The Joffrey Ballet Celebrates 20 YEARS IN CHICAGO with 2014-15 Season #Dance

Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows, it's been our pleasure to promote and work with the Joffrey Ballet for years.  They put on world class productions and are a true Chicago treasure.  Check out their new season and reserve your tickets early for the best seats for their 20th anniversary season.  We're particularly jazzed about The Man in Black, Johnny Cash ballet. ChiIL Mama will be there... will YOU?!  Click here for some of our past photo and video filled Joffrey coverage. 

Chicago Premieres include a ballet set to Johnny Cash music by James Kudelka,

A major newly envisioned Swan Lake by Christopher Wheeldon,

And work by New York City Ballet’s Justin Peck,

Alongside work by George Balanchine, Nicolas Blanc, Alexander Ekman, Ashley Page, Yuri Possokhov, Antony Tudor and Stanton Welch

Ashley Wheater, Artistic Director of The Joffrey Ballet, announces programming for the company’s 2014-15 season celebrating 20 years of the Joffrey calling Chicago home. The 2014-15 anniversary season features both company favorites and a slate of eight premieres.

For the second year, following the success of the Joffrey’s “Russian Masters” program that launched the 2013-14 season, an additional season opener will be presented in September, a one-weekend-only engagement featuring the return of two Joffrey repertory favorites, George Balanchine’s Prodigal Son and Antony Tudor’s Lilac Garden, along with the Joffrey/Chicago Premiere of Yuri Possokhov’s Asian-themed RAkU, September 18-21, 2014. The Joffrey’s annual fall engagement brings the Joffrey/Chicago Premiere of Christopher Wheeldon’s newly envisioned Swan Lake, October 15-26, 2014, followed by the return of the classic holiday chestnut, Robert Joffrey’s The Nutcracker, December 5-28, 2014. The Joffrey continues its recent tradition of presenting a contemporary program for its winter engagement, featuring three company premieres, James Kudelka’s The Man in Black set to Johnny Cash music, Stanton Welch’s Maninyas and Alexander Ekman’s humorous Tulle, February 11-22, 2015. Rounding out the season is a spring program featuring the Joffrey/Chicago Premiere of New York City Ballet soloist Justin Peck’s In Creases, a World Premiere by British choreographer Ashley Page and Evenfall from the Joffrey’s own ballet master, Nicolas Blanc, April 22-May 3, 2015.

All performances take place in the Joffrey’s home venue, the historic Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, in downtown Chicago at 50 East Congress Parkway. Various programs throughout the season feature live orchestral accompaniment by the Chicago Philharmonic conducted by Scott Speck, Music Director of The Joffrey Ballet.

In 1995, escaping a crowded New York City ballet market, then Joffrey Artistic Director Gerald Arpino relocated the company he had started with Robert Joffrey from the East Coast to Chicago with the help of a group of ardent supporters. Having successfully toured through Chicago since 1957, the company found fertile soil in a city with a rich dance heritage but, until then, no major ballet company of its own. The Joffrey Ballet quickly became a bedrock of Chicago’s burgeoning theater district, moving into its own state-of-the-art home of Joffrey Tower at State and Randolph Streets in 2008 and soon after, opening The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of the Joffrey Ballet.

In its 20^th Chicago Anniversary season, the Joffrey focuses on narrative in dance, exploring the concept of “story ballet” with a series of both repertory and evening length work that each tell a story in a freshly conceived way, either through iconic music, a familiar fantasy re-imagined, or by seeing human relationships through fresh eyes. Many choreographers who have made recent contributions to Joffrey’s repertory return this season, becoming signature artists of the company.

“Next season, The Joffrey Ballet celebrates twenty years in the city of Chicago with a series of programs exploring the expressive power of dance.  By telling stories drawn from diverse sources, by embracing our history and our future, we celebrate the voice and spirit of this great American city,” said Wheater.

About the Season

September

The Joffrey launches its new season with a mixed repertory program featuring George Balanchine’s Prodigal Son, Antony Tudor’s Lilac Garden and the Joffrey Premiere of Yuri Possokhov’s RAkU. 

Prodigal Son, not performed by the Joffrey since 2000, was one of the first Balanchine ballets to achieve an international reputation. Set to music by Sergei Prokofiev, it is a dramatic story of sin and redemption based on the Gospel according to St. Luke. Wheater will make a rare return to the stage portraying the Father.

Lilac Garden, set to music by Ernest Chausson, is an intimate work showing Tudor’s increasing interest in revealing psychological motivation through choreography. It is a story of a young woman who must say farewell to her lover on the eve of her arranged marriage to a man she does not love. It was last performed by The Joffrey Ballet in 2008.

Finally, Possokhov, San Francisco Ballet Resident Choreographer, brings RAkU to Chicago for the first time since its San Francisco Ballet debut in 2011. Set to music by Shinji Eshima, this contemporary ballet with a modernist, sepia-toned costume and set design with projections and moving screens, tells the tale of a Japanese emperor, his wife and a jealous monk driven mad by obsessive love. It is a stylized interpretation of the burning of the Kyoto Temple of the Golden Pavilion, brimming with lush lyricism and dark drama.

Lilac Garden, Prodigal Son and RAkU are presented in five performances only, September 18-21, 2014.

October

For its main fall production, The Joffrey Ballet brings a newly re-imagined Swan Lake to Chicago, choreographed by one of ballet’s most acclaimed choreographers, Christopher Wheeldon. A $1.5 million production with lavish costumes by Jean-Marc Puissant and scenic design by Adrianne Lobel, Wheeldon’s Swan Lake was commissioned for the Pennsylvania Ballet in 2004 to celebrate the company’s 40^th Anniversary. Set to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s score and modeled from the original Lev Ivanov and Marius Petipa choreography, Wheeldon sets Swan Lake in the 19^th century milieu of the Paris Opera Ballet, during the time when Tchaikovsky was actually composing Swan Lake and when Edgar Degas was on the rise. The ballet uses actual Degas imagery to create an Opera Ballet studio as young boy Siegfried daydreams of escaping rehearsal for the lake, while the ensemble prepares for a major opening night gala. The ballerinas and their wealthy patrons serve as the central characters of the ballet in a re-telling of the classical fantasy. Swan Lake is presented in 10 performances only, October 15-26, 2014.

