Peter Chuthis

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Peter Chu Artistic Director Peter Chu: Artistic Director / Choreographer / Dancer

Originally from Cocoa Beach, Florida, Peter Chu is a distinguished artist who strives to push the physical bounds of dance. He began his training as a competitive gymnast, later nurturing his artistry at Dussich Dance Studio where his evolution into dance began. As a BFA student at The Juilliard School (under the direction of Benjamin Harkarvy), Chu was pushed further as a technical mover and began an explosive journey into choreography. Upon graduation, he was awarded the Hector Zaraspe Prize for Choreography.

Chu is a remarkable and multi-faceted artist. As a performer, he has danced with BJM _Danse and EZdanza, as the lead in Christina Perri’s Jar of Hearts music video, in Celine Dion’s Vegas spectacular A New Day, and with Crystal Pite’s company Kidd Pivot.

In 2008, Chu formed a Las Vegas project-based company—chuthis. His multi-disciplinary dance company combines innovative lighting and sound with live contemporary movement. In 2018, chuthis. presented paper cuts in an empty bag at Zuiderstrandtheater in The Hague, Netherlands, as a part of the Shortcuts XL program, and was the company in residence at Perry-Mansﬁeld Performing Arts School & Camp. A part of the mission of chuthis. is to provide movement education programs for the next generation of artists. Through the chuthis. Movement Intensive, an annual summer event, and chuthis. Moves, a 2-3 day custom workshop for both national and international dance schools, the chuthis. team fosters technical/artistic development and mind/body familiarity while igniting an adventurous side of dance.

Chu has been an honoured recipient of choreographic awards & commissions, including the Hector Zaraspe Prize, A.C.E. Capezio Award, & Hubbard Street Dance International Commission Project. He was also named a Blodgett Distinguished Artist by Harvard University for 2018. Additionally, Chu has served as the Rehearsal Director for Nederlands Dans Theater 2, and as a Guest Rehearsal Director for NDT1.

Chu has created works for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Charlotte Ballet II, Orlando Ballet Theatre, Hubbard Street 2, Giordano Dance Chicago, Juilliard New Dances: Edition 2018, So You Think You Can Dance, Naomi Stikeman’s Çaturn, Houston MET Dance, New Dialect, SALT Contemporary Dance, Nederlands Dans Theater Summer Intensive, Springboard Danse Montreal, Harvard University, Point Park University, SUNY Purchase, Western Michigan University, & Brigham Young University Contemporary Dance Theatre, among others.

Teaching highlights include Harvard University (Guest Lecturer), HSPro, Springboard X | shift perspective, Axis Connect, Hubbard Street Studio Series, The Dance Teacher Summit, and Movement Invention Project. This past season, Peter premiered new creations for Charlotte Ballet, Staatstheater Augsburg (Germany), and HSPro (Chicago.) He is also currently developing a new creation with his own company, chuthis.. Choreography Highlights:

2019 | Hubbard Street’s Professional Program — damaged system 2019 | Staatstheater Augsburg (Dimensions of Dance. Part 2) — yourFACE 2019 | Charlotte Ballet (Innovative Works: Shakespeare Reinvented) — Let Be 2018 | The Juilliard School (New Dances 2018) — Play Well With Others 2018 | Point Park University — 4 Yous 2018 | chuthis. — 4 Yous 2018 | The Juilliard School (graduation solo) — Fitting Out 2018 | Harvard Dance Project — Fitting Out 2017 | Booker T. Washington HSPVA — In Reaction (Dallas, TX) 2017 | Hubbard Street Dance Chicago — Space, In Perspective 2017 | Axis Connect — In Reaction (Los Angeles, CA) 2017 | The Juilliard School graduation solos – inspired excerpts from Paper Cuts In An Empty Bag 2017 | Springboard Danse Montréal — In Reaction 2017 | S.A.L.T. Contemporary Dance — Paper Cuts 2016 | chuthis. — Paper Cuts In An Empty Bag 2016 | chuthis. — Forming In 2016 | Hubbard Street 2 — Floating After Times 2016 | Giordano Dance Chicago — Divided Against 2016 | Nederlands Dans Theater Summer Intensive — Re-action 2016 | New Dialect — Two Yous 2015 | Brigham Young University Contemporary Dance Theatre — Formed In 2015 | chuthis. — Face Her & Smile Masking 2014 | Nederlands Dans Theater Summer Intensive — Disconnected Transfer 2014 | The Cultch (Vancouver, BC) 2014 | Springboard Danse Montréal — More Than a Step 2014 | West Michigan University — One Sound Looking Back 2013 | Nederlands Dans Theater Summer Intensive — Applauding Trails 2013 | So You Think You Can Dance — Season 10, Top 16 (Los Angeles, CA) 2013 | Houston Met Dance Company — Hidden in Plain Sight (Houston, TX) 2013 | The Ailey School for Certificate Program Dancer — Walking Forward 2013 | SUNY at Purchase — Lutte Intérieure (Purchase, NY) 2013 | Orlando Ballet — Touching Drops (Orlando, FL) 2012 | So You Think You Can Dance – Season 9, Top 8 (Los Angeles, CA) 2011 | chuthis. — Nothing Sticks U.S. tour 2010 | SUNY at Purchase — The Applause is Fading (New York, NY) 2010 | Dance Teacher Summit – Capezio A.C.E. Awards — This Thought (New York, NY) 2009 | San Diego Dance Theater — Grounded Steps (San Diego, CA) 2009 | Edge PAC — Hide and Seek (Los Angeles, CA) 2008 | Seventy-five minute multimedia dance show, Çaturn (Directed by Naomi Stikeman, consultation by Robert Lepage) 2008 | New Works Dance Festival (Perry-Mansfield) — Then…until now (Steamboat Springs, CO) 2008 | SUNY at Purchase — Graduation Solo (New York, NY) 2007 | Southern University of — Smell Memory with 9 (Cedar City, UT) 2006 | Houston Met Dance Company — Pts. in Space for 7 (Houston, TX) 2004 | Houston Met Dance Company — A Polite Social Gesture (Houston, TX) 2001 | Summer Dance Intensive at The Juilliard School Press Quotes:

