I am a tap dancer. One thing that warms my “sole” is seeing tap sharing the bill with other forms of contemporary dance—because tap IS contemporary dance. While the goal of SCD is to amplify the voices of the entire dance community, the recent string of tap included in programs by reputable non-tap dance companies is novel and worthy of note.

In March, “Tiler Peck and Friends” at The Auditorium received rave reviews, and a highlight of the performance, the tap–ballet duet between Tiler Peck and tap dancer Michelle Dorrance, is described by SCD staff writer Isabel Campisteguy as “where crisp percussion meets pointework in playful conversation.”

On March 28, Red Clay Dance Company’s “La Femme Dance Festival” features a guest appearance by The Syncopated Ladies, the world-renowned all-women tap company founded by stars of stage and screen, Chloe and Maud Arnold, performing alongside works by luminaries Kia Smith, Vershawn Sanders-Ward and Rena Butler.

This April, Giordano Dance Chicago continues the trend in this season’s “Ignite The Soul,” featuring a new tap duet composed and performed by prolific tap dancer, Mike Minery. I interviewed Minery about his connection to Giordano, his inspiration from Gregory Hines and on his recent return to the stage following a brief hiatus—look for this special preview to drop on April 2.

Tap dance has brought me all around the world, and a recurring complaint I’ve heard from tap dancers is that they often feel separate from the dance scene as a whole, that they live in their own tap community bubble—But not in Chicago! Mixed programs of this caliber are rare and all the more reason to See Chicago Dance this April.

—Managing Editor, Tristan Bruns

Shows You Gotta See

Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre presents “2026 SPRING CONCERT SERIES,” April 30, The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago

1. Still Inspired presents “OLD. LONG. SINCE.” April 3-4, Ruth Page Center for the Arts
From the organization:

“Still Inspired is back for its 12th season with ‘OLD. LONG. SINCE.,’ running April 3 & 4 at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts. Inspired by the evocative works of visual artist Holly Cahill, choreographers Brian Hare and Laura Thurston explore themes of memory, time, and our connection to the planet. Don’t miss this unique evening of professional concert dance and artistic dialogue. Each performance also includes a Q&A session with the artists, offering a rare glimpse into the creative process.”

For more information, check out the event page by clicking HERE.

2. Giordano Dance Chicago presents “Ignite The Soul! Season 63,” April 10-11, Harris Theater for Music and Dance

From the organization:

“This Spring season features three world premieres. Dumb Luck!, a new work by Emmy Award–winning Resident Choreographer Al Blackstone, is rooted in the swing style yet infused with contemporary flair […] Jon Rua creates his first work for GDC, a full-company piece that fuses jazz and street styles for an urban funk sensibility […] Completing the premieres is a new tap duet by Mike Minery. Minery brings virtuosic rhythms and his innovative tap voice to his first creation for GDC.”

For more information, check out the event page by clicking HERE.

To read a review of GDC’s 2025 Fall season performance, check out this review by staff writer and Editor Emeritus, Lynn Colburn Shapiro, by clicking HERE.

3. Ballet Folklorico Xochitl presents “Sembrando Flores: 25th Anniversary Celebration,” April 11, Studebaker Theater

From the organization:

“This performance is a celebration of our Mexican traditions and our commitment to passing these customs down to the younger generation through the art of dance. The title ‘Sembrando Flores,’ or ‘planting flowers,’ symbolizes the cultivation of love, joy, and wisdom within our community. It is a legacy that began over 25 years ago when our founder, Mario Galindo, started Ballet Folklorico Xochitl. Since then, the group has been passed down to his daughter, and it is truly amazing to see how much the group has flourished over the years. In this performance, you will see various states of Mexico represented, including Veracruz, Nuevo Leon, Jalisco, Nayarit, and many others. We look forward to sharing this vibrant cultural experience with you.”

For more information, check out the event page by clicking HERE.

