The fifth year of The Bridge Dance Festival showcased Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) dancers from Chicago at Links Hall over the weekend of November 17-18. The festival featured three experimental performances by dancers Chih-Jou Cheng, Chih-Hsien Lin, Momoko Ishikuro, and Robyn Mineko Williams. Under the curation of creative producer Yoshinojo Fujima, each dancer unveiled choreography delving into themes of “Asian Identity” and the perceived stereotypes that come with it.

In her review of The Joffrey Ballet’s “The Nutcracker,” Chicago Tribune critic (and former SeeChicagoDance Editor) Lauren Warnecke suggests that the classic show still tugs at your heartstrings “whether it’s your first time or 51st.”

Identity Performing Arts held the premiere of its fall concert, “Enliven,” at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts on Saturday, November 11, 2023, at 7:30 pm. The night began with a warm introduction by Founder and Artistic Director, Ginny Ching-Yin Lo, and a jovial hello from collaborator and filmmaker Spence Warren.

Deeply Rooted Dance Theater presented an evening of impeccable dance on November 3rd, 2023, at the Auditorium Theater. Their mixed bill was met by an enthusiastic audience that fed off the energy of the dancers on stage, and reciprocated with thunderous applause, vocal outcries of joy, and standing ovations for two of the five works presented.

Times have changed since the release of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, and London-based Akram Khan Company landed in Chicago’s Harris Theater November 9-11 to reflect these transformations. A regenerative masterpiece, Akram’s “Jungle Book reimagined” was beyond a production. It was a fully immersive revelation into what matters most—the bare necessities.

Old Town School event “Community” celebrates that and so much more. When we hear the word community, ideas of togetherness and being with like-minded people surface to mind. Feelings of acceptance and belonging come into play and ultimately you found your “tribe” or “people.”

Those who attended Old Town School’s “Community, A Choreographer's Festival” were exposed to a display of the colorful and diverse dance scene in Chicago. I saw the support of both fellow dancers and dance lovers coming together, and being moved by meaningful, funny, and insightful pieces.

SurTaal Dance and Prop Thtr collaborate on “Nyra’s Dreams,” a one-woman project written and performed by Shalaka Kulkarni and directed by Stefan G. Brün. The show premiered October 27 at Chicago Dramatists and will run through November 19.