December

Robert Joffrey’s The Nutcracker, Chicago’s most popular holiday tradition and America’s #1 Nutcracker, returns for its seasonal run at the Auditorium Theatre, bringing Tchaikovsky’s classic score to life with battling toys, raucous rodents, swirling snowflakes, waltzing flowers and the splendor of the full Joffrey company on stage with over 100 young dancers from the Chicagoland area.  Robert Joffrey’s The Nutcracker is presented in 24 performances, December 5-28, 2014.

February

Three leading contemporary ballet choreographers, all former Joffrey guest artists – James Kudelka, Stanton Welch and Alexander Ekman – return with Joffrey Premieres in the winter of 2015, each working in a distinctly different mode from what Chicagoans have seen of them before.

Kudelka’s The Man in Black sets an ensemble of three men and a woman, all in cowboy boots, against the songs of soulful American crooner Johnny Cash. Six songs, all from the latter part of Cash’s career, reflect working-class grit, lighthearted looseness and moving tenderness as Kudelka’s choreography seamlessly sways between ballet and country western dance styles including line, square, swing and step dance. A 2010 premiere for the BalletMet Columbus, The Man in Black has garnered rave reviews from restagings by the National Ballet of Canada, Atlanta Ballet and Cincinnati Ballet. This will be the first time it’s seen in Chicago.

Originally created for San Francisco Ballet in 1996, Welch’s Maninyas is also a small ensemble work, a series of duets and trios, though more abstract in nature. It is set to Maninyas Concerto for Violin and Orchestra by Australian composer Ross Edwards and presents dancers moving in and out of a series of shimmering veils, a dance metaphor for the unveiling of one’s self in a relationship, that gradual and sometimes frightening process of revealing layers both physical and emotional. 

Completing the contemporary program is Swedish choreographer Ekman’s Tulle (Tyll in Swedish), a ballet about ballet. Premiered in 2012 at the Royal Opera House of Stockholm, it was Ekman’s first piece working with pointe shoes and classical ballet vocabulary and is his affectionate commentary on the art form and where it comes from. Tulle, in characteristic Ekman style, incorporates video projected on three huge LED screens featuring interviews with the Joffrey dancers with their candid and often humorous thoughts on ballet.

The Man in Black, Maninyas and Tulle are presented in 10 performances only, February 11-22, 2015.

April/May

The season closes with a third mixed repertory program featuring three more premieres, including the Joffrey Premiere of In Creases by New York City Ballet soloist Justin Peck, a World Premiere by British choreographer Ashley Page, and the Joffrey Premiere of Evenfall by the company’s own ballet master Nicolas Blanc.

The first work Peck choreographed for New York City Ballet, In Creases premiered in 2012 at the company’s annual summer residency at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Set to Philip Glass’ Four Movements for Two Pianos, the choreography playfully uses neoclassical symmetry and geometry, matching the score’s energetic, looping melodies, throughout seven movements that build in speed and power as they unfold.

Page began his professional career as a dancer with London’s Royal Ballet in 1984, working closely with Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan. He was promoted to Principal in 1984, the same year in which he choreographed his first professional work for the company, A Broken Set of Rules. Page continued to develop his choreographic voice alongside his dancing career, creating 17 ballets for the company. In 2002, after 27 years with the Royal Ballet, Page was offered the artistic directorship of the then-failing Scottish Ballet, and over the subsequent 10 years redeveloped the Company into an internationally renowned modern ballet company with an eclectic repertoire. Now in the third phase of his career as a freelance choreographer and director, Page is currently working on numerous commissions from ballet and contemporary dance companies around the world.

A ballet master with The Joffrey Ballet since 2011 after a career dancing with such companies as the Nice Opera Ballet, Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Dusseldorf, Zurich Ballet and San Francisco Ballet, Frenchman Blanc created Evenfall in 2013 for Joffrey dancers Derrick Agnoletti, Fabrice Calmels, Rory Hohenstein, Anastacia Holden and Victoria Jaiani, premiering it at the “Festival Danse en PlaceS” in Montauban, France. Set to Max Richter’s The Four Seasons, this lyrical piece follows the thread of poetry running through the lives of a couple at the beginning of their romance and then through their autumn years.  As the poet suggests, life is a collection of memories.

In Creases, Ashley Page’s World Premiere and Evenfall are presented in 10 performances only, April 22-May 3, 2015.

In the spring, the Joffrey plans a special gala performance celebrating 20 years in Chicago.

Tickets and Subscriptions

Three-program subscriptions, which do not include the September engagement or The Nutcracker, start at $84.  Subscriptions will be available for purchase as of February 19, 2014, online at joffrey.org, by mail (Joffrey Ballet Subscriptions, The Joffrey Ballet, Joffrey Tower, 10 East Randolph Street, Chicago, IL 60601), by telephone at 312-386-8905, by fax at 312-739-0119, or by email at subscriptions@joffrey.org.  Subscribers have the option to add on the September engagement at 50% off the single ticket price.

Single tickets are priced from $32 to $170 for the September, October, February and April/May performances.  Single tickets for The Nutcracker are priced from $32 to $134.  Single tickets for the September engagement will be available for purchase June 2; single tickets for all other programs will be available starting August 1, 2014. Single tickets are available at The Joffrey Ballet’s official Box Office located in the lobby of 10 East Randolph Street, as well as the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University Box Office, all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, by telephone at 800-982-2787, or online at www.ticketmaster.com.  

The Joffrey Ballet is grateful for the support of its 2014-2015 Season Sponsors and Partners.  With special thanks to Alphawood Foundation Chicago, The Anne and Burt Kaplan Fund of the Mayer & Morris Kaplan Family Foundation, NIB Foundation, Abbott Fund, Chicago Center for Orthopedics at Weiss, Dr. and Mrs. Josef Lakonishok, JW Marriott, United Airlines and AthletiCo.

For more information on The Joffrey Ballet and its programs please visit joffrey.org.

ACT OUT OPENING: Heartbeat of Home #BroadwayInChicago

ChiIL Live Shows will be there tonight to review opening night of Heartbeat of Home.  We can't wait to experience this multicultural melding of Irish, Latin and Afro-Cuban music and dance.  The Oriental Theatre is one of our favorite venues in Chicago and sure to enhance the production with it's intricate artwork adorned walls.

