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Before David Hochoy wraps up his three-decade career as artistic director of Dance Kaleidoscope in June with a production of the ballet “Scheherazade,” he will revisit the music of the Beatles this month for four performances of “Magical Decades Tour.”
The show combines Hochoy’s choreography from “Magical Mystery Tour,” a Beatles-themed production that debuted in 2007, with popular songs by other artists in multiple decades.
Hochoy was a teenager in the 1960s, which made the Beatles the soundtrack for his adolescence. Hochoy grew up in Trinidad, and he remembers asking an aunt to bring back the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album after a visit to the United States.
It took multiple spins, however, for the music to click.
“When I first listened to it, I couldn’t make heads or tails of it,” Hochoy said. “I thought, ‘What is this?’ It was so weird to me.”
By the time Hochoy made it to McGill University in Montreal as a medical student, he said he was fully tuned in to the music and messages when “The White Album” and “Let It Be” arrived.
To organize Beatles songs for Dance Kaleidoscope, Hochoy zeroed in on a tale of a young man, known as “the Seeker,” taking a mind-expanding journey. “Here Comes the Sun” serves as an optimistic opener, “The Fool on the Hill” conveys mystery and “I’ve Got a Feeling” delivers a dose of youthful rebellion, Hochoy said.
“You’re angry at the injustices of the world, and at older people taking advantage of you,” he said of “I’ve Got a Feeling.”
Stuart Lewis, a company dancer who’s also Dance Kaleidoscope’s associate artistic director and director of community engagement, portrays the Seeker.
During Dance Kaleidoscope’s production of “Magical Mystery Tour” in 2017, Lewis said he performed in an ensemble setting—a contrast to his solo duties this time.
“ ‘I’ve Got a Feeling’ is one of my favorites,” said Lewis, who’s in his ninth year at the modern dance company. “In 2017, I always imagined that I was protesting the [Vietnam War]. I was angry that my brothers were being forced to enlist and go off to war. To be able to translate that now as the central dancer has been interesting.”
Traditionally presented in two acts, “Innocence” and “Decadence,” Dance Kaleidoscope’s “Magical Mystery Tour” is being modified for the March 23-26 run at the Indiana Repertory Theatre. With the second half of the show mostly turned over to company dancers and their self-choreographed tributes to popular songs through the years, the production is billed as “Magical Decades Tour.”
The dancers initially presented the “Vinyl Vision” segment as part of 2022 IndyFringe festival.
“I invited the dancers to choreograph and choose their favorite decade of music,” Hochoy said.
The results span the early 20th century to the present day. Attendees are advised that one selection, a 2022 song by rapper Labrinth, includes explicit lyrics.
Company dancer Kieran King picked 1980s tunes by Randy Newman and Pink Floyd to accompany his interpretation of relationships. The Newman composition, “Same Girl,” has generated renewed interest through its appearance in HBO series “Euphoria.” The Pink Floyd song, “One of the Few,” was released as part of “The Final Cut” album.
King, who’s in his fourth year at Dance Kaleidoscope, said he also has an affection for the Beatles.
“I love the Beatles,” he said. “When I was a kid, I would rework the lyrics of ‘In My Life’ to sing, ‘In my life, I love you, Mom.’ ”
King, who grew up in Texas, and Virginia native Lewis credited 2007 film “Across the Universe” for giving a modern context to Beatles songs.
Hochoy, 71, plans to retire after Dance Kaleidoscope presents “Scheherazade” June 1-4 at the Indiana Repertory Theatre. The organization’s artistic director since 1991 will be saluted during a June 9 gala at the Biltwell Event Center, 950 S. White River Parkway Drive West.
‘Magical Decades Tour’
- When: 7 p.m. March 23-25, 2 p.m. March 26.
- Where: Indiana Repertory Theatre, 140 W. Washington St.
- Tickets: $20 to $50.
- Info: Visit dancekal.org.
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The Indiana legislature will soon ban this organization.