When people leave their original homeland, they take pieces of it with them. Not all reminders of what they left are tangibles that you can see or touch. Some, like religion or the customs and holidays that bring people together, reside in the mind and heart. Diwali, the festival of lights, hails from the Indian …
Sometimes it’s just good to tap into origins. To connect to how something began before it explodes and flowers into something grand. Harvest Chicago Contemporary Dance Festival (HCCDF) held a lot of that kind of wonder. An annual dance festival featuring companies from across the country, with a concentration of those from Illinois, it offers …
War and upheaval walk together hand in hand. And it’s not uncommon for them to find you completely unprepared. In February, Ukrainians had already been fighting Russians in their eastern regions for over eight years. Threats of a larger invasion at the beginning of this year were viewed with confident incredulity, until it happened and …
By 1991, HIV/AIDS had been plundering the world for a decade. And even though the first antiviral drug that showed any promise of stanching it had been on the scene for six years; tens of thousands of once vital and vibrant young people were still dying every year. Dance for Life, the extravaganza of dance …
The Dance World’s Impressive Blueprint for Self Help – Dance for Life Read More »
Reaching all the way back to ancient Rome, city governments have long understood the rejuvenating power of the creative arts. Just as they did then, music and dance still serve as potent salves to the barrage of stimulus showering the average city dweller. In places like Chicago, summer’s the perfect season to relieve the frustrations …
Summer translates to festival season and their variety keeps growing with every cycle of the calendar. From colossal neighborhood bashes featuring live bands and copious brew, to prestigious art fairs and tributes to ribs and hamburgers; every year their variety keeps magnifying. Four years ago, Mandala South Asian Performing Arts launched its own festival …
Mandala Festival’s Artist Showcase Celebrates South Asia Read More »
Because of its power, there must be an untold or unknown story behind flamenco. Rarely do you get a satisfying explanation on the true source of its passion. Or why there’s such an undercurrent of defiance running so freely through it. Let’s not even go into how proud it reads. A pride that bleeds right …
On a glorious spring morning along Chicago’s magnificent lakefront, a touching ribbon cutting tied a location to a movement. AIDS Garden Chicago, a 2.5 acre swatch of lakefront park land, was dedicated June 2 to the memory of the thousands of Chicagoans who’ve died from the scourge of AIDS. The AIDS epidemic began its sweep …
New Zealand, one of the most closed countries on earth during the height of the pandemic, has once again laid out its welcome mat. Europe, unsteady during much of the crisis and at last on firmer footing, has been seeing a steady uptick of foreign visitors. And cruise lines, the most feared travel alternative for …
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (HSDC) may be approaching 45 years young, but it’s still very much a dance company to watch. Always on the lookout for just the right talent to highlight its aspirations, the company uses its discoveries to keep surprising and delighting audiences. This was especially true of its RE/UNION summer series that …
Summer Series Reinforces Hubbard Street’s Impressive Creds Read More »