"The anomaly is the return of Peter Chu’s “Divided Against,” which oﬀers the only respite from the evening’s high-octane spunkiness. … Nevertheless, it feels richer and more satisfying every time they perform this piece… the arcs of the piece are mined by the viewer in the subtle moments when you ﬁnd yourself staring at the concave surfaces of the dancers’ backs turned toward us, or swaying with them in your seat as they retreat upstage, cautiously rocking to and fro between their feet, an arm slowly rising above their heads.” — Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune

"Chu ... has found countless ways for both parts of the performer-audience equation to play their part in a most enjoyable and ultimately transﬁxing way. They performed Chu's beautiful choreography—singly, in pairs, and as a grand ensemble that alternately suggested a primal rite and the inexorable motion of waves. The dancing was uniformly superb." — Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun Times

"[Space, In Perspective] challenges norms, but also brings the audience up close and personal with groundbreaking art. The ﬁnal act's on-stage choreography is mind bending, even if it wasn't just a piece of white tape separating you from the dancers." — Michelle Meywes Kopeny, Chicagoist

“Peter Chu is that rare performer who can dance with one foot in the commercial world and the other squarely in the artistic. No, wait: that’s not exactly right. Chu is the even rarer performer for whom the two worlds meld into one.” — The Georgia Straight

“Chu’s piece, full of sharp movements contrasted with an unfolding physicality, has an unearthly quality both robotic and hypnotic.” — Orlando Sentinel regarding Peter Chu’s Hollywood en Pointe choreographed for the Orlando Ballet.

“Chu’s choreography is aesthetically pleasing, yet undeniably diﬃcult in nature… I can only hope this show continues to run so everyone can have a chance to be in the audience.” — Dance Informa Magazine

“Nothing Sticks… is a work that really marks the promising beginning of a choreographic talent who’s just starting to harness his wild imagination.” — The Georgia Straight

“Chu is a torpedo of a mover, seamlessly integrating the syncopation of hip hop with balletic ﬂuidity.” — Dance Magazine regarding Peter Chu’s work that opened the Top 8, Season 9 show of So You Think You Can Dance

“Given the opportunity to speak with Peter Chu, insight, brilliance, compassion, and devotion threaded each expression, verbal as well as nonverbal.” — West Orlando News

“ A slender, lithe dancer with feet as resilient as his spine, locks and pops in and out of position with ribbon ﬂuidity.” — The New York Times regarding Peter Chu’s performance in Kidd Pivot’s The You Show

“…he gives complete illusion that he is a marionette danced by the puppeteer. The duet is so spectacular, his control of his body so masterful, that audible gasps and ahhs escaped from the audience.” — Portland Monthly Magazine regarding Peter Chu’s performance in Kidd Pivot’s Dark Matters Company Profile: chuthis. is a not-for-proﬁt § 501(c)(3) Las Vegas project-based dance company which showcases the work of Artistic Director and Choreographer Peter Chu and his renowned collaborators. chuthis. promotes cutting edge contemporary dance that pushes the physical boundaries of movement with sharp expanding, contracting, and undulating liquid-like energy, enmeshed in striking imagery to provoke thought. chuthis. provides movement intensives & customized workshops both nationally and internationally. These programs provide movement education, foster technical/artistic development, and explore mind/body familiarity, aiming to ignite an adventurous side of dance. chuthis. continuously strives to expand its audience.

