Hubbard Street Dance Chicago making stop at Detroit Opera House

For the past five years, serving as artistic director of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago has been a return to Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell’s roots. 

The former dancer started her professional career with the contemporary dance company in the late 1980s at the invitation of founder Lou Conte. Fisher-Harrell danced with Hubbard Street for three years before performing with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for 13 years. 

By 2021, Fisher-Harrell had taught dance for several years at Towson University in Maryland. Then, she was asked to take on one of Hubbard Street’s top positions. She became the first woman, person of color and company alumna to be appointed artistic director.

“Taking on this role, I know it’s a tremendous responsibility,” Fisher-Harrell told BridgeDetroit. “It’s leading this organization that has been in existence for 48 years into the future, and you want it to go further than you. I want it to continue to flourish and continue to go beyond just the jewel of Chicago. I want as many people to see and experience this company as possible and to leave my mark of excellence, which is a continuation of Lou Conte’s vision. I’m having the time of my life.” 

Now, Fisher-Harrell is taking her dancers on the road. Hubbard Street is giving two performances this weekend at the Detroit Opera House at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets start at $30. 

The program will include the piece, “Sweet Gwen Suite” originally choreographed in the 1960s by the late choreographer and filmmaker Bob Fosse and his wife and muse Gwen Verdon. In addition, the company will perform “Percussion IV” by Fosse. 

Hubbard is the only concert dance company in the world authorized to add Fosse work to its repertory.

BridgeDetroit talked to Fisher-Harrell about the honor to perform Fosse and Verdon’s work, getting her start as a dancer and the piece she can’t wait for Detroit audiences to see. 

BridgeDetroit: You’ll be opening the program with the piece, “As the Wind Blows,” which features the song, “Technology (Versus Beatless Version)” by Detroit techno pioneer Carl Craig. How did you decide to incorporate his song into the dance? 

Fisher-Harrell: Usually, our process for composers or any any music that we dance to, the choreographer often chooses the composer. The choreographer will either say, ‘I have a new composition or a new composer that I’m working with and we’re collaborating.’ Or it’s pre-recorded, which, in this case, it was, and (choreographer) Amy Hall Garner selected the music to provide for the piece.

BridgeDetroit: The performances will also feature two pieces by late dancer and choreographer Bob Fosse and his wife, dancer and actress Gwen Verdon. The company was granted permission to perform the dances by Fosse and Verdon’s daughter, Nicole Fosse, through her organization, the Verdon Fosse Legacy. How did this partnership begin between Hubbard Street and Nicole Fosse? 

Fisher-Harrell: We have a beautiful partnership with the Verdon Fosse Legacy, which started last year, and that was when we brought in “Sweet Gwen Suite,” which we’re going to perform in Detroit. And this year we brought back “Percussion IV,” which was choreographed by Bob Fosse, and that’s taken from his Broadway show dancing.

I have to rewind to early on in Hubbard Street’s history. Lou Conte, the founder of Hubbard Street, was a huge fan of Bob Fosse. Lou was a tap and jazz teacher, so he really admired him. Back when I was in the company in the late ‘80s, early ‘90s, Gwen Verdon came to Hubbard Street and staged “Percussion IV.” This is the piece coming back. We (Hubbard Street) have had this relationship with Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse’s work for a very long time, and it just felt fitting to me as the artistic director to bring us full circle. Those are the roots in which this company was founded. It was originally a jazz company, and so, this was a beautiful way to bring that back. 

BridgeDetroit: What does it mean to you for Hubbard Street to have the honor of being the only dance company in the world authorized to have Fosse works in its repertory?

Fisher-Harrell: Incredible. Now, there’s certain colleges that are doing workshops and things and, of course, studios all around the world, but we’re the only professional dance company to do his work. It means there’s a lot of trust that’s been given to us. With the Verdon Fosse Legacy, the reason they selected us…they know how we treat the work with not just preserving it, but doing it beautifully. We’re really going to make sure those things stand out and that we maintain them for however long we’re allowed to do them in our repertoire. 

BridgeDetroit: What was it like as a young performer watching Gwen Verdon work with dancers in the company? 

Fisher-Harrell: I remember her very well. Back then, “Percussion IV” was a solo for a male dancer. It had a lot of turns, it had a lot of jumps in it. Traditionally, especially on Broadway, that was always a male performer that did that work. So, when she (Verdon) came to stage “Percussion IV” in the company, of course, she chose the guys. But I was a turner and a jumper, so I was always in the back doing the choreography. She let me stay in the room and work with her. She was meticulous. I remember her setting the movement and telling stories behind what things came from and what the imagery is behind each step. That’s so helpful and so rich historically for us to take in how these works came to be. I’m happy to say that now that the company is doing “Percussion IV,” we’re letting female dancers do the work as well.

BridgeDetroit: What was your introduction to dance? When did you start performing? 

Fisher-Harrell: I got a late start to dance at the age of 14. I don’t think I was ever interested before I started seeing things on TV. I’m an MTV baby. I remember when the channel first came on and Michael Jackson’s videos were on there. “Flashdance” was a popular movie at that time, and “Fame” was on TV, so dance was within the culture at that time. I thought, ‘Hey, I would love to go to a high school where you can dance on the tables and chairs like they do in ‘Fame.’

I found out that in my hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, we had a school for the arts, so I just auditioned. I loved to move my body; I was very athletic. I didn’t know about pointing my feet, tights, ballet slippers, nothing. I just auditioned. I guess they (the school) saw some potential. I had excellent teachers and I listened to everything that they told me. I progressed pretty quickly. I was dancing with a regional ballet company by the time I was a senior in high school, and when I graduated high school, I made it into the Juilliard School. And within five years, I was at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, dancing and performing. What really helped me is that I dove in. I was not afraid to do things over and over and fail and then succeed.

BridgeDetroit: What is something you hope audiences take home with them when they see this weekend’s performances? 
Fisher-Harrell: I hope that our audiences in Detroit can really take in how incredible these dancers are. We’re finishing with (choreographer) Johan Inger’s “Impasse.” I’m not gonna say a lot about Impasse, but it is chock full of craziness. People are gonna have so much fun watching that piece. It is non-stop what is happening on stage and the dancers get to take on these characters that are just gonna blow you away. I’m really interested in leaving audience members charged, changed and moved.