Preview

The South Chicago Dance Festival puts legs on the words “cultural diplomacy,” reaching across cultures, ideologies and movement idioms to celebrate the unifying spirit of dance.

The second annual festival, offered virtually this year due to the pandemic, is hosted by the South Chicago Dance Theatre, presenting top professional and student dance companies from Chicago’s South Side in five days of master classes, seminars, and performances beginning Tuesday, and culminating Nov. 21 with a gala concert dance showcase.

Much will be said about Jenn Freeman (A.K.A. Po’Chop) and her latest works, “Litany” and “The Brown Pages.” Paying homage to humble praise dance beginnings and dipped in the brilliance of burlesque, Freeman delivers a two-part, multi-disciplinary experience through the mediums of dance on film and a digital "blogzine." Freeman, a master in the art of seduction, delays gratification with titrated film releases over the course of the fall.

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Sink or swim appears to be the mantra of several Chicago dance organizations who are pressing ahead with planned expansions despite a global pandemic that continues to cripple the performing arts.

This Fall, the Dance Center of Columbia College presents a virtual series called “The Dance Buffet,” a smorgasbord of workshops and performances from over 30 Chicago artists. Tap dancer Jumaane Taylor wants to assault your senses and leave you with a so-bad-it’s-good taste in your mouth with his new work, “Ugly Flavors.” Ironically, it is one of the main offerings in the “dessert” portion of the buffet.

Chicago had cast its spell on dancer/choreographer Nejla Yatkin long before “The Other Witch” called out to her imagination. Connections that gave birth to Yatkin’s newest multi-media, multi-lingual creation transcend international and historical boundaries, from World War I Germany to a remote village in East Anatolia, Turkey, to 20th-century Berlin and ultimately to its realization in Chicago.

More than a year after Heather Hartley’s departure, See Chicago Dance once again has a permanent executive director.

A quarter of a century is a long time and to have a dance company survive and to thrive in these times is no small feat. Deeply Rooted Dance Theater (DRDT) has done just that and is celebrating with a virtual and in-person fundraiser and performance this Saturday at the Athaneaum Theatre. “Deeply 25: Beyond Dance…The Celebration Begins” highlights the journey and the mission of the company and its founders Kevin Iega Jeff and Gary Abbott and includes all the voices and creativity it has picked up from collaborating artists along the way.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 has truly been the year of the online dance film. Recognizing and utilizing this current performance zeitgeist as fuel, Wicker Park-based Collaboraction Theatre Company presents three short dance films during this year's online edition of their fifth annual Peacebook festival. Opening October 17 and running through November 8, Peacebook 2020 will feature a total of 10 world premiere videos split into two distinct programs.

Throughout October, See Chicago Dance is celebrating the resilience of Chicago's dance community with our Moving Forward campaign. Yes, it's a fundraiser, replacing what would have been our annual gala. But more than that, Moving Forward is a chance to reconnect with SCD members and friends.

On Oct. 6, we kick off our celebration with a virtual happy hour toasting this year's SCD awardees: Joel Hall and Gail Kalver. Mix up our signature cocktail (it's purple!), log-in and raise a glass with us—let's party!