Works: Educational Programs:

• Fitting Out 6 minutes 30 seconds • 4 Yous 16 minutes • paper cuts in an empty bag 28 minutes • Forming In 11 minutes • Two Yous 16 minutes • Face Her 8 minutes 30 seconds • Smile Masking 45 minutes • Nothing Sticks 90 minutes, including intermission

PERSPECTIVES Works:

4 Yous Video coming soon 16 minutes

Choreographed & Directed by | Peter Chu Premiere | June 2108 — Steamboat Springs, CO Perry-Mansﬁeld Performing Arts School & Camp Original Cast | Jenni Berthelot, Krystal Matsuyama, Miriam Gittens, Tilly Evans-Krueger Composer/Music Producer | Jean-François (Djeﬀ) Houle Costume | RoCharlotte Raphael

Choreographer’s notes: My time at Perry-Mansﬁeld has inspired me to reimagine, restructure, and nurture an existing work that was initially developed for and commissioned by New Dialect in 2015 –Two Yous. This new work pushes the physical bounds of movement with sharp liquid-like energy the expands, contracts and undulates. 4 Yous plays out the inner dilemma of an aging person as they distrust their perception of reality and struggles with the ability to perform. The mirrored role pushes the physical bounds of movement with sharp, isolated and liquid like energy coupled with interlacing exchanges. Wrestling with the past, a heightened sense of urgency is driven by the inability to control behavioral patterns. An involuntary slip of the mind seduces bewilderment.

paper cuts in an empty bag Video 40 minutes

Choreographed & Directed by | Peter Chu Premiere | November 2016 — Las Vegas Clark County Library District Original Cast | Jenni Berthelot, Haley Heckethorn, Krystal Matsuyama, Jillian Meyers Composer/Music Producer | Jean-François (Djeﬀ) Houle Sampled music | Creek Lullaby (Margaret), Shortin’ Bread (Ora Dell Graham), Sea Lion Woman (Christine & Katherine Shipp), Piano Improvisation (Jan Schouten), You Send Me (Aretha Franklin — written by Sam Cooke) Lighting | Eric Chad

Torn and ripped with burden, these ﬁgures represent the responsibilities we carry during divided times. Paper cuts in an empty bag exposes the fragility of character as waving emotions groove through fragmented sounds. Isolated ripples in the body extend from the one sound, the inner rhythm that reminds us to openly express why we move.

Produced by chuthis. in partnership with Las Vegas - Clark County Library District. Forming In * Video 11 minutes

Choreographed & Directed by | Peter Chu chuthis. Premiere | November 2016 — Las Vegas Clark County Library District Original Cast | Jenni Berthelot, Haley Heckethorn, Krystal Matsuyama, Jillian Meyers Composer/Music Producer | Djeﬀ Houle, Ólafur Arnalds Music Samples | Verses (Ólafur Arnalds, Alice Sara Ott) Lighting | Eric Chad Staged by | Jenni Berthelot

Submersed in our most abundant substance, water, Forming In plays with the rise and fall of a body inﬂuenced by the pull of tempo. A moving body against the resistance of water enhances physical awareness. Range of movement is expanded, distorted, and smeared as ﬂoating patterns form within during times of uncertainty.

*Forming In was initially choreographed for Brigham Young University.

Two Yous * Video 16 minutes

Wrestling with the past, a heightened sense of urgency is driven by the inability to control behavioral patterns. Two Yous pushes the physical bounds of movement with sharp liquid-like energy the expands, contracts and undulates. An involuntary slip of the mind seduces bewilderment.

*Two Yous was initially choreographed for New Dialect. Face Her Video 8 minutes 30 seconds

Facial appearance is vital for human recognition and communication. In Face Her, a woman reﬂects upon repeated patterns as touching drops wash away.

Produced by chuthis. Creation sponsored by Las Vegas - Clark County Library District.

Smile Masking Video 45 minutes

Choreographed & Directed by | Peter Chu Avant-premiere | March 2105 — Las Vegas Clark County Library District Premiere | June 2015 — Festival International DansEncore, Québec, Canada Original Cast | Peter Chu (accompanied by Jenni Berthelot) Composer | Djeﬀ Houle Additional music | Fred Hamm, Dave Bennett, Bert Lown, Chauncey Grey, Jerry Jeﬀ Walker, Ern Westmore, Ólafur Arnalds Lighting & Projection Designer | Eric Chad Costume Designer and Construction | Linda Chow

Initially inspired by the attitudes and passions of performers from old Las Vegas coupled with the famous venues that have a rich history of presenting these iconic artists, this solo work exposes the audience to authentic and unforgiving truths about control and obsession. Doubting reality and running with the danger of glorifying false appearances, a character explores the highs and lows of smile masking.