Created by the Producers and Director of Riverdance, HEARTBEAT OF HOME is a music and dance spectacular featuring the dynamic, vibrant components of traditional Irish, Latin and Afro-Cuban music and dance. The world-class cast of forty includes a ten-piece band creating a new and electrifying sound written by award-winning, Golden-Globe-nominated composer Brian Byrne.

The show employs high-definition, cutting-edge projection technology and has an engaging narrative structure. Produced by Moya Doherty, devised and directed by John McColgan with narrative and lyrics by award-winning Irish writer Joseph O'Connor. Joseph comments: 'when we marry the sexiness of salsa to the thunder of Irish dance, the lyricism of tango to the yearning of Sean-nós, what a night of storytelling we shall have'. 

The cast includes world-class Irish, Latin and Afro-Cuban dancers and with choreography by David Bolger, the production will create a dream-world of joyous, heart-stopping, high-energy music and dance.

Thodos Dance Winter Concert at Harris Theatre #dance

Winter Concert 2014 featuring A world premiere collaboration  by  Jeanne Gang Founder and Principal Studio Gang Architects  and  Melissa Thodos Founder and Artistic Director Thodos Dance Chicago  The return of A Light in the Dark, the story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan co-choreographed by  Melissa Thodos  and  Broadway legend  Ann Reinking The world premiere of Tsuru by Lucas Crandall  Ballet Master Hubbard Street Dance Chicago And TDC  New Dances 2013 standout  Panem Nostrum Quoditianum ("Our Daily Bread") by Ahmad Simmons River North Dance Chicago THODOS DANCE CHICAGO AND STUDIO GANG ARCHITECTS INVESTIGATE THE INTERSECTION OF ARCHITECTURE AND DANCE WITH WORLD PREMIERE COLLABORATION MAR. 8 & 9 AT CHICAGO'S HARRIS THEATRE      Thodos Dance ensemble members at one of Studio Gang's signature Chicago structures,   the Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo (photos by Katie Graves.)        Melissa Thodos                                             Jeanne Gang  Photo by Cheryl Mann                                   © Sally Ryan Photography, Courtesy of Studio Gang Architects ALSO ON THE PROGRAM:   A REPRISE OF LAST YEAR'S SMASH HIT   A LIGHT IN THE DARK,  THE STORY OF HELEN KELLER AND ANNE SULLIVAN  BY MELISSA THODOS AND ANN REINKING       Pictured:  Thodos ensemble members Alissa Tollefson as Anne Sullivan and Jessica Miller Tomlinson as Helen Keller; Melissa Thodos with Ann Reinking.  Photos by Cheryl Mann A WORLD PREMIERE,  TSURU, BY HUBBARD STREET'S LUCAS CRANDALL  AND  PANEM NOSTRUM QUODITIANUM  ("OUR DAILY BREAD") BY AHMAD SIMMONS, RIVER NORTH DANCE CHICAGO Leading artists from Chicago's culture scene, Melissa Thodos and Jeanne Gang, have combined their singular talents to create a cross-disciplinary, world-premiere dance that explores the fascinating worlds of-and intersections among-dance, architecture and physics. The program also boasts the return of TDC's acclaimed story ballet A Light in the Dark, the story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan, co-choreographed by Melissa Thodos and Broadway legend Ann Reinking; Tsuru, a world premiere by Hubbard Street Dance Chicago's Lucas Crandall; and Panem Nostrum Quoditianum (Latin for "our daily bread") by Ahmad Simmons of River North Dance Chicago. Two shows only at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 East Randolph Street, Chicago, on Saturday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 9 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20-$60; half off for students, seniors and industry. Purchase tickets at the Harris by calling (312) 334-7777 or visiting harristheaterchicago.org. More about the Thodos Dance Chicago/Studio Gang Architects collaboration    (Photo on right, from left) Thodos Dance Chicago Artistic Director Melissa Thodos and Jeanne Gang at an initial meeting at Studio Gang Architects (photo on right, from left: Jeanne Gang and Melissa Thodos; photos by Claire Cahan).      Melissa Thodos, founder and artistic director of Thodos Dance Chicago, is the only female choreographer in Chicago to have helmed her own mid-sized, contemporary dance company for more than two decades with the unique mission of providing her ensemble dancers a platform to pursue dance as a performer, choreographer and educator.    Jeanne Gang is founder and principal of Studio Gang Architects, recognized as one of architecture's most innovative, well-regarded, and closely watched firms - and one uniquely interested in projects aimed at connecting, enhancing, and restoring urban and natural landscapes.  Studio Gang Architects is designing an interactive structure that combines art and science, tapping into cutting-edge research being performed by physicist Sidney Nagel and the Nagel Group at the University of Chicago.This new process, informally called "jamming," is being used to create vacuum-supported membrane structures with load-bearing properties. Responding to movement and other stimuli, the structure, stage set and dancers will transform into a live study of motion, material, shape, composition and light.  According to Gang, "Studio Gang Architects has long admired the work of Thodos Dance Chicago and its mission to inspire expression. As architects we are interested in how TDC uses the body's physicality and the mechanism of performance to catalyze community and creative discovery. We are thrilled to collaborate with Thodos Dance Chicago on this unique project exploring parallels between the worlds of audience and performer, art and science, movement and stasis." "Jeanne and her Studio Gang colleagues are true visionaries, and we've so enjoyed bringing our different but not altogether dissimilar creative worlds together with this project," Thodos added. "This collaboration reinforces many facets of Thodos Dance Chicago's mission of inspiring expression through performance, education and creation. This work will reflect the transformative power of dance and design as we blend our visions, fueled by cutting-edge science and the body, light and atmosphere, form and function, and create a brand new environment for our audiences to experience." More about A Light in the Dark, the story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan, back by popular demand Back by popular demand, Thodos Dance Chicago's Winter Concert 2014 will also boast a revival of the company's critically acclaimed smash hit A Light in the Dark, the story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan. This full-length story ballet, co-choreographed by Melissa Thodos and Broadway legend Ann Reinking, tells the intimate family story of Helen Keller, the extraordinary woman who was deaf and blind yet went on to become a world-famous writer, political activist and inspiration to all, and her teacher Anne Sullivan, who led Helen into a world of education, activism and intellectual celebrity.     A Light in the Dark features original music by composer Bruce Wolosoff, and was created in collaboration with dance legend Gary Chryst, rehearsal and stage direction; Nathan Tomlinson, TDC's resident lighting designer; and Nathan Rohrer, TDC's resident costume designer.   