When the world gets me down, dance lifts me up. As a dance writer, it’s been my privilege to witness the lengths to which Chicago dancers go to ease the suffering and discomfort of their fellow humans. Amidst a torrent of anti-LGBTQIA2 propaganda and legislation, last summer, Chicago’s trans and queer artists launched an historic summer-length string of festivals, providing safe spaces of solidarity for artists and their friends, families and allies. While healthcare-for-all remains a hot button issue, Dance for Life, the largest fundraising event in the city for dancers and dance-adjacent professionals, put on one heck of a show and raised over $370,000 to ensure that local artists can continue to count on the Chicago Dancer’s Health Fund to help provide for their healthcare needs. In an interview, dancer and choreographer, L’Raven, put it best: “Art is ALWAYS political… Where art and marginalized people are under attack, we can’t have the privilege of leaning into escapism in our art; we must use our art to save ourselves.” And that’s what we do. This September, the good will continues with communal performances and festivals, and thought-provoking new works of dance by The Joffrey Ballet, Emma Draves, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, Red Clay Dance Company, Shadow Puppetz Crew, Helen Lee and more. Supporting these artists doesn’t just put money in their pockets but allows them to give their time in aid of others, to put together works of art that complex social issues, decimate prejudices and build communities. If watching the news gives you the blues, turn off the tube (or phone) and follow this prescription to… See Chicago Dance!
1. The Joffrey Ballet presents “Carmen,” Sept. 18-20 @ Lyric Opera House
From the Organization:
“From the choreographer of the critically acclaimed Frankenstein, the Joffrey presents the U.S. premiere of Liam Scarlett’s “Carmen,” a tale of love, betrayal, and defiance set within the gritty confines of a cigarette factory in 1930s Spain. In this adaptation of Bizet’s opera, Scarlett brings new intensity to a performance that pulsates with life—and ends in tragedy. With striking designs by Jon Bausor and Scarlett’s signature focus on evocative storytelling, Carmen commands the stage into a tempest of desire and destruction, revealing the timeless story of a woman who dares to live on her own terms.”
For info and tickets, check out the event page by clicking HERE.
2. Emma Draves and “”WINGèD THINGS,” Sept. 19-20 @ Dovetail Studios
Emma Draves, a dance artist, educator and writer, presents “WINGèD THINGS,” a research-driven work that hopes to elicit an ephemeral exchange between the audience and artists.
From the Artist:
“WINGèD THINGS is an octopus of a project, created through the weaving of eight artistic labors.
The project begins with the question: “Where is the Peace of Wild Things?” and departs into adventures of tactile & texture, mystery & play.”
For more info and tickets, check out the event page by clicking HERE.
3. Helen Lee presents “Momentum Sensorium, Curiosities of Wellness in Bodies of Grief and Joy,” Sept. 20 @ MCA
From the Artist:
“‘Curiosities of Wellness in Bodies of Grief and Joy’ is a multiyear project led by movement-based artist Helen Lee that redefines the structure and systems of performance. It invites the audience not just to witness but to engage—to sit with their own personal grief and co-create a portal to joy. Lee writes, ‘both grief and joy exist in a rich cycle of seasons, each offering their own textures and transformations. Summer is a time to flourish. Fall is an invitation to nourish. Winter is an offering of rest and reflection. Spring fosters the tending of compassion, vulnerability and courage.’ For the [Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago], Lee and a dynamic group of collaborators including dancers, musicians, and somatic practitioners offer two interactive sessions for audiences curious about how emotions are processed and transformed in the body.”
For more info and tickets, check out the event page by clicking HERE.
4. Red Clay Dance Company presents “Freedom Square: The Black Girlhood Altar,” Sept. 20-21 @ MCA
From the Organization:
“In this new work, Red Clay Dance Company’s Founding Artistic Director and CEO Vershawn Sanders-Ward offers a creative response to Freedom Square: The Black Girlhood Altar through dance and storytelling, honoring this living altar to missing and murdered Black girls and women. Featuring the award-winning ensemble of Red Clay Dance Company alongside a community cast of young dancers from Black Girls Dance, and new music by Jamila Woods, this immersive, evening-length choreographic work serves as a sanctuary for the stories of the women and girls featured on the altar—blending dance, song, digital media, and built environment to create a profound and resonant experience.”
