Joffrey Ballet’s “Winning Works:” A Win-Win For The Arts And For Social Justice

The crucial need for diversity and racial equality in the performing arts inspired The Joffrey Ballet to create The Winning Works Choreographic Competition in 2011 to promote talented and emerging ALAANA choreographers (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, and Native American), whose access to professional exposure has typically been limited in the predominantly white male concert dance industry.

Four choreographers in the South Loop Spark Plug prove that Chicago dance post-COVID is not a monolith.

The South Loop Spark Plug is an arts incubation series for dance commissioned by the Chicago Artists Performance Platform (CAPP) with support from the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation and hosted by The Dance Centre of Columbia College Chicago. Four choreographers—Vershawn Sanders-Ward, Orlando “juice” De León Jr., Keyierra Collins, and Keisha Janae—took part in a six-month residency with Bebe Miller, acclaimed choreographer, dancer and artistic director of the Solo/Duo Dancing Project, and Dance Center faculty member Darrell Jones.

“Interwoven” winds together the various voices of the Still Inspired dance company into an evening of joy, introspection and relief.

As the snow melts and the ice thaws, dance companies and audiences are warming up to the idea of returning to live performances. This March saw live shows by large companies like Chicago Tap Theatre and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and the return of companies like Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. Chicago’s smaller black box theatres are also opening back up, housing performances by the community-driven, hard-working independent dance companies in abundance pre-COVID.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago performs for the love of dance in spring series double bill RE/CONNECT

With a brand new rehearsal space couched in the famed Water Tower Place and the one-year-anniversary celebration of hiring Artistic Director Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell, excitement is in abundance at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Our city can expect big things from the beloved, 44-year-old dance company. Re/Connect, Hubbard’s spring concert series, rises to the occasion with two programs spanning two extended weekends.
 

Akram Kahn’s “Creature” is a chilling premonition of a dystopian future, where we look to monsters to rediscover our own humanity.

Like Prometheus of Greek lore, interdisciplinary choreographer Akram Kahn once again brings the fire to Chicago with “Creature,” a dystopian ballet that made its international premiere Thursday night at the Harris Theatre for Music and Dance. Kahn, a natural collaborator, once again teams up with the English National Ballet, whose previous collaboration, a reimagined “Giselle,” was met with critical acclaim when it performed here in 2019.

Critical Context: Continuing Khan’s legacy, ‘Creature’ gives voice to the voiceless

In an interview with London-based choreographer Akram Khan, I was let in on the basis of his new work “Creature,” featuring the English National Ballet and scheduled to premiere in the U.S. Thursday at the Harris Theater. 

Initially sparked by the themes of isolation present in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” and further guided by George Büchner’s unfinished play “Woyzeck,” “Creature” takes us on an arctic journey exploring the last frontier, testing human thresholds and challenging us to question what we inevitably leave behind on our collective quest for more. 

Urgent Wake-up Call for Humanity in World Premiere of Akram Khan’s “Creature”

Discord and dissonance breathe an urgent wake-up call for humanity in “Creature,” Akram Khan’s newest work for The English National Ballet (ENB), premiering Thursday-Saturday, February 24-26, at the Harris Theater.
 
In the beginning of the piece, provided as a trailer on the ENB website, we hear a heartbeat and the voice of Richard Nixon repeating over and over, “The heavens have become a part of man’s world,” and the repetition of, “because of what you have done,” a clear indictment for the dire global predicament “Creature” portrays.
 

Chicago Tap Theatre presents “For the Love of Tap,” a love letter to tap dancers and fans of tap.

Although Valentine’s Day was nearly a week ago, you can still feel the love—the love of tap dance, that is! Last Saturday evening at the Athenaeum Theatre, CTT opened their 19th season with “For the Love of Tap,” a presentation of the company’s favorite repertory works and some world premieres. Known for their narrative-driven story shows, artistic director and founder of CTT Mark Yonally decided that what tap in Chicago needed this year was a shot in the arm—no pun intended—and put together a program that is light of heart and heavy in rhythm.