The seething drama at the heart of Flamenco, Spain’s signature dance emblem, carried the day in Ensemble Español’s triumphant program at the Auditorium Theatre on Friday night in a fitting season opener for the Auditorium’s “Made In Chicago” series.    , 

OCTOBER HIGHLIGHTS:

Shen Wei Dance Arts made its Chicago debut at the Auditorium Theatre this past weekend with two signature works by Shen Wei: “The Rite Of Spring” (2003), set to Stravinsky’s four-hand piano version of the composer’s monumental score, and “Folding” (2000), to John Tavener’s “Last Song of the Sleeping Virgin for Bells and String Quartet,” and Tibetan Buddhist chants.

The gods of ancient Greek mythology cast a shower of heavenly grace on Chicago last Saturday night as the Lyric Opera’s stunning new production of Gluck’s 1774 opera, “Orphée et Eurydice,” replayed its timeless story in director/choreographer/designer John Neumeier’s brilliant contemporary realization. 

Performing at The Dance Center for the first time in ten years this past Thursday through Saturday, the Chicago Human Rhythm Project stirs the traditional tap dance pot with “Stone Soup Rhythms,” curated by Swiss-born artist-in-residence Daniel Borak. The collection of tap dance works takes its title from a well-known folk tale in which villagers each contribute one ingredient to the communal soup pot, creating together a rich and tasty meal.  

Five years ago, Visceral Dance Chicago’s explosive entry onto the Chicago dance scene took the town by storm, with exquisite dancing, sophisticated choreography, and production values that take most fledgling companies years to attain. The big question: could they sustain it? 

The fall harvest of dance on display this past weekend (and continuing next Friday and Saturday, September 15-16, 8 PM, Ruth Page Center for the Performing Arts) yielded a bountiful sampler in the art of the duet, along with two starkly contrasting ensemble works that anchored each half of the program with knock-out dancing.  

Dance in Chicago revs up for a lively fall season with major companies, smaller ensembles, solo artists, and interdisciplinary projects. 

SEPTEMBER HIGHLIGHTS: