It takes sophisticated musicality, killer technique, and daunting rehearsal discipline for any ballet company to carry off George Balanchine’s “Serenade” (1934), his first ballet composed in America.  That the young dancers of the Ballet Chicago Studio Company not only carried it off, but gave an authoritative, inspiring rendering worthy of this 20th century masterpiece is cause enough for celebration in a program that delivered one delight after the next. 

Hedwig Dances’ “Of Time and Tide” wrapped up its two-weekend engagement at the Ruth Page Center with Victor Alexander’s “Parting Shadows”  and the world premiere of Artistic Director Jan Bartoszek’s “Four Strong Winds.” 

The familiar sounds of an orchestra tuning up usher us into an unfamiliar setting for the Joffrey Ballet’s “Global Visionaries” (April 26-May 7, Auditorium Theatre). The Chicago Philharmonic, instead of nestling in the cozy confines of the orchestra pit, has taken up residence on stage in full view.  A treat indeed, this superb orchestra, under the baton of Joffrey musical director Scott Speck, is one of the special delights Chicago audiences can enjoy with the Joffrey Ballet.

The Last Link

“My life is an open pamphlet.” Bob Fosse

We all know Bob Fosse was a Chicago boy, a Northsider born and bred; and we claim him as our own. There aren’t many people around town who knew him before he was “Bob Fosse.” But there is still one last DIRECT link to Bob. This link grew up with him and knew him better than anyone else, his vaudeville partner, Charles Grass. Both born in 1927 during the last Roar of the Roaring 20s, Bob would have been 90 in a few weeks and Charles will be 90 in December. 

Keep It Moving

My mother used to say I came out of the womb dancing. George Benson’s ‘This Masquerade’ is the first pop song I can vividly remember bopping around the house to when I was a toddler. Growing up in an intellectually stimulating, artistically inclined household, and witnessing music’s enchanting effect on my parents, influenced the effect music had on my love for dance, creative movement, and embodied storytelling. 

The Merry Month of May is blooming with dance in Chicago.

(Continuing in our series, "Write-On Dance: Our Readers Write")

By Hannah Brooks-Motl and Ingrid Becker

Rekha Iyer Dancing In A Daze