“My first ever professional review was of River North Dance Chicago’s performance at the Auditorium Theatre in April 2013,” Lauren Warnecke said in a recent email. “I remember staying up all night, terrified about Sid [Smith]’s noon deadline. I don’t know if he really wanted me to continue on after Dance Month was over, but I kept pitching and he kept saying yes.”
On Dec 4, Boom Crack! Dance Company (BCDC) celebrated their fundraising gala at the Den Theatre with two hour-long performances that showcased the company’s variety of artistic talents, including hip hop technical execution, consistent theme development and community building between audience and performers. “Three” was a collaborative creation between artistic director Trae Turner and the company members that engaged the sold-out audience in nuanced movement and full-bodied expression of an R&B and hip hop score that explored the connection between mind, body and soul.
En route to the Harris Theater on Thursday night it briefly occurred to me that I might have seen Ragamala Dance Company perform when they came to Chicago in 2018. After a brief Google search, it was confirmed. “Written In Water” was deeply supported by Harris Theater’s former President and CEO Patricia Barretto.
For countless people around the world, “The Nutcracker” is synonymous with the holiday season. Be it the tale of Marie or Clara and Fritz or Franz, the story has been choreographed and re-choreographed, told in myriad ways. The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago’s 2016 iteration transports spectators young and old back to the World’s Fair, circa 1893. Christopher Wheeldon may swap the Sugar Plum Fairy for a Golden Statue and Russian Trepak for Buffalo Bill, but the essence of this holiday ballet remains the same.
The Shows Ya Gotta see is a monthly series highlighting "must-see" performances curated by See Chicago Dance critics.
Ya gotta book a Holiday Dance Carol before Dec. 19
The below piece is part of Critical Context, a paid writing residency created in partnership with the Harris Theater. The initiative engages past SCD Critical Dance Writing Fellows in a three- to six-month residency in mentorship, research, and deep exploration of Harris Theater Presents dance programming.
Editor's note: Last March, See Chicago Dance kicked off Screendance Club, a bi-monthly dance film watch party and guided discussion. While I personally haven't been enthusiastic about digital dance, Screendance Club was a perpetual joy throughout the year. The curators each wrote beautiful responses about their experiences with the films they chose, all published here on See Chicago Dance. In addition, SCD writer-at-large Gregory King shares his reflections on the series as a whole in a two-part essay.
Editor's note: Last March, See Chicago Dance kicked off Screendance Club, a bi-monthly dance film watch party and guided discussion. While I personally haven't been enthusiastic about digital dance, Screendance Club was a perpetual joy throughout the year. The curators each wrote beautiful responses about their experiences with the films they chose, all published here on See Chicago Dance. In addition, SCD writer-at-large Gregory King shares his reflections on the series as a whole in a two-part essay. The first part is below. Enjoy!
Califone and Robyn Mineko Williams and Artists come together for a special in the round performance of their acclaimed collaboration, Echo Mine. Echo Mine was inspired by and created alongside Williams’ longtime mentor, Chicago dance icon and founding Hubbard Street dancer Claire Bataille. “The five-minute solo for Claire that we made together serves as the source material, the heartbeat, of Echo Mine,” says Williams. Bataille was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer one month after their first rehearsal in October 2017.
On a wintery Thursday, throngs of people lined up outside the Harris Theater eager with anticipation of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s epic return to live performance. After a 20-month pause, “RE/TURN” marks the start of a new era for the 44-year-old dance company.