While October is known as the spookiest month, there is nothing frightening about a jam-packed month of dance. Cerqua Rivera Dnace Theatre kicks off their “Chicago Latinx/e Contemporary Movement Festival,” a celebration of identity, courage and resilience, and Ballet 5:8 returns to the Harris Theater with “Beauty Will Save the World.” Giordano Dance Chicago and Visceral Dance Chicago both present their anticipated Fall engagements, and Identity performing Arts returns to the Ann Barzel Theatre with “Instinctual,” a new work by rising star Ginny Ching-Yin Lo. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, so scroll down to get the details about how you can See Chicago Dance.
“Get ready for an unforgettable night of glitz, glamour, and jaw-dropping talent—Dance Divas is back! This year’s dazzling production ‘Triple Threat’ features the divas who do it all—sing, act, and DANCE—as the Chicago dance community once again unites to honor the iconic dancing ladies of yesterday and today.
With over 40 of Chicago’s finest dancers from top local companies lighting up the stage, this action-packed show is a celebration by the dancers, for the dancers. All proceeds benefit the Chicago Dance Health Fund, which supports the health and wellness of our city’s vibrant dance community.”
For more information and tickets, check out the website by clicking HERE.
2. Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre presents “Chicago Latinx/e Contemporary Movement Festival,” Oct. 11 @ Ruth Page Center for the Arts
From the artists:
“We proudly presents the inaugural Chicago Latinx/e Contemporary Movement Festival, a vibrant celebration of culture, identity, and artistry.
The Latinx/e experience is beautifully complex and layered — a mosaic of stories shaped by heritage, migration, gender, queerness, resilience, and joy. Through this festival, we uplift a multiplicity of perspectives, celebrating the depth and diversity within our communities.
Join us for an evening of dynamic performances by several emerging Latinx/e dance artists as well as our own company, embracing contemporary, experimental, and interdisciplinary forms of movement and storytelling.
More than a performance, this is a gathering — a community-driven event where artists and audiences come together to witness, reflect, and celebrate identity in motion.”
For more information and tickets, check out the event page by clicking HERE.
3. Ballet 5:8 presents “Beauty Will Save the World,” Oct. 11 @ Harris Theatre for Music and Dance
From the organization:
“Ballet 5:8 returns to the Harris Theater with Beauty Will Save the World—a compelling mixed-repertory program that celebrates resilience, cultural heritage, and the transformative power of beauty in turbulent times. Anchoring the company’s annual Gala, this performance brings together five distinct works that cross boundaries of genre, language, and tradition.
The evening features a rare Chicago performance of Gerald Arpino’s Birthday Variations, alongside a world premiere by celebrated choreographer Kevin Jenkins. Ballet 5:8’s own audience favorite The Sea is Flat delivers a storm of movement exploring inner peace amid chaos. A new excerpt from the company’s nationally recognized BIOS Project uplifts the voice of an emerging BIPOC choreographer, and Día de los Vivos offers a joyful tribute to life, memory, and Hispanic identity. This performance includes a special performance by Opera Tenor Rod Dixon.”
For more information and tickets, check out the event page by clicking HERE.
4. Giordano Dance Chicago presents “Ignite the Soul – Fall Engagement,” Oct. 18-19 @ North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, Skokie
GDC returns to the North Shore Center in another dazzling demonstration of what makes them one of the premiere dance companies in the nation. Works will include Resident Choreographer Al Blackstone’s one-act “Gershwin in B,” Brock Clawson’s “Give & Take,” and a new work choreographed by company dancer Simon Schuh.
For tickets, check out the event page by clicking HERE.
5. Identity Performing Arts presents “Instinctual,” Oct. 25-26 @ Ann Barzel Theater
From the artists:
“INSTINCTUAL is a captivating exploration of our innate drives and behaviors that often operate beneath the surface of conscious thought. This full-length performance choreographed by artistic director Ginny Ching-Yin Lo presents a series of interconnected vignettes and movement pieces that tap into our subconscious understanding of instinct.
