By Steve Sucato

Entering its 11th season in Washington, D.C., Chamber Dance Project returns once again to Sidney Harman Hall for its annual summer season performances, June 25 – 27, 2025. 

D.C.’s leading contemporary ballet company will present Red Angels, a collection of CDP repertory favorites, music performances by CDP’s string quartet, a world-premiere by Argentinian choreographer Jorge Amarante, and the D.C. premiere of Ulysses Dove’s masterwork “Red Angels.”

Located in the crucible of the nation’s current arts upheaval, that saw cuts to the National Endowment of the Arts funding, and dramatic changes to The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ operations, CDP has felt some of that heat in the form of a work visa delay that caused Argentinian choreographer Jorge Amarante’s planned three section group ballet to be shortened to just its middle section, a duet that had to be created with the dancers over Zoom.

Fortunately, says Chamber Dance Project Artistic Director Diane Coburn Bruning, “Our funding hasn’t been directly affected yet. We have been informed, however, that arts funding in D.C. will likely be reduced in the future. Funding here is directly related to what the federal government says D.C. should have.

Additionally, CDP was fortunate that its ability to gather talented dancers from across the country was not adversely affected. Red Angels will showcase dancers from Atlanta Ballet, BalletMet, The Washington Ballet, as well as several freelance dancers from New York City, New Jersey, and elsewhere. 

Red Angels will open with the first movement of Christian Denice’s “Dwellings” (2021), set to Swiss composer Stephan Thelan’s “Circular Lines.” Originally a dance film created during the pandemic, the work drew inspiration from our collective experience of quarantining at home. 

Next CDP’s chamber quartet will perform Grammy Award-winning composer Charlton Singleton’s “Testimony” (2019). The foot-stomping composition will be turned into a dance work for CDP’s 2026 summer season.

The dancing then continues with the world premiere of Amarante’s “Tension Por Vos” (Tension For You). Following the theme of the planned group work that had to be postponed, “Tension Por Vos,” says Amarante, “focuses on the difficulties of a toxic relationship between two people who are romantically attracted to each other. The music by Argentine composer Julian Peralta perfectly sets the scene for the misfortunes of the two protagonists.” 

CDP fans will recall Amarante’s other work for the company, 2014’s contemporary tango piece “Sur.” 

Amarante describes the movement for “Tension Por Vos” as “lying somewhere between modern and classical expression.” 

The D.C. premiere of the program’s namesake work, “Red Angels” (1994), follows. Danced to Richard Einhorn’s tune “Maxwell’s Demon,” played on electric violin by CDP’s Principal Musician Sally McLain, the work for four dancers is a captivating showcase of dancer prowess in balletic choreography sharply defined by technique and outstretched limbs a la the works of choreographers Alonzo King and Dwight Rhoden. 

The program’s second half features reprises of Coburn Bruning’s “Prufrock” (2019), based on author T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” and set to a commissioned score for the work by James Bigbee Garver, and perennial audience favorite “Songs By Cole,” (2017) danced to suite of music by Cole Porter sung by lead vocalist Lena Seikaly.

For those in attendance, opening night, Wednesday, June 25, only, longtime CDP dancer and Rehearsal Director, Patric Palkens, will be honored in a special performance of an excerpt of Coburn Bruning’s “Four Men” (2021).

Per usual, CDP’s string quartet will accompany the bulk of the dance works, playing each’s music live. And if past performances of CDP’s summer series are any indication, Red Angels is one you won’t want to miss.

Chamber Dance Project presents Red Angels, 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 25, Thursday, June 26, and Friday, June 27, 2025. Sydney Harman Hall 610 F St NW, Washington, D.C. — Opening night ticket prices (fees included) range from $71.21 (performance only) to $375.32 (includes the Summer Solstice Party). Thursday and Friday night tickets range from $59 to $92  (fees included). For information and tickets, visit chamberdance.org/june-2025-season.

Free to all ticket buyers, there will be a pre-performance artist chat on Thursday and Friday at 6:30 p.m. in the theater’s upper lobby. 

Summer Solstice Party attendees are asked to wear white in the spirit of light.