Emerging choreographer Esther Pauline Farley presents "Bodies of Water", seventeen pieces that introduce different characters brought to life by a collective of artists from the Chicago area that premiered on October 20 - 21 at the Greenhouse Theater Center.

Before the dancing begins, the allegory of water is already on the nose: soap bubbles adorn the curtain and cottony clouds hang from above, all lit in hues of blue. Ocean waves play in place of music, and a projection mimics the ebb and flow of a water’s edge.

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.

Liam Scarlett’s “Frankenstein,” presented at the Lyric Opera House by The Joffrey Ballet, breathes new life into a worn-out property. The dancing relays the tragic tale acutely. Production Designer John Macfarlane and composer Lowell Liebermann bring classic horror movie and 18th-century aesthetics to life to create a sort of “living film.” The characters are reimagined, some roles are expanded, and surprises await even die-hard fans of the misanthropic monstrosity.

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.

The Joffrey Ballet’s bold move from New York City to Chicago in 1995 both saved the company and transformed Chicago from a sleepy touring stop for national companies to a thriving national and international dance capitol. Joffrey built a new home for itself, and others followed, just like in the baseball movie “Field of Dreams.”

That story is poignantly told in Bob Hercules’ 2012 film, Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance, shown on Saturday, September 18th at the Gene Siskel Film Center.