Hedy Weiss, dance critic with the Chicago Sun-Times, named the 2013 debut of A Light in the Dark one of the "Top 10 Dances of 2013," calling it "a feast for the senses...a powerful portrait of the meaning of communication, movement, independence, freedom and love." The Chicago Tribune hailed it as "a visceral illustration of the power of dance to enlighten." Dance Magazine wrote "the choreography weaves a tale with an almost mythic tone that gives us great new insight into Helen Keller's world."  The making of A Light in the Dark was the subject of Shine, a half-hour documentary captured through the lens of Emmy Award-winning Chicago filmmaker Christopher Kai Olsen. The documentary, which debuted on WTTW-TV, Channel 11 last September, will be rebroadcast on Channel 11 on Sunday, February 2 at 2:30 p.m., less than three weeks before the dance is reprised in Skokie and again at the Harris in March.     Thodos Dance Chicago is conducting extensive outreach to Chicago's vision- and hearing-impaired communities by offering complimentary tickets, discounted tickets, and special services including pre-show Touch Tours of the set, live audio description of the performance via two-way headsets, and braille and large-print programs. These services, piloted with great success last year, allow this critically important audience to experience contemporary dance, many for the first time, and in particular this creative retelling of the story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan through dance. In addition, Thodos Dance has created Connections, an experiential education outreach component targeting school and community groups that will link the story of Helen Keller, A Light in the Dark and contemporary dance to spur discussions about disability awareness. A LIGHT IN THE DARK - TRAILER from Kai Harding on Vimeo. Enjoy excerpts a performance of  A Light in the Dark, the story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan Also on Thodos' Winter Concert 2014 program Internationally established choreographer Lucas Crandall, Rehearsal Director at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, was tapped by Thodos Dance Chicago to set a new work that also will premiere at Winter Concert 2014. Titled Tsuru, this new full-company work embodies the search to find inner freedom amidst an environment full of adversity, and embraces the idea of the liberation of the soul.  Crandall has been creating works since 1982, and his pieces have been performed in the United States and abroad. Prior to re-joining Hubbard Street earlier this year, Crandall most recently  served as a guest teacher for the Ballet du Grand Theatre de Geneve, guest Ballet Master for Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal and Rehearsal Director for Northwest Dance Project.   Making the jump from TDC's New Dances series last summer to the company's official repertoire at Winter Concert 2014 is Panem Nostrum Quoditianum (Latin for "our daily bread") by guest choreographer Ahmad Simmons, a dancer with River North Dance Chicago.  Simmons first caught Melissa Thodos's eye back in 2006 when he was her student at the Broadway Theatre Project in Florida, so they have enjoyed a special connection even prior to his arrival on Chicago's dance scene.  Panem Nostrum Quoditianum is a spiritual, lyrical piece which explores the roots of Ahmad's learning; the dancers experience trust, community and freedom as they challenge their bodies to move beyond the mind. The Chicago Tribune called it "robust in technique and thought-provoking in theme, a sincere, straightforward exploration of spiritual matters in dance, a recitation of 'The Lord's Prayer' boldly part of its accompaniment."    About Thodos Dance Chicago  In 1992, Melissa Thodos, a young Evanston-born, Chicago-based dancer and choreographer, was frustrated with the lack of opportunities for local dancers to work in what in her mind was the obvious environment for any well-rounded dance professional:  A place to perform.  A place to create. And a place to educate. Fast-forward 20 years, and Thodos is the only female choreographer to have helmed her own mid-sized, contemporary dance company in Chicago for two decades with this unique mission. Today, Thodos Dance Chicago (TDC) is an ensemble of twelve versatile dance artists with a captivating style that uses a variety of dance forms. The company's unique mission of inspiring expression through dance education, dance creation and dance performance has established Thodos Dance Chicago as an innovative presence in American contemporary dance.  Thodos Dance Chicago features the American voice in contemporary dance and has created two critically acclaimed story ballets.  In addition to performing works by Melissa Thodos and resident artists, TDC performs a diverse array of works created by other reputable choreographers: Bob Fosse, Ann Reinking, Lar Lubovitch, Shapiro & Smith, Jon Lehrer, Michael Anderson, Zachary Whittenburg, Amy Ernst, Ron De Jesús, Gustavo Ramírez Sansano and KT Nelson. TDC ensemble members themselves also create highly-charged, illuminating world premieres every year in the company's acclaimed New Dances choreography series.   Thodos Dance Chicago ensemble members, who each teach, choreograph and perform with innovative flair, include veterans John Cartwright, Annie Deutz, Elizabeth Dickson, Alissa Tollefson, Kyle Hadenfeldt, Joshua Manculich, Jessica Miller Tomlinson, Jon Sloven and Diana Winfree.  New ensemble members this season are Tenley Dorrill, Brandon Harneck and Laura Zimmerer. Laura Gates is the company's rehearsal director and ballet mistress.   Thodos Dance Chicago continues to expand its artistic and institutional boundaries under the guidance of Founder and Artistic Director Melissa Thodos, Executive Director Gail Ford, Grants and Booking Director Rick Johnston, Board President Elaine Rosenfeld Margulis, a dedicated board of directors and administrative staff, and the support of thousands of contemporary dance enthusiasts both in Chicago and nationwide.     The company is supported by the Illinois Arts Council-a state agency, Target, The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, The Arts Work Fund, The Morrison-Scherer Foundation, The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, The Saints and many individual and corporate sponsors.       For more information, visit thodosdancechicago.org.  About Studio Gang Architects MacArthur Fellow Jeanne Gang is the founder of Studio Gang Architects, a Chicago-based collective of architects, designers, and thinkers practicing internationally. Jeanne uses architecture as a medium of active response to contemporary issues and their impact on human experience. Her work with Studio Gang is designed to resonate with its specific site and culture while addressing larger global themes such as reuse and sustainability. With this approach, Studio Gang has produced some of today's most innovative and visually compelling architecture. The firm's projects range from tall buildings like the Aqua Tower, whose façade encourages building community in the vertical dimension, to the Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo, where fourteen acres of biodiverse habitat are designed to double as storm water infrastructure and engaging public space. Honored and published widely, Studio Gang's work has been exhibited at the Venice Architecture Biennale, the Museum of Modern Art, the National Building Museum, and the Art Institute of Chicago. For more information, visit studiogang.net. Screen excerpts of Thodos Dance Chicago's 2013-2014 Repertoire

