Preview

Historically, ballet doesn't have the most shining record for female empowerment and is replete with anti-feminist views. It's no walk in the park being a woman in the world of ballet, with pressure to be slender, beautiful, graceful, and feminine.

Stiff competition for leads and solos gives men, fewer in numbers, an unfair advantage with more prominent casting a higher salary scale.  In fact, the Dance Development Project reports a mere 22.9% of new work of the top 50 biggest ballet companies in the U.S. are by women artists.

Absent from Chicago since 2006, Complexions Contemporary Ballet (CCB) returns to present “Star Dust: From Bach To David Bowie” at the Auditorium Theatre at 7:30pm, February 3. The first half of the evening will present a sampling of excerpts from their 30-year-long histoy, including “Chaconne,” “Choke,”  “Pocket Symphony,” “Elegy,” “Work It Out" and the critically acclaimed "Star Dust."  Each piece has been chosen to reintroduce and highlight the diverse strengths of CCB and to share a common theme of classical composer Johann Sebastian Bach.

There are many flavors of “The Nutcracker” to choose from this holiday season, but if you have yet to taste one of them, Ballet Chicago’s production is both delicious and packs a powerful message that is especially poignant during these conflicting times. The message: we must hope and have faith that good will triumph over evil.

Duell and Blair’s “Nutcracker” delivers this message in countless ways but especially in its diversity of casting. A rainbow of cultures, ages, sizes and shapes tell the story through a spirit of inclusiveness and love.

On November 3-4, contemporary dance company Hedwig Dances will present “no ideas but in things,” featuring three world premieres. SeeChicagoDance was invited to view a preview performance of “K@O2” by Rigoberto Saura, “Pat & Dianna” (working title) by Noelle Kayser and an untitled work by Jenna Pollack. As the show’s title suggests, each artist was prescribed a single objective: to merge dance with a tangible visual environment.

October is a prime time for release, renewal and the celebration of culture; it is also Hispanic heritage month.  Ballet 5:8’s proud Mexican American founder and choreographer Julianna Rubio Slager honors her culture through her chosen medium of dance. Her latest revival of “BareFace” returns this fall to the Athenaeum Center in Chicago, Oct. 18 - 21, furthering a celebration of distinction, love and what it means to be Hispanic at this moment in history.

Mary Shelley’s groundbreaking science fiction/horror/philosophic novel, “Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus,” has been a tremendous hit ever since its publication in 1818. Despite Shelley’s young age—she was eighteen when she began the work, twenty when it was published.

Existentialism, humanism, isolation and betrayal are themes in the original novel that have led to countless reincarnations over the years.

WARNING: This review contains descriptions of sensuality, sexually explicit acts, profane language, shouting, screaming, loud music…

But enough teasing!

“Queer Dance Freakout,” presented by Gender Fucked Productions on Sept. 24 at the Elastic Arts Center, defies all expectations of a traditional dance performance. (And that’s a good thing!)

“The Arpino Chicago Centennial Celebration” honors the legacy of Joffrey Ballet Co-Founder Gerald Arpino (1923-2008) with a three-day festival of events, featuring his innovative choreographic contribution to 20th-century dance.

Two performances at Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre comprise the centerpiece of the festival with seven ballet companies performing some of Arpino’s best known works on Saturday, September 23 at 7:30 PM, and Sunday, September 24 at 1 PM. (Go to seechicagodance.com for program details)

From September 7-10, The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago presents “Chicago Performs 2023.” The performing arts festival gives emerging artists entering a new phase of their practice an opportunity to explore new ideas and directions, expand their scale of work, and reimagine their art in a new space and for new audiences.

On Wednesday, Aug. 30, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre returns to Links Hall with “The Island,” a new work by Michelle Manzanales, featuring an original composition by composer and violinist, James Sanders, and based on a true story.

“The Island” premiers as part of “Inside Out,” the work-in-progress series which offers insight into the choreographer’s process of creation. The program is also a part of CRDT’s “Stories from the West Side”, a series that focuses on stories from Chicago residents who are people of color from that part of town.