"Queer Dance University" at Chicago Danztheatre

Class is in session! Take your seat and turn up the energy—Gender Fucked Productions returned to Chicago Danztheatre this past weekend with a bold new installment of “Queer Dance Freakout University.” With their signature blend of fun, flirty flair, the group continues celebrating and empowering the next generation of trans and nonbinary artists. 

Structured like a school transfer, the experience is guided by an “advisor,” Gaia Landau-Williams, who leads the audience through a fifteen-piece program styled like a school day—complete with class discussions, homecoming and an after-school hangout.

Although the fictional university teeters on collapse from de-funding—signaled by earthquake rumbles that topple books and dancers—it remains a vibrant, affirming space of queer expression. This framing directly confronts ongoing political attacks on queer identity, inclusion and education, serving as a reminder that even in the face of erasure, queer communities will fight back and build safe, inclusive spaces.

One of the first pieces to emphasize unfiltered self-expression is “The Ass!” choreographed by Dawn Heilung and L’Raven, which features the cheeky vocal, “of all the body parts you choose to be—you choose to be an asshole.” Performed by Marina Hope, Virginia VanLieshout and Ryan Eykholt, this high-energy, twerk-a-thon style routine is a masterclass in celebrating everybody’s ability to embody sass, class and a whole lot of ass. 

“Lesbian Love Letters,” choreographed and performed by Ray Post and VanLieshout, offers a nostalgic step back in time with a tender waltz between long-distance lovers, with letters bridging the gap of their longing. Through romantic embrace, leans, presses and stares, the duet invites the audience to bask in and relate to the tenderness of young queer love.

“The program was highly interactive, enhancing its sense of inclusiveness and infectious energy.”

“To Frederick, Dru Dru, Basheer,” choreographed by L’Raven, is a heartfelt tribute to the queer elders who paved the way for today’s community. Set to gospel music, this jazz piece uses strong, expressive arm movements and grounded structure to convey a powerful message: this generation draws strength from those who came before and, in turn, lays the foundation for future generations to rise even stronger.

“Under the Moonlight,” choreographed and performed by Nik Graves and Reign Drop, explores men’s repressed emotions while grappling with their sexual identity, drawing inspiration from the film “Brokeback Mountain.” Set to a soulful blues track, the two dancers fight the urge to hold hands, square dancing around in conflict and shame. Eventually, they surrender to their feelings, coming together to lie in bed, wrapped in quiet comfort—a hopeful ending.

The program was highly interactive, enhancing its sense of inclusiveness and infectious energy. From a spirited school cheer (“QD!” clap, clap, clap “FU!”) to inviting the audience to the homecoming dance and handing out decorative butterflies during bows, the show consistently broke the fourth wall. 

The most creative use of the audience is in the performance “Describe It To Me,” choreographed by Eykholt, Marina Hope, Graves and Post. Three audience members volunteered to describe dancers’ movements while the rest of the crowd closed their eyes. In the darkness, bursts of verbs echo through the space—“Scooping! Twirling! Punching! Beating!”—as the volunteers scramble to capture the complexity of the choreography in real time. When the short routine is revealed to the rest of the audience, the contrast between the imagined and the real creates a charming juxtaposition that highlights the flaws in communication and our imagination’s subconscious role in filling in the blanks.

Other standout pieces include “School of Fish,” a meditative piece choreographed by Mash Bandouil and Megan Davis in which dancers’ bodies move, think and breathe as a single, fluid organism; “You Can Change Your Mind,” choreographed by Bandouil, explores neuroplasticity through galaxy-inspired music and flickering movements that mimic the formation of new neural pathways, as dancers embody the brain’s twitching ability to learn and evolve; “I Promise I Didn’t Learn This Dance,” is a high-energy animalistic ode to Lady Gaga choreographed by Derrick Rossbah and Bandouil, “Gay Like Tchaikovsky”  a ballet duet choreographed and performed by Dawn Heilung and Bandouil, reimagines Swan Lake through the lens of queer joy.

The rest of the program included “Homecoming Queen Returns,” choreographed by Heilung and L’Raven, the theatrical singing of “A Lil’ Priest” from Sweeney Todd, choreographed by Heilung, “Untitled” choreographed by Patty Roache, “Pussy Catcalls Back” choreographed by Heilung, “Melt in the Sun” choreographed by Ray Post, and “Ins and Outs (Transitions)” choreographed by Heilung and Eykholt.

Although the program included fifteen pieces, each focused on a vastly different theme and genre of dance, keeping the pace of the entire performance fresh and engaging. While not always the most technically precise, each dancer brought a sense of confidence and personality that uplifted the entire performance and made the program more personal. 

“Queer Dance Freakout University” is presented by Gender Fucked Productions through May 10^th at Chicago Danztheatre, 1650 W Foster Ave. Showtimes are 5/9 & 5/10 at 7pm. Tickets are $15-$25 at genderfucked.org or by clicking the company link below.