For more info and tickets, check out the event page by clicking HERE.
Mandala Maker’s Festival, presented by Mandala South Asian Performing Arts and running Sept. 5-7 at the Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture, invites attendees to dance the night away to the magnificence of South Asian-inspired Electronic Dance Music (SAEDM) following concerts by the Mandala ensemble and a plethora of guest artists and musicians performing works of classical, folk and contemporary dance in the styles of Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi and more.
For more information, read the preview by clicking HERE.
From the Organization:
“The Heart of the Story is a semi-interactive concert dance
program, featuring 8 dance artists of Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre performing several pieces from the company’s repertoire. The diversity of the repertoire offers each site customization based on the interests and identity of the community, using dance and storytelling to present deeper concepts of identity
and celebrate the complexity of the human experience. Elements of the choreography highlight the many dualities found within each of us–confidence and doubt, strength and vulnerability, grace and intensity.”
For more information, check out the event link by clicking HERE.
3. Shadow Puppetz Crew presents “Homeward: Movement, Memory, and Moments that Shape History,” Sept. 20 @ Epiphany Center for the Arts
From the Organization:
“Devil’s in the Details” [is] Chicago’s inaugural two-day robot and animation dance festival. Featuring live music, art, dance workshops, technology demonstrations, a showcase competition, and a head-to-head dance battle with a unique twist, Devil’s in the Details reimagines how robot and animation dance is presented through a fresh multidisciplinary approach.”
Highlights include 1v1 Robot & Animation Dance Battle, Busking-Inspired Showcase Competition, Dance Workshops and Tech Demos.
For more info and tickets, check out the event page by clicking HERE.
From the Press Release:
Chicago Dance Health Fund, which supports the health and wellness of Chicago’s professional dance community, welcomed more than 1,600 people to the 34th annual Dance for Life, its primary fundraiser, Saturday August 16 at The Auditorium. More than 600 guests, including more than 200 dancers and participating artists, attended the After Party Gala at Venue SIX10. From a combination of ticket sales, contributions, and sponsorships, Dance for Life raised $370,000—with post-event donations continuing to come in—to support The Fund, which provides Chicago dance industry professionals with financial support for preventative health care and critical medical needs.”
For more information about Chicago Dancer’s Health Fund, visit the website by clicking HERE.
2. Venetia Stifler & Concert Dance Inc. elebrate 44 years at Ann Barzel Theatre, Sept. 20.
From the Artists:
“Join Venetia Stifler & Concert Dance Inc. as they celebrate 44 years of artistry on September 20th at the Ann Barzel Theatre with “Technically Celebrating!” This unforgettable evening bursts with energy, featuring a lively reception, a performance showcasing CDI’s innovative approach to movement, and an intimate talkback with Artistic Director Venetia Stifler and company artists. Together, we’ll honor CDI’s bold legacy while igniting the future as the company prepares for its milestone 45th season. Be part of this dazzling night of performance, conversation, and community as we toast the past and step boldly into the brilliance ahead.”
For more info and tickets, check out the event page by clicking HERE.
3. See Chicago Dance’s 20th Anniversary BOLD IMPACT Gala, Sept. 30 @ Venue West
From the Organization:
Join us as we celebrate 20 years of dedicated service to Chicago’s dance community and honor two luminaries whose vision and leadership have left a lasting mark on the city’s dance landscape.
This year, we proudly present the 2025 Legacy Award to Kevin Iega Jeff, co-founder of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, choreographer, director, dance educator, cultural community builder, and creative consultant. We also honor Julie Nakagawa, co-founder and Artistic Director of DanceWorks Chicago and Hubbard Street 2, good dance citizen, with the 2025 Distinguished Service to the Dance Field Award.
It is our privilege to celebrate the BOLD IMPACT of these two cultural leaders as we reflect on the past and look ahead to a bright future for See Chicago Dance.”
For more information, check out the event page HERE.
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