Ever think about throwing a dance concert for someone’s birthday? That’s what the Ruth Page Center for the Arts does annually for their legendary founder in the form of the “Center Stage” at Ruth Page festival. This year, it’s not a significant round number birthday (March 22, 1899) and Page passed in 1991, but it is the centennial of the building housing the arts center, a space that carries on Page’s legacy. For the last fifty-five of those hundred years, the iconic Dearborn St. location—a former Moose Lodge and bowling alley—has provided an artistic home for countless dancers and choreographers.
An artist of note, “Ruth Page could have gone elsewhere—New York or Europe,” says Victor Alexander, Artistic Director of the Ruth Page Professional Dance Training Program. “But she stayed here and [among many achievements] established the longest running “Nutcracker” in the country.” Page broke stylistic ground as a choreographer, creating a distinctly American identity through her dances. She promoted diversity on stage long before the term diversity became part of everyday language and believed in the expression of social themes. “It’s amazing to think about all of the artists she brought here,” says Alexander, “She’s a big part of our Chicago culture and deserves to be celebrated.”
Alexander spends his days in the building overseeing the training program and the dance school. He’s also the curator for the birthday bash performance slate. “Center Stage,” initially created in 2018 as a one-night-only performance for resident companies working in the building, has grown into a two-night festival extravaganza featuring two varied performance programs. The festival’s post-pandemic expansion opened the doors for more Chicago area companies to participate.
“At first, I wanted to bring companies together and create visibility for our school and our professional dance training program,” Alexander says. “It’s become a great opportunity for the young dancers to perform alongside professional companies and to be seen by the local artistic directors and choreographers.”
For the festival’s slate, throughout the year Alexander seeks out artists who have a connection to the Ruth Page Center, or those who will benefit from exposure to new audiences. “LEVELdance and Boykin Dance Project are fairly new to the community,” he says, “but we also have Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre, one of the signature companies in the city.” The multi-media physical work of The Seldoms and Jumaane Taylor’s tap/jazz combo, the Jazz Hoofing Quartet, garnered invitations from Alexander this year. The Ruth Page Training Program will also appear in works by Alexander and former Martha Graham dancer, Gabriel Speiller. Appearances by Ruth Page resident companies include Porchlight Music Theatre, Pilates Practice Chicago, and the stalwart, Hedwig Dances.
One of the new kids on the block, the four-year-old Boykin Dance Project, performed as part of the Latino Dance Festival last October at the Ruth Page Center. Shortly thereafter, Alexander invited Artistic Director, Brian Josiah Martinez and Boykin to participate in “Center Stage.” “This festival is a great way for us to be able to reach new audiences and continue building our presence within Chicago’s dance community,” says Martinez, who named the company after his childhood street in Mobile, Alabama. “Spaces like this are vital for artists developing new work and expanding the conversation around contemporary dance.”
Boykin will perform “Ethic Red,” a premiere by Chicago choreographer, Jessi Stegall. A statement on Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic American novel, “Jessi’s creating a highly technical, rigorous and gestural work serving as a commentary on ‘The Scarlett Letter,’” says Martinez. “The dancers are in rehearsal right now, so it will be very fresh.”
With a longtime connection to the Ruth Page space, Eddy Ocampo, Co-Artistic Director (along with Brandon DiCriscio) of LEVELdance, had his early dance training in the center’s vintage studios with Larry Long and Delores Lipinski. He danced there as an apprentice with River North Dance Company and with Luna Negra Dance Theatre.
DiCriscio danced with River North and Luna Negra too, and has choreographed several pieces for DanceWorks Chicago—a current resident company, “so I’m in and out of the building a lot,” he says. “We’re excited to be showing our work there for the first time as LEVELdance.” DiCriscio sees the festival as a way to increase the company’s presence after a nine-year hiatus.
Last year, LEVELdance resurfaced from its reprieve with a dramatic evening-length piece, “The Red Door.” For Center Stage, they’ll present a segment from that work, minus the jazz, drag and burlesque styles present in the original piece. “It’s contemporary,” says Ocampo, “and stylistically, we like to fill in the gaps of what other people are not doing.”
Also taking a nugget from a longer piece, The Seldoms will bring an excerpt from the recent re-staging of “FLOE, ” which Artistic Director Carrie Hanson describes as, “using a lens of interconnectivity to explore climate change.” Very much in the vein of Ruth Page’s choreographic impetus, Hanson’s collaborative work often aims to ignite dialog surrounding social issues. The Seldoms have a lengthy history of performing at the Ruth Page Center, first in 2008 and periodically ever since, including last year’s evening-length “Sightline” concert. Hanson didn’t hesitate to accept Alexander’s offer to participate this year. “I really like what Victor is doing with this festival, and I’m honored that The Seldoms has been invited to participate,” she says. “It’s great to be a part of such a varied program and have a chance to build our audiences.”
By presenting such varied works, Alexander hopes that attendees coming into the building will better understand what goes on within its walls. “The most important thing about curating ‘Center Stage’ is to continue strengthening the Chicago dance community,” says Alexander. “I’m very excited for these magnificent two nights. What a beautiful thing for dance artists to gather and be able to see each other’s work and share what they are doing. We’re not only celebrating Ruth Page’s birthday, we’re celebrating dance.”
Center Stage at Ruth Page, Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21 at 7 p.m., at Ruth Page Center for the Arts Theater, 1016 N. Dearborn St. Each night includes a complimentary wine and dessert reception in the lobby. Tickets are $30 for each night or $50 for both performances. For tickets and more information, check out the event page by clicking HERE.
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