4. Identity Performing Arts presents “EFFERVESCENT,” April 18-19, Ann Barzel Theatre

From the organization:

“‘Effervescent’ debuts two premieres: ‘Enthralled’ created by Identity’s Artistic Director, Ginny Ching Yin Lo, and ‘Critical Parts’ created by guest choreographer, Braedon Barnes, in collaboration with Identity’s performing artists. The program also features the return of captivating excerpts from Lo’s first evening-length dance work, ‘Instinctual,’ described by See Chicago Dance as, ‘…exploring primal, subconscious, and animalistic urges through shadowed, earthy movement.’

“Lo’s newest production, ‘Enthralled,’ is a reflection on fascination, seeking to evoke a feeling of being deeply drawn in, captivated, or bewildered by a certain force, figure, or concept […] Barnes’s collaboration with Identity, ‘Critical Parts,’ explores the body as a component within a larger machine—necessary, replaceable, and under constant demand.”

For more information, check out the event page by clicking HERE.

To read a review of Identity Performing Arts’ “INSTINCTUAL” (2025) by SCD staff writer, Maureen Janson, click HERE.

5. “DIDĘ” by Marcel Gbeffa, April 24, The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago

From the organization:

“The Dance Center is proud to present the Midwest premiere of ‘Didę’ by Marcel Gbeffa (Benin) and Sarah Trouche (France). Inspired by the Guèlèdè traditions whose ceremonies and masks pay homage to Ìyá Nlá, the Yoruba primordial spirit of all creation, Didę is an evening-length work for five dancers and 21 mahogany masks. Didę invites us into a sincere and frank encounter with the place where the intimate and the political are entangled, where feelings are expressed and oppressions are incorporated, in whose folds lodge social conditions, confrontations between traditions, identity divisions, and emancipation—the human body.

Founder and artistic director of the Multicorps Choreographic Center in Cotonou, Benin, Marcel Gbeffa campaigns for the accessibility and circulation of contemporary dance in Africa.”

For more information, check out the event page by clicking HERE.

6. Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre presents “2026 SPRING CONCERT SERIES,” April 30, The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago

From the organization:

“Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre premieres three new works: ‘Immense World’ by Shannon Alvis, ‘Trouble in Mind’ by Monique Haley, and ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ by CRDT Co-Founder and Artistic Director Wilfredo Rivera with arrangements and original music by CRDT Co-Founder Joe Cerqua and the remount of Shannon Alvis’ ‘A Place Between Earth & Sky’ (2018) with original music by Clarice Assad.”

For more information, check out the event page by clicking HERE.

Festivals and Events

Para.Mar Dance Theatre presents a community performance of “MUJERES,” April 17, Reva David Logan Center for the Arts; pictured: Joseph A. Holmes; Photo by Kelsey McFalls)

1. Same Planet Performance Project presents”MIXXED DANCE FESTIVAL,” April 3-4, Dovetail Studios

From the organization:

“Join us for our first MIXXED DANCE FESTIVAL. MDF features Chicago artists who are movers, shakers and emerging on the Chicago dance scene. MDF aims to bring diverse aesthetics and their audience’s together for a weekend of original performances. MIXXED is curated and presented by Dovetail Studios and Same Planet Performance Project. Artists are supported by SPPP and DT with free rehearsal space and full presentation.

MDF will feature work by Alix Schallaci, Chloe Michels, Julia Schaeffer, Soren Niewalt and Taylor Yocum.”

For more information, check out the event page by clicking HERE.

To read a review of “3320” Dance Festival at Dovetail Studios by SCD staff writer and Managing Editor, Tristan Bruns, click the link HERE.

2. PARA.MAR Dance Theatre presents “MUJERES – Community Preview,” April 17, Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts at University of Chicago

From the organization:

“PARA.MAR Dance Theatre presents ‘MUJERES,’ a world-premiere contemporary ballet from P/M founder and director Stephanie Martinez, based on the ‘Locas Mujeres’ poems of Chilean native and Nobel Laureate Gabriela Mistral that explore the many portraits of these women – and the poet herself – through a shifting terrain of myth, memory, and reflection. The ballet moves through shared themes of identity, resilience, belonging, and longing — unfolding as a ritual that reveals the many selves a woman carries, abandons, and reclaims across time.”