Produced by chuthis. Creation sponsored by Las Vegas - Clark County Library District and The Cultch, Vanouver, BC. Nothing Sticks * Video 90 minutes, including intermission

Choreographed & Directed by | Peter Chu Premiere | 2011 — Roseland Ballroom, New York City Original Cast | Jenni Berthelot, Jill Chu, Pam Chu, Peter Chu, Stephen Hernandez, Jillian Meyers, Rebecca Niziol, Matthew Peacock Re-work | November 2014 — West Las Vegas Library Theatre, Las Vegas Performers | Jenni Berthelot, Pam Chu, Peter Chu, Savannah Harrison, Jillian Meyers, Matthew Peacock Composer | Jean-François (Djeﬀ) Houle Additional music | Fabian Andre, Wilbur Schwandt, Gus Kahn, Walter Donaldson, Ernest Breuer, Ole Olsen, Chick Johnson, Cy Coleman, Dorothy Fields, Diane Dowda Lighting Designer | Erika Courtney LED Lighting System Designer | Steel Wallis Projection Designers | Andrew Atienza, Jeﬀ Tidwell Set Designers | Steve Huntsman, Derek Mack Costume Designer and Construction | Linda Chow

Exploring the temporal nature of entertainment and life, this work tackles the complexities of impermanence and the human tendency to doubt even our own perception of reality. Ideas, thoughts, and sensations break up into ﬂowing, smooth, liquid-like energy that expands, contracts, undulates, and vibrates. This multi-disciplinary show combines innovative lighting and sound with live contemporary theatrical movement.

Nothing in this world is permanent. Just as stars form and collapse, continents shift and climates change, our minds evolve and relationships come and go. We live in a world of constant ﬂux. Understanding that we and others may change, we can recognize and accept when a diﬀerent approach or a “new Sketch” is needed.

Produced by chuthis. with generous support from: | 2011 & 2012 | Digital Theatre LLC, Capezio A.C.E. Awards, Break The Floor Productions, Signature Productions, Tuacahn Performing Arts, Bunker Dance Center, Dances for a Small Stage and several private donors. | 2014 | Digital Theatre LLC, Bunker Dance Center and several private donors. Choreography Videos

REEL COMING SOON FORMING OUT PLAY WELL WITH OTHERS YOURFACE Gibney Dance Company The Juilliard School Staatstheater Augsburg Choreography by Peter Chu Choreography by Peter Chu Choreography by Peter Chu

REEL COMING SOON RIGHT(S) 4 YOUS PAPER CUTS IN AN EMPTY BAG Charlotte Ballet II and Reach Program chuthis. chuthis. with Charlotte Symphony Choreography by Peter Chu Choreography by Peter Chu Choreography by Peter Chu

TWO YOUS FORMING IN —IN3S— chuthis. chuthis. chuthis. Choreography by Peter Chu Choreography by Peter Chu Choreography by Peter Chu

SMILE MASKING FACE HER NOTHING STICKS chuthis. chuthis. chuthis. Choreography by Peter Chu Choreography by Peter Chu Choreography by Peter Chu Choreography Videos

SPACE, IN PERSPECTIVE PAPER CUTS DIVIDED AGAINST Hubbard Street Dance Chicago S.A.L.T. Contemporary Dance Giordano Dance Chicago Choreography by Peter Chu Choreography by Peter Chu Choreography by Peter Chu

DIVIDED AGAINST (studio) FLOATING AFTER TIMES RE-ACTION Giordano Dance Chicago Hubbard Street 2 Nederlands Dans Theater Choreography by Peter Chu Choreography by Peter Chu Summer Intensive 2016 Choreography by Peter Chu

TWO YOUS TWO YOUS (studio) MORE THAN A STEP New Dialect New Dialect Springboard Danse Montréal 2014 Choreography by Peter Chu Choreography by Peter Chu (showing) Choreography by Peter Chu

APPLAUDING TRAILS ÇATURN (excerpts) TOUCHING DROPS Nederlands Dans Theater Directed by Naomi Stikeman Orlando Ballet Summer Intensive 2013 Choreography by Peter Chu & Choreography by Peter Chu Choreography by Peter Chu Crystal Pite Performance Videos

JAR OF HEARTS THE TEMPEST REPLICA Christina Perri’s music video Kidd Pivot Choreography by Crystal Pite

DARK MATTERS A PICTURE OF YOU FALLING Kidd Pivot Kidd Pivot Choreography by Crystal Pite Choreography by Crystal Pite

THE YOU SHOW A LOVE COMPLACENT Kidd Pivot Choreography by Stacey Tookey Choreography by Crystal Pite

Peter Chu Performance reel Contact

Jenni Gordon [chuthis. Company Manager/Assistant to Peter Chu] [email protected]

Lobke Nabuurs [chuthis. Business/Tour Manager] [email protected]

For overall enquiries: chuthis. Team [email protected] Subscribe

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