Preview

“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.

“It’s a joyous celebration of dancers!” says Chicago Dancers United board member, Lynne Belsky, about the organization’s annual performance gala, “Dance For Life.”

Belsky, an MD and former dancer with the Joffrey Ballet, is co-founder and ballet teacher at CBG institute for Dance and Health, and owner of Living Well Medical Associates, LLC.

Artists of all disciplines spend time in that grey area between amateur and professional. Climbing from one plateau to the next can be confusing and stressful—unless you have a guide to lead you. Luckily, there are dancers and organizations set up to help others take that leap from studio kid to full-fledged pro.

This week, "New Dances,” a local incubator for choreographic talent, ends its three-week, intensive process with three performances at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts. Six brand new works from six emerging choreographers featuring a troupe of 16 dancers in a Chicago dance landmark…what a great way to continue celebrating Chicago Dance Month. And all thanks to two women from Evanston.

Ensemble Español is touted as “the premiere Spanish dance company and center in the U.S.” A title like that is a lot to live up to; fortunately, they’ve got a rich history of performance to back it up.

Fresh off the heels and success of “Soul Remedy,” choreographed by the accomplished Monique Haley, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre continued their Spring Concert Series for the third consecutive weekend with “Identity City.” 

By now, fans of the Chicago dance scene know about South Chicago Dance Theatre. We’ve seen them on some of the biggest stages—The Harris Theater, The Jay Pritzker Pavilion—but one famous stage has thus far eluded the company. No more! SCDT performs “Memoirs of Jazz in the Alley” at the Auditorium Theatre on June 10th at 7:30pm, a milestone for the company and a potential highlight of the summer season of dance.

This Summer, pistils meet epistemology as The Seldoms dance company celebrates their 20th anniversary by asking, “Why is a flower beautiful?” The more you think of the question the more elusive the answer seems to be.

Perhaps spoken language is not fit for such metaphysical quandaries. Instead, perhaps the language of dance can succeed where spoken words fail.