DANCE OPENING: DANCING HINDU GODS, LIVE SNAKES, LOVE AND VENGEANCE At The Joffrey Ballet

The Joffrey Ballet Presents Chicago Premiere of Exotic, Romantic Ballet set in India,

LA BAYADÈRE: THE TEMPLE DANCER

Auditorium Theatre, October 16 – 27

Less than a month after its special “Russian Masters” program, The Joffrey Ballet transports Chicago audiences to India with the Chicago Premiere of La Bayadère: The Temple Dancer, choreographed by Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch.  La Bayadère is presented over 10 performances with orchestral accompaniment by The Chicago Philharmonic conducted by Joffrey Music Director Scott Speck, at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, October 16 – 27.

Set in story-book India, La Bayadère: The Temple Dancer premiered at the Houston Ballet in 2010 and revolves around Nikiya, a temple dancer in the royal courts, her secret lover Solor, and the jealousy and betrayal that rips them apart.  Based on Marius Petipa’s classic choreography – including the famous “Kingdom of the Shades” scene, which Welch has left intact – Welch revitalizes a 19^th century classic full of the fantastic mysticism of the Orient, complete with dancing Hindu gods and live snakes. 

“La Bayadère is a legendary ballet, with the third act ‘Kingdom of the Shades’ reigning as one of the most memorable dance sequences in the classical tradition,” said Ashley Wheater, Joffrey Ballet Artistic Director.  “136 years after its creation, I sought a fresh way of telling the story.  Stanton Welch’s production breathes new life into La Bayadère, while retaining the best of Marius Petipa’s original choreography.  Stanton has compressed and clarified the story, focusing on physical action rather than traditional pantomime.  The story is told through movement with athleticism that appeals to contemporary audiences.”

A ballet in three acts, La Bayadère features lavish costumes and sets by British designer Peter Farmer and is accompanied by Ludwig Minkus’ score as arranged by John Lanchbery. The costume designs evoke a story-book India through traditional attire such as harem pants and saris.  “Peter's scenic design is not a realistic depiction of India,” commented Welch.  “It's like looking through an old picture book from western culture with a view of romanticized India.  The production has a very painterly look, almost reminiscent of Monet, which gives it dreaminess and romance.”  The lavish production includes 121 costumes comprised of 568 items.  This also includes 26 handmade white tutus for the “Kingdom of the Shades” scene.

The ballet opens in the wild, lush jungle of India as the brave warrior Solor kills a menacing Bengal tiger, consequently saving the life of the temple dancer Nikiya.  The two are love-struck, but Nikiya has devoted her life to dancing only for the gods.  However, the High Priest of the temple, or Brahmin, is also in love with Nikiya.  As a reward for killing the man-eating tiger, Solor is promised the hand in marriage of Gamzatti, the Rajah’s daughter, a further obstacle to Solor and Nikiya’s blossoming secret love.  From there, the drama compounds and the twists unfurl as Nikiya and Solor struggle to fulfill their love while the forces of jealousy, vengeance and fate conspire to keep them apart.

La Bayadère’s third act, the famous “Kingdom of the Shades,” showcases the female ensemble dancers in white tutus, executing 38 synchronized arabesques as they slowly fill the stage, one of the purest forms of ballet-blanc, or white tutu ballet.  “The ‘Kingdom of the Shades’ is a challenging segment because it requires such control and precision from the women,” added Welch.  The “Kingdom of the Shades” is so popular it is often performed on its own.

Although the exact origin of the story of La Bayadère is unknown, it is an example of 19^th century Romantic ballets set in an exotic location with a fascination with the Orient, spiritualism, triangular relationships, ethereal beings and dramatic plot lines.  Petipa’s La Bayadère premiered on the Bolshoi Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1877.  

Tickets & Performance Schedule

Single tickets range from $31 to $152 and are available now at The Joffrey Ballet’s official Box Office located in the lobby of Joffrey Tower, 10 E. Randolph Street, as well as the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University Box Office, all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, by telephone at (800) 982-2787, or online atwww.ticketmaster.com.  

La Bayadère: The Temple Dancer runs Wednesday, October 16 through Sunday, October 27.  The full performance schedule is as follows:  Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 7:30 pm; Friday, Oct. 18 at 7:30 pm; Saturday, Oct. 19 at 2 pm and 7:30 pm; Sunday, Oct. 20 at 2 pm; Thursday, Oct. 24 at 7:30 pm; Friday, October 25 at 7:30 pm; Saturday, Oct. 26 at 2 pm and 7:30 pm; and Sunday, October 27 at 2 pm.

About the Artists

Stanton Welch (Choreographer) was born in Melbourne, Australia and began his training in 1986, quickly winning a scholarship to San Francisco Ballet School.  In 1989, he was engaged as a dancer with The Australian Ballet, where he rose to the rank of leading soloist.  Welch’s choreographic career developed during his time with The Australian Ballet.  In 1990, he received his first choreographic commission from the company, marking the beginning of a series of commissioned works over the next fourteen years and developing his diverse choreographic style.  In 1995, Welch was named resident choreographer of The Australian Ballet.  In 2003, Welch assumed the leadership of Houston Ballet, America's fourth largest ballet company, as Artistic Director.  Since his arrival, Welch has transformed Houston Ballet by raising the level of classical technique, infusing the company with new energy, drive and vision; introducing works by distinguished choreographers to the repertoire; and attracting some of the world's best coaches to Houston to work with the dancers.  He has created works for such prestigious international companies as Houston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, The Australian Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, and Royal Danish Ballet.

