Co-MISSION Works-In-Progress presented resident artists Eshan Rafi, Jamila Kekulah, and AiRos 頌恩 medill (performing as ZIRán) at Links Hall this past December 15th.

They have been developing their work since September and will again present their investigations in Spring 2024. At the end of the night, there was a talk back presented by the Artist Programs Manager and Associate Curator Aaliyah Christina.  Audience members expressed gratitude to the artists for sharing such personal work that conveyed distinct cultural backgrounds and unique research inquiries.

In my attempt to cover nontraditional “Nutcrackers” this year, I thought my experience with “The Buttcracker” burlesque Nutcracker by (sub)version) productions would take the cake as the most unconventional reimagining of the property. Not so! Hello Entertainment and the Auditorium Theatre say, “hold my sugar plum,” presenting “Sugar Hill,” an amalgamation of dance styles set to the jazzy “Nutcracker Suite” by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn running through Dec. 30 at the Auditorium.

Ballet Chicago wrapped up its 2023 season with sparkling performances of The Nutcracker at Chicago’s Athenaeum Center and The Harris Theater December 8-17. Professional guest artists joined dancers from Ballet Chicago’s semi-professional studio company, students from the Ballet Chicago student and preparatory divisions, and the Tutu School Chicago. Make no mistake, there was nothing “semi” about the production.

There are many flavors of “The Nutcracker” to choose from this holiday season, but if you have yet to taste one of them, Ballet Chicago’s production is both delicious and packs a powerful message that is especially poignant during these conflicting times. The message: we must hope and have faith that good will triumph over evil.

Duell and Blair’s “Nutcracker” delivers this message in countless ways but especially in its diversity of casting. A rainbow of cultures, ages, sizes and shapes tell the story through a spirit of inclusiveness and love.

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.