are just wonderful to watch."

"I feel that the opening work needs to be like the opening lines of a good book," the company's artistic director, Jim Vincent, said in a separate interview from Chicago. "It needs to draw the audience. So that's why we're opening with 'Petit Mort.' Jiri follows the music. And the audience reacts to the music and movement."

As for Marshall's "Kiss," Vincent said the choreographer was examining relationships. "I find this work very romantic at the beginning. But they use cables and gravity throughout the work. So it is at the same time romantic, but also awkward because while they use the cables, there is a good chance of them for falling into each other."

Duato's "Gnawa" was inspired by music and culture. "Nacho was listening to North African music," said Vincent, "and he wanted to do a piece about the regions' healers, also known as gnawa. He created the work on six dancers and then came back to me and asked if he could use the whole company. It's a flowing piece that is lyrical."

Vincent's own "Uniformity" was inspired musically and socially. "It's my reaction piece," he said with a chuckle. "I was listening to a version of Vivaldi that spaced the music and the silence in equal times. I was listening to it in my car. And when the silence began, I put the car in reverse. By the time the music began playing, I had put my car in first and began driving. I felt it was interesting that I was filling the silence with movement.

"That was one of the inspirations for the work. The other was going into a department store and seeing pink camouflage outfits designed for 5-year-olds. I just find that — interesting."


If you go . . .

What: Hubbard Street Dance Chicago

Where: Kingsbury Hall, University of Utah

When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

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How much: $22.50-$34.50

Phone: 581-7100

Web: www.kingsburyhall.com


E-mail: scott@desnews.com

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