Born in Luton, England, Peter Farmer's prolific career in set and costume design includes over 300 productions in dance and theater.  Farmer’s first work in ballet was the design of Jack Carter's Agrionia in 1964 for Ballet Rambert.  Since then he has created designs for many major ballet companies around the world, including Stuttgart Ballet, The Royal Ballet Touring Company, London Festival Ballet, The Australian Ballet, The Royal Ballet, Vienna State Opera, Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.  He made his debut with The National Ballet of Canada in 1973 when he designed Erik Bruhn and Celia Franca's production of Les Sylphides.  In 1990, Farmer returned to the National Ballet to design the company's production of Robert North's Troy Game.  In 1992, he designed the sets and costumes for Houston Ballet’s production of Manon.  In 1995, The Australian Ballet unveiled Farmer’s sets and costumes for their production of Madame Butterfly choreographed by Stanton Welch.  Farmer continues to design for dance, creating sets and costumes for many companies across North America.

The Joffrey Ballet is Chicago’s premier ballet company committed to artistic excellence and innovation, presenting a unique repertory encompassing masterpieces of the past and cutting-edge works of today.  Founded by visionary teacher Robert Joffrey in 1956, guided by celebrated choreographer Gerald Arpino from 1988 until 2007, The Joffrey Ballet continues to thrive under Artistic Director Ashley Wheater and Executive Director Greg Cameron.  The Joffrey is also committed to providing arts education and accessible dance training through its Joffrey Academy of Dance and Community Engagement programs. 

The Joffrey Ballet is grateful for the support of its 2013-2014 Season Sponsors and Partners.  With special thanks to La Bayadère Presenting Sponsors, Margot and Josef Lakonishok; La Bayadère Production Sponsor, Jane Ellen Murray Foundation; Abbott Fund and NIB Foundation, Co-Sponsors of the 2013-2014 Season; United Airlines, Official & Exclusive Airline; Vanguard Weiss Memorial Hospital, Chicago Center for Orthopedics, Official Healthcare Provider; AthletiCo, Official Provider of Physical Therapy; JW Marriott, Official Hotel; and MAC, Official Cosmetic Sponsor.

Upcoming

Robert Joffrey’s The Nutcracker returns for its seasonal run at the Auditorium Theatre, bringing Tchaikovsky’s classic score to life with dancing snowflakes, battling toys, waltzing flowers and the splendor of the full Joffrey company on stage with over 100 young dancers from the Chicagoland area.  Robert Joffrey’s The Nutcracker is presented in 23 performances, December 6 – 28, 2013.

For more information on The Joffrey Ballet and its programs, please visit joffrey.org.

DANCE OPENINGS: Ballet West at Auditorium Theatre

ROMANCE AND MYSTERY FILL THE AUDITORIUM STAGE WITH BALLET WEST’S 

“The sleeping beauty” and MIXED REP INCLUDING “the Lottery” October 4 – 6 

Auditorium Theatre’s Annual Gala, “An Evening of Fortune and Chance,” October 6 

The Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University welcomes Ballet West to the stage for the Chicago Premiere of “The Sleeping Beauty ” and a mixed repertory  including “Rubies,” Pas de Deux from “Diamonds," a world premiere piece by Nicolo Fonte and the Midwest premiere of “The Lottery” October 4 - 6. Artistic Director Adam Sklute, formerly of The Joffrey Ballet, returns to Chicago while celebrating Ballet West’s 50th Anniversary. Ballet West, one of America’s favorite companies as well as the stars of the CW’s “Breaking Pointe,” bring the magic of a newly imagined fairytale, choreographed by Sklute and “The Lottery,” a suspenseful, innovative piece—never performed the same way twice—choreographed by Val Caniparoli with an original score by Robert Moran. Tickets ($30 – $90) are on sale now and available online at AuditoriumTheatre.org , by calling (800) 982-ARTS (2787) or at the Auditorium Theatre Box Office (50 E Congress Pkwy).

The Lottery

In conjunction with Ballet West’s engagement, the Auditorium will host their annual gala, “An Evening of Fortune and Chance” on Sunday, October 6. featuring a performance of “The Lottery” followed by a reception and dinner at the Hilton Chicago sponsored by the Pasquinelli Family Foundation. 

We are thrilled to welcome Artistic Director Adam Sklute back to Chicago and the Auditorium’s landmark stage where his former company, The Joffrey Ballet, makes their home,” said Auditorium Theatre Executive Director Brett Batterson. “This mesmerizing company brings diverse and captivating pieces that are sure to have audiences of all ages falling in love and wanting more.”

Adam Sklute’s newly conceived and produced staging of “The Sleeping Beauty” strives to take an ageless fairytale and make it exciting and relevant to modern audience’s while maintaining the classical purity of the beloved story. Taken from the famous Perrault fairytale, Princess Aurora is welcomed into the world by all except the evil Carabose. Cursing the princess with a wicked spell, the princess is doomed to an eternal sleep when she pricks her finger on a magical spindle. 100 years later, Prince Desire is led to Aurora by the enchanted fairies, breaking the spell with a special kiss demonstrating the triumph of good versus evil. With new characters, costumes and vision, Sklute’s “The Sleeping Beauty,” takes audiences on an enchanting journey through time and fantasy. 

I am so thrilled to return to this incredible city and to such a wonderful home at the Auditorium Theater,” said Sklute. “Both programs that Ballet West will perform offer something magical for all audiences. With “The Sleeping Beauty” they are transported to a fairytale story that still resonates today. With “The Lottery” audiences are able see a brand new performance each and every time allowing them a unique and thrilling experience.”

Based on Shirley Jackson’s shocking American short story, “The Lottery,” Val Caniparoli creates a truly suspenseful, interactive experience for both audiences and dancers. Set in a small American town, the community takes part in an annual barbaric ritual, sacrificing one of their own people for the good of the community by drawing ballots to see who will be chosen. In Caniparoli’s innovative ballet, all 14 dancers on stage choose their fate during the performance, creating a wonderful sense of tension and excitement for all. 

One of the greatest things about ballet is that it truly offers something for everyone―storytelling, art, music and astonishing athleticism,” said Sklute. “Our Ballet West dancers are prime examples as artists who are so musically attuned that their very gesture and glance can illuminate the subtlety and nuance of the music they dance to. That artistry and athleticism is shown in full-force during ‘The Lottery.’”

In addition to “The Lottery” Ballet West performs “Rubies” and Pas de Deux from “Diamonds.” George Balanchine’s “Rubies” takes the audience on a journey into the wild 1920’s America. Part of Balanchine’s three-piece masterpiece, “Jewels,” composer Igor Stravinsky creates a three-movement “Capriccio” allowing for a breathless and exciting race to the finish line for the pianist, orchestra and dancers. “Diamonds,” the third section of Balanchine’s “Jewels” was choreographed to Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 3 in D major, Op. 29 capturing the grandeur and soul of imperial Russia. 

