Three women—Sojourner Zenobia, Angel Dawid, and Zahara Baker—sit next to each other with their eyes closed. They are enveloped by dream catchers and strips of torn, silk fabric, tree branches, and candles as part of an installation made by some of the many artists invited to play and collaborate in Eclipsing. The women are still, grounded and pull all our energies into one breath. Save for the sounds of nature mixing with the sounds of the city outside, we are still, and it is quiet. Then come soft whispers from the three women.

The In>Time Performance Festival is arguably the best tri-annual festival that Chicago dancemakers and audiences barely know about. If we, as dance audiences, are too quick to dismiss the category of “performance” as a genre that’s not quite our thing, then we’d be seriously underestimating its history and potential.

In almost 25 years since his last appearance at the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago, Donald Byrd returns to the Dance Center with Spectrum Dance Theater to present his newest work, “Rambunctious Iteration #3 – The Immigrant.” The program, consisting of five works, features musical compositions from several American composers that locate themselves within various non-Western diasporas.

On Jan 21, a group gathered at the Hyde Park Art Center to celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr. Only at this event, attendees were asked not only to listen and reflect on Dr. King’s impact, but to also create something of their own. They made collages out of random black items until the space was transformed into a black universe—a tapestry of darkness that spread beauty and brought a community together.

Trinity Irish Dance Company brings a powerhouse program with a unique blend of traditional and innovative Irish dance and live music to the Auditorium Theatre’s “Made In Chicago” series for one night only Feb. 2. 

As I write this, it’s 0 degrees, but it feels like -4. Motivation to leave the cozy comforts of fuzzy slippers and brave Chicago’s winter right now ranges from slim to none. But while February might not bring much of a change in temperature, there are a couple of dance events that make it easy to put on the boots, pants, hats and gloves and brave the weather for a night out. February has turned out to be a surprisingly fruitful month for dance in Chicago, and I’d venture to call a few of these productions “not to be missed.” So, zip up that puffy coat and head to the theater.