The showing is pay-what-you-can, but ticket donations of $10-$30 (or more) is suggested.

For more information, check out the event page HERE.

To read a review of PARA.MAR Dance Theatre’s “Monolith” (2024) by SCD staff writer, Megan Kudla, click HERE.

3. “Festival of Dance Clubs,” March 31-April 4, The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago

From the organization:

“This inaugural festival showcases four of the student run organizations dedicated to dance and open to all majors at Columbia College Chicago: C2K Dance Team, Columbia Renegades Dance Team, Columbia Ballet Club, and Renegades Hip Hop Dance Crew.”

Tickets are FREE with reservation.

For more information, check out the event page by clicking HERE.

And More…

Chelsea Hoy (C) named Co-Artistic Director of Trinity Irish Dance Company; also pictured: Micah Roby (L) and Lydia Fredrick (R); Photo by Michael Shay Polara Studio

1. Chelsea Hoy Named Co-Artistic Director of Trinity Irish Dance Company

From the organization:

“Chelsea Hoy, TIDC’s Associate Artistic Director for the past eight years, dancer, and budding co-
choreographer, was reintroduced to an ecstatic audience as the company’s Co-Artistic Director. At age
30, she has become one of the youngest artistic directors in the performing arts industry.
‘Although I’ll be doing this for the next couple of decades and my best work is certainly ahead of me, it’s
time to share the artistic director role with this level of talent,’ says Founding Executive Director, Mark Howard, during Trinity’s 35th-anniversary performance at The Auditorium on February 28.
‘Although Chelsea speaks in soft tones, there is a great power to her,’ says Howard, ‘Chelsea forces the room to lean in, ever closer in order to hear her wise beyond her years words. So, we lean in and have all been richly rewarded for it. She is a game changer for our company and Chicago’s vibrant and expanding arts scene.'”

To learn more, check out the press release on BroadwayWorld.com by clicking HERE.

2. Tap Dancer Mike Minery Makes a “Chicago Comeback” with Giordano Dance Chicago

See Chicago Dance interviews prolific tap dancer, Mike Minery, about his new work, “My Kind of Girl,” premiering at GDC’s “Ignite The Soul” on April 10-11, in which Minery will be performing alongside GDC company dancer, Erina Ueda. Minery discusses his return to the concert stage after a brief hiatus, his inspiration for the work and how he formed a working relationship with GDC’s Artistic Director, Nan Giodano. Minery has inspired numerous tap dancers throughout his career, and for his fans in Chicago, this is a rare opportunity to see one of their idols in action.

Check back to seechicagodance.com on April 2 to read the full article.

For a taste of Mike Minery’s style of tap dance, check out a solo performance published on Operation Tap’s YouTube channel by clicking HERE.

3. Viva Acid and Dance Mania Legends Celebrate 30 years of “Ghetto House” Music and Dance, April 18, Avondale Music Hall

From edmhousenetwork.com:

“Viva Acid and Dance Mania Legends announce a landmark Chicago event that celebrates the impact of Ghetto House over three decades, while calling attention to systemic inequities facing Black electronic music innovators […] The gathering will bring together pioneering DJs and vocalists alongside the next generation of artists, who continue to evolve the sound.

Honoring the enduring legacy of Ghetto House and its evolution into the globally influential sounds of Juke and Footwork, the second-annual Viva Acid Presents Dance Mania Legends (Part 1 Recap) traces the genre’s deep roots in Chicago’s late-1980s house music movement. By the mid-1990s, Ghetto House had emerged as a distinct sonic identity, defined by its raw energy, stripped-down drum programming, and bold lyrical expression. By 1995, the sound had entered wider cultural awareness, laying the groundwork for the rise of Juke and Footwork, styles that are now rapidly expanding across global dance music.”

For more information, check out the full article by clicking HERE.

All Events

Sunday, June 22, 2025