Also as part of the mixed repertory on October 6, the Auditorium will host the world premiere of a new piece by Nicolo Fonte.

Ballet West performances are made possible through the generosity of Patti Eylar and Charlie Gardner. Support for “The Lottery” is generously provided by the Kipper Family Foundation.

The Lottery” is presented by special arrangement with the Children of Shirley Jackson and Literal Media.

Auditorium Theatre’s Annual Gala “An Evening of Fortune and Chance”

Auditorium Theatre’s annual gala, “An Evening of Fortune and Chance,” sponsored by the Pasquinelli Family Foundation, will be held in conjunction with Ballet West’s engagement on Sunday, October 6. The affair will begin at 3 p.m. with a mixed repertory performance from Ballet West including “Rubies,” Pas de Deux from “Diamonds,” a world premiere performance by Nicolo Fonte and Val Caniparoli’s “The Lottery” at the Auditorium Theatre. The evening continues at the Hilton Chicago (720 S Michigan) where guests will be treated to a reception and dinner. Patti Eylar, Barbara Kipper and Harriet Ross are the gala co-chairs. Special guests of the evening include Ballet West Artistic Director Adam Sklute, Choreographer Val Caniparoli and Choreographer Nicolo Fonte as well as author Shirley Jackson’s children. For tickets and more information please contact Amanda Martinez Byrne at (312) 341-2364 or at abyrne@auditoriumtheatre.org.

Performance Schedule and Ticket Information

Sleeping Beauty

Ballet West’s “The Sleeping Beauty ” and Mixed Rep  including “The Lottery” at Auditorium Theatre: 

   The Sleeping Beauty:” Friday, October 4 at 7:30 p.m.

                                  Saturday, October 5 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m

Mixed Rep including      

The Lottery”:                Sunday, October 6 at 3 p.m.

Tickets ($30 - $90) are available online at AuditoriumTheatre.org , by calling
(800) 982-ARTS (2787) or in-person at Auditorium Theatre’s Box Office (50 E Congress Pkwy). Ballet West’s “The Sleeping Beauty” is also available at a 30% discount as part of the Auditorium’s Dance Subscription, starting at $84 for four dance shows and $101 for five dance shows. Subscriptions are available at (312) 341.2357 or AuditoriumTheatre.org .

Auditorium Theatre’s 2013 - 14 Season:

The full Auditorium Theatre 2013 – 14 season includes “Death Boogie” (September 5 – 7); Ballet West’s “The Sleeping Beauty” and a Mixed Rep including “Rubies,” Pas de Deux from “Diamonds” and “The Lottery” (October 4 – 6); Hungarian State Folk Ensemble (November 22); “Too Hot to Handel: The Jazz-Gospel Messiah” (January 18 - 19); Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (February 28 – March 9); Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan’s “Songs of the Wanderers” (March 14 and 16); Houston Ballet’s “Aladdin” (March 22 – 23); Chick Corea and Béla Fleck (April 5); River North Dance Chicago (April 12); “The Idan Raichel Project” (May 15); and Paul Taylor Dance Company (May 17–18). 

About the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University

The Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, located at 50 E Congress Pkwy, is an Illinois, not-for-profit organization committed to presenting the finest in international, cultural, community and educational programming to Chicago, and to the continued restoration and preservation of the National Historic Landmark Auditorium Theatre. The Auditorium Theatre is generously supported by the MacArthur Foundation, the NIB Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council and the Palmer House Hilton.  For more information about programming, volunteer and donor opportunities or theater tours, call (312) 341-2310 or visit AuditoriumTheatre.org .

About Ballet West

From Balanchine to Bournonville and Petipa to Tharp, Ballet West boasts a rich and varied repertoire, elegant and versatile artists, and an American style and legacy that is dynamic, expansive and unexpected. Established by Willam F. Christensen in 1963, the company has toured the world several times over presenting the very best in American classical ballet. With 40 company members, 11 second company members, and a thriving Academy, Ballet West ranks among the top professional ballet companies in America. Since its inception, the Company has had five artistic directors – its founder Willam Christensen, Bruce Marks, John Hart, Jonas Kåge and, currently, Adam Sklute.

Since 2007, Sklute, former dancer, Ballet Master and Associate Director of The Joffrey Ballet, has further energized and expanded Ballet West’s remarkable repertoire with works by the most renowned choreographers of today such as Ulysses Dove, Jiri Kylian, Mark Morris, Twyla Tharp, and Stanton Welch. Sklute has also introduced historical masterpieces from the great Ballets Russes and continues to preserve Ballet West’s classical legacy.  Sklute continues to strengthen Ballet West’s heritage by introducing new creations by local, national and international choreographers. With this eclectic and ever expanding outlook, Ballet West is truly an American pioneer in the world of dance.

Rubies Photo Credit Erik Ostling

ACT OUT OPENING: PRODUCE at Signal Ensemble Theatre July 26-27 & Aug 9-10

The Ensemble Project & Signal Ensemble’s Julie Ballard and Anthony Ingram present:  PRODUCE

Returning for a Third Season of Artistic Mixing and Matching

at Signal Ensemble Theatre July 26-27 and Aug 9-10, 2013

WHAT:   The Ensemble Project Presents PRODUCE: a multi-arts experiment in four parts

WHO:  Hosted by Lauren Warnecke and Signal Ensemble member Anthony Ingram, with participating artists Country Death Trip, Mark Hardy / Celestial Architecture, Carol McCurdy and Michael Zerang, Philip Elson, The Nexus Project (Michel Rodriguez Cintra and Benjamin Holliday Wardell),
crawlspace (Lydia Feuerhelm), Newman and Newman (Cara and Julia Newman), and hey girl hey omg girl real life (Heather Marie Vernon and Darling Shear).

