For purists, there’s only one version of a classic that’s worthy of widespread regard and admiration. Tchaikovsky’s 1892 lighter, more whimsical adaptation of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s short story, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King may well fall in that category. In 1960, two musical titans and collaborators looked at Tchaikovsky’s masterful score, saw it in a …
You don’t ordinarily think of this time of year as a period of discovery, but a concert of dance and music at Harold Washington Cultural Center recently changed that notion. Using the holidays to bring a wide assortment of tap artists together for a celebration of the season, Winter Wonderland delivered plenty of dance fire …
After being gob smacked by the televised production of Kate Prince’s Message in a Bottle, one thing’s certain. Dance has taken a giant leap forward in the way its presented and in the way its perceived. That Prince’s dance tour de force was inspired by a chance “I bet…” moment makes its reality all the …
The Future of Dance? English Dance Company Charting New Horizons Read More »
Kicking off this season’s Made in Chicago Dance Series Friday night at Chicago’s venerable Auditorium Theatre, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater (DRDT} proved something startling. That it could be, in its own unique way, all things to all people. You had to recall the explosive energy that marked another of the company’s one night only visits …
Deeply Rooted Dance Theater Delivers Bountiful Fall Harvest Read More »
Once, before the great pandemic, there was a theater company that devoted its entire season to the work of one playwright. After more than more than 25 years of singular effort, Eclipse Theatre closed its doors permanently last October. The theater’s absence leaves a hunger that no longer gets satisfied. Along with legends like Eugene …
Chicagoans got their first taste of an immersive art experience in 2021 when Lighthouse ArtSpace Chicago set up residence on Germania Place in Lincoln Park. As long as they were masked and could prove they were vaccinated, visitors were extended the chance to lose, or immerse, themselves in massive digital projections of Vincent Van Gogh’s …
Lighthouse Summer Series Combines Artistic Pleasures Read More »
In places like Chicago, dance showcases are like smorgasbords that offer more than just plenty. Their variety encompasses the globe, reminding us of how rich the language of dance is and has always been. Just as interestingly, they signal clues on how dance absorbs the present and shape shifts into the future. Few dance organizations …
“I Am Deeply Rooted: Our Founders in Conversation with Cleo Parker Robinson” will kick off a spring tradition for one of Chicago’s leading dance companies. Deeply Rooted Dance Theater’s Annual Dance Education Spring Showcase, taking place May 6 at the Reva and David Logan Center in Hyde Park, will honor its co-founders, Kevin Iega Jeff …
Dancer to Dancer: Artists In Conversation About Their Craft Read More »
It’s difficult to resist the mystique and magnetism of ballet. The degree of physicality and control it demands of dancers places it on its own rarified plane. As one of the country’s foremost ballet companies, the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) represents an ideal example of how ballet is adapting to the present day. The company’s …
American Ballet Theatre Makes a Resplendent Return Read More »
Sometimes you just take the lead from the crowd. Dressed to the nineteens, the swarm of life filling the Harris Theater’s lobby Saturday night couldn’t prove a better harbinger for a night to remember. Cosmopolitan to the hilt, tuxedo’s and taffeta mingled with sequined sneakers and body hugging couture to set a mood crackling with …