The curtain goes up, but only enough to tickle curiosity over the luminous string of human beads clumped across the rim of the stage in Melissa Thodos’ Change of Phase (Chicago premiere).  The curtain, suspended no more than three feet off the floor, hovers over a dozen rounded spines. Nothing moves. Suspense builds, until the sound of breath inhaling animates the bodies in slow-rolling compression toward the center of their mass. The squeeze of their combined weight forces vertical expansion of bodies that coalesce in a soft upward explosion of arms, legs, and heads.

It was a cold and snowy evening last Saturday. The warm and cozy Broadway Playhouse in the Gold Coast (a change of venue from the still out-of-commission Harris Theater) served a fitting backdrop for the 2014 Choreographers of Color Award. Each year, three diverse choreographers are selected by the Joffrey Academy of Dance to present new work on its proficient group of Trainees.  It seems a mutually beneficial arrangement for the choreographers and dancers involved.

We hope you enjoy Audience Architects' new series, "Dance is...what YOU make of it." REAL audience members share REAL opinions on watching dance. 

Watch a sneak peak of our collection of interviews with Chicagoans from all walks of life and all ages as they discuss what moves them about the beauty of dance. Check back weekly for new episodes!

This episode: Hedwig Dances

To see all the videos in this series click HERE.

March is that transitional month when we lose winter--we hope!--and usher in Chicago’s so-called spring. This year, March is a tra nsitional month for SeeChicagoDance as well, with a new look, a new slant to the newsletter, and a new editor--me! So, hello! You may already recognize me as a frequent contributor to these pages. In addition to calling our readers’ attention to the many wonderful dance events on the calendar each month, we will be highlighting noteworthy aspects of select events with critical insights and commentary.