The basic mechanism of knitting is about looping a string of yarn about itself in various patterns to create a textile that can be molded into various items. Rachel Damon has been knitting and crocheting for years; making clothing and accessories was an entirely separate pursuit from her professional life as the artistic director of Synapse Arts.

I came to Ballet Nacional de Cuba’s performance of Don Quixote at the Auditorium Theatre last Saturday night with high expectations. Alicia Alonso, the company’s 97-year-old founder and director, is legendary as one of the great ballerinas of the 20th century, her performing career bridging into her seventies.

I was back at the Hamlin Park Theatre last weekend for “Dance Shelter 2018” produced by The Chicago Moving Company (CMC). This year featured works-in-progress by CMC artists-in-residence Rachel Bunting/The Humans and Ayako Kato/ Art Union Humanscape as well as a re-staged work by guest artist Emma Draves, and a “re-imagined” piece originally choreographed by CMC founder Nana Shineflug. All-in-all it was a solid evening of post modern dance; no intermission, no muss no fuss. 

The baseball diamonds, basketball court, and jungle gym were bustling at Hamlin Park this past weekend. I loved walking up to this scene of springtime activity and I especially loved knowing that a professional dance performance would take place right upstairs in the Hamlin Park Fieldhouse theater. Call me sentimental, but these well-used neighborhood fieldhouses supporting sports, arts, and community make me proud to be a Chicagoan. If only the show inside had been as vivacious as the activity out.
 

The past few years have not been easy for the Joel Hall Dancers and Center. The company moved its studios, moved locations from a pricey second floor studio in the heart of Andersonville to its current home occupying a storefront on the 5900 block of north Clark Street, and while this move led to the designation of Honorary Joel Hall Way by 48th Alderman Harry Osterman, it also meant less foot traffic and chronically empty storefronts for neighbors.

Bricks are loosely stacked to create arch-shaped benches, forming a circle with a few points of exit, and a place for patrons to sit for the premiere of “Shadows Across Our Eyes,” Zephyr Dance artistic director Michelle Kranicke’s newest work. This short, circular wall-turned-benches forms a Venn diagram, interlocking with knee-high wooden arches propped up on their narrow ends.

Chicago Dance sails into May with dance happenings around every corner of the city. Take advantage of the many free and low-cost events like open studios, lecture demonstrations, and open rehearsals listed on our calendar.

The most beautiful, perfect woman I have ever known was Ruth Ann Koesun, my first ballet teacher. Petite, with exotic looks reminding me of some sort of delicate fairy, I was enchanted the first time I saw her. I began my formal ballet training, with Ruth Ann as my teacher, when I was around eleven, studying with her for only 18 months or so. Her influence on me has continued to this day. By chance, I read her obituary in February and all sorts of emotions and memories surfaced, taking me by surprise.