The choreography centers on raw, expressive movement that suggests primal urges of physicality, characterized by fluid, animalistic motions, bursts of energy, oxytocin desire, repetitive, ritualistic patterns that reflect the automatic nature of instinct. The dancers’ interactions span reactive movements, gentle mirroring, evocative emotion, subtle unease, highlighting the varied ways instinct manifests. Instinct invites the audience to reflect on the complex interplay between their conscious minds and the deeper, often hidden forces that shape their behaviors and experiences.”
For more information and tickets, check out the event page by clicking HERE.
“The Joffrey + Ballet in the U.S. is a large-scale exhibition celebrating the rich history of The Joffrey Ballet and the life of Robert Joffrey. The exhibition premiered at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center in 2024, marking the first major retrospective of the company. Drawing from the Joffrey archive, acquired by the Jerome Robbins Dance Division in 2017 as the Library’s largest acquisition in a decade, the exhibition offers an in-depth look at the Joffrey’s contributions to ballet in the U.S. Highlights include rare film from the original performance of the groundbreaking ballet Astarte and Anna Sokolow’s Opus 65, as well as costumes, props, pointe shoes, posters, correspondence, and other ephemera from the company and Robert Joffrey’s life. The Joffrey + Ballet in the U.S. is organized by The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and curated by Dr. Julia Foulkes with assistance from Nicole Duffy. It is presented at Wrightwood 659 by Alphawood Exhibitions.”
For more information, check out the website by clicking HERE.
2. Illinois Arts Council announces new social media campaign for celebrating grantees.
From the organization:
“The Illinois Arts Council (IAC) is excited to launch a new social media campaign celebrating our FY26 grantees! Artists and arts organizations can showcase their achievements by sharing our customizable graphics: ‘I/We got an FY26 IAC grant.’ Simply download the PNG or JPG files from our website. You may use the JPG as a standalone graphic or superimpose the PNG file on a photo of yourself or your organization. This is a fantastic opportunity to highlight your hard work and the vital support from the IAC. Let’s amplify the arts in Illinois together!”
For full instructions on how to access the graphic, check out the website by clicking HERE.
3. Americans for the Arts highlights funding crises during National Arts & Humanities Month 2025.
From the organization:
“Every October, we unite for National Arts & Humanities Month (NAHM), the nation’s largest annual celebration of arts and culture. It’s a moment to honor the artists, educators, veterans, arts administrators, and community leaders whose creativity strengthens democracy, fuels our economy, and tells America’s story.
This year’s theme, Stories Unite Us, reminds us that creativity defines who we are as a nation and who we aspire to be. Yet at a time when federal arts and humanities funding faces real threats, protecting the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is more urgent than ever. These investments aren’t line items—they are lifelines that sustain local economies, safeguard heritage, and provide healing and education in every community.
In honor of National Arts & Humanities Month, Americans for the Arts is launching 50 Stories, 50 States, a national storytelling campaign inviting Americans everywhere to share how the arts and humanities have shaped their life, community, or identity.”
For more information, check out the website by clicking HERE.
4. Deeply Rooted Dance Theater has big plans for 30th anniversary season.
From the artists:
“The 2025/2026 season showcases the powerful visual storytelling that has become synonymous with Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, honoring the rich traditions of the past while leaping into the future with new thought-provoking and soul-stirring work
‘What you’ll see on stage is love and joy and the ability to resist and push against the norms of what you think dance should be,’ said Nicole Clarke-Springer, artistic director of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater. ‘It’s not just movement, but it’s stories brought to life.’
The 30th anniversary arrives as the seeds of the company’s commitment to community and dance education are growing on Chicago’s South Side. Construction on the multi-million dollar, state-of-the-art Deeply Rooted Center for Black Dance and Creative Communities at 5339 South State Street is slated to begin in 2026.
“I am honored to continue building upon the legacy of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, a true cultural treasure of Chicago. My priority is to deepen the structural roots that will secure the company’s place as a lasting institution on the South Side,” said Makeda Crayton, executive director of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater.”
For more information, check out the website by clicking HERE.
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