Circle of Apathy is a humanist, ensemble-driven, two-act dance and music collaboration between House of DOV and Chicago band Family Junket. Built thematically on cycles of destruction and regrowth (or growth as destruction) the piece regards all human machinations (even war) as natural processes. Identifying a link between the evolving nature of Earth’s landscape, our own human social evolution, and the emergent nature of individual identity, the work attempts to depict this churning process on all three scales. “You don’t live on Earth, you are the Earth; you don’t live on the landscape, you are the landscape.”
*approx 90 min.
The creation of Circle of Apathy was made possible by a grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events with funding from the Walder Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.
House of DOV is a movement-based performance ensemble out of Chicago, IL established in 2020 by Drew Lewis. House of DOV’s inaugural performance in June 2021 at the Adler Planetarium was selected as a finalist for the Chicago Reader’s Best of 2021 as Best Dance Production. House of DOV has since performed at Fulton Street Collective, Lumber Studios, Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble, and Navy Pier among many others. Their works have been commissioned by the Steppenwolf Theatre and The Arts Club of Chicago. House of DOV was a 2023 Artist in Residence at The Rooted Space, and is a 2024 Artist in Residence at the Chicago Cultural Center.
Family Junket is the collective voice of Chicago-based musicians Alejandro Gallardo, Clarence Young, Rahila Coats, Scott Daniel, Hasani Cannon, and brothers Zach, Jonah, and Max Lazarus. They are social workers, teachers, dancers, writers, painters, photographers, performance artists, and engineers coming together to create healing spaces, community, and parties. Melding flutes, saxophones, trumpets, and violins, with unique vocal compositions, layered percussion, and wavy electronic production, the band creates music best listened to with the family.