WHEN:  Friday and Saturday July 26-27 at 7:30pm and Friday and Saturday August 9-10 at 7:30pm

WHERE:  Signal Ensemble Theatre, 1802 W. Berenice, Chicago, IL 60613. Street parking available on Ravenswood and Berenice (runs one way going west) CTA Brown line EL stops Irving Park and Addison CTA busses #80-Irving Park, #152-Addison, #50-Damen, #11-Lincoln. Handicapped accessible. For additional parking and transportation information, visit http://www.signalensemble.com/contact/directions.html

HOW MUCH:  Tickets are available for $8 ($25 season pass) at the door or online at https://www.artful.ly/events/1476

The Ensemble Project and Signal Ensemble Theatre’s Julie Ballard and Anthony Ingram present PRODUCE for its third season in collaboration with Lauren Warnecke / Art Intercepts. Selected by Time Out Chicago as one of the top dance performances of 2012, PRODUCE is a multi-disciplinary lab for sound and movement artists to play with their work, and with the traditional audience format. Selected artists are “mashed” together in various combinations and conditions over four consecutive performances. 

Throughout each performance and the series, the audience has an opportunity to provide real-time feedback, ask questions, figure out what experimental performance is and how it works, and help to inform the next phase of the performance (the substance of which is largely decided in the moment). Artists and audience alike witness the deconstruction and regeneration of existing works thrust into unforeseen territories as dictated by co-hosts Lauren Warnecke and Signal Ensemble member Anthony Ingram.

First devised by co-producers Lauren Warnecke and Milwaukee-based musician Timothy Russell, the series premiered in 2011 and continued last year with hosts Warnecke and Chicago sound artist Russell Weiss. 

Now in its third season, this year's line-up includes:
Country Death Trip, Mark Hardy / Celestial Architecture, Carol McCurdy and Michael Zerang, Philip Elson, The Nexus Project (Michel Rodriguez Cintra and Benjamin Holliday Wardell), crawlspace (Lydia Feuerhelm), Newman and Newman (Cara and Julia Newman), and hey girl hey omg girl real life (Heather Marie Vernon and Darling Shear). Adding to the PRODUCE family in 2013 is new co-host and Signal Ensemble member Anthony Ingram who, with fellow Signal Ensemble associate Julie Ballard will be producing the series under The Ensemble Project. The Ensemble Project creates opportunities for Signal members and associates to work on individual projects outside the company’s performance season by providing them with space, marketing opportunities and mentorship. Working alongside Ballard and Ingram is original curator/producer Lauren Warnecke / Art Intercepts. 

With this change in venue come increased support, possibilities, and production value, as well as a new performance structure.  Instead of four single weekly performances, Season 3 of PRODUCE consists Friday and Saturday performances two weeks apart.

PRODUCE runs July 26-27 and August 9-10 at 7:30pm. Tickets are $8 general admission.  Season passes are available for $25.  All performances are located at Signal Ensemble Theatre, 1802 W. Berenice, Chicago, IL 60613. For more information, call Lauren Warnecke at 773-341-8940 or purchase tickets online at https://www.artful.ly/events/1476.

SOUND AND MUSIC ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES:

Mark Hardy / Celestial Architecture: Mark Hardy is a musician, composer and artist currently living in Chicago. His music has been performed by the Cuarteto Latinoamericano, the Butchershop Quartet, and other ensembles around the world.  Painting and drawing has always been a passion for him concurrent to music writing, and his graphic scores for improvisation that merge these two disciplines. Celestial Architecture is a group with revolving members assembled to perform “Constellations.”

Michael Zerang of McCurdy/Zerang: Michael Zerang has been a professional musician, composer, and producer since 1976, focusing extensively on improvised music, free jazz, contemporary composition, puppet theater, experimental theater, and international musical forms. As a percussionist and composer, Michael has over eighty titles in his discography and has toured nationally and internationally to 34 countries since 1981, and works with and ever-widening pool of collaborators.

Country Death Trip, Staring Barry Thaded and The Deacon: Country Death Trip hit the road, the Summer of ’72 – the year of the Rat. Touring the backwaters of Terrebonne Parish, LA – raising hell and saving babies – they were eventually run out of the state by peckerwood Sheriff Allan T. Complain… for honin in on his territory. Since then, CDT has circled the world 5 times (not necessarily in that order) sleeping on the sofas of adoring jailbait – and occasionally wedged between the Pepsi machine. At one point they were to open for the Residents, but were dropped from the roster when Randy’s eyeball went missing. Today, the Trip recaptures its long lost youth, playing prom dates, quinceañeras, and the occasional bris.

MOVEMENT AND DANCE ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES:

The Nexus Project (Michel Rodriguez Cintra and Benjamin Holliday Wardell): The Nexus Project is a complex choreographic collaboration in which twelve Chicago-based choreographers from a wide range of dance backgrounds each had twelve hours to choreograph a duet on the two of us. Now, we are breaking all the duets apart and remixing them to create a unique choreographic vocabulary out of strictly nothing but the original choreographers’ movements.  This vocabulary will comprise the movement for an evening of storytelling in November 2013.

Carole McCurdy of McCurdy and Zerang: Carole McCurdy has performed at spaces including the Chicago Cultural Center, Epiphany Dance, Links Hall, Hamlin Park, High Concept Laboratories, Movement Research (NY), and Defibrillator Gallery. She has created solo performance pieces and work for ensemble, danced in butoh pieces with Nicole Legette’s Blushing Poppy, and worked with a talented array of Chicago improvisers and devisers.

crawlspace (Lydia Feuerhelm): Lydia Feuerhelm is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance at Columbia College Chicago and plans to graduate in the Spring of 2014. Her choreographic and improvisational work has been presented  at various events including The Dance Repertory Company, The American College Dance Festival Association, Manifest Urban Arts Festival, WedLocal, and Chicago Art Institute’s After Dark.  Her recent performance credits include works by Charlotte Kahler, Alexa Rittichier, and Andy Slavin. Besides investigating movement, Feuerhelm has a keen interest in exploring dance for camera and multi-media collaborations.

“hey girl hey omg girl real life” (Heather Marie Vernon and Darling Shear): We want a lot of things to happen we want to make people aware of their surroundings, what they say, how they move, how they interact with each other and the world around them.  We want them to be playful with what happens when we do push those boundaries and navigate those bordered spaces. We want people to figure out what and who they are – like a bird who makes her nest based on the circumference of her wingspan and what’s around her.

Philip Elson: is a dance artist engaging with various arenas of dance research and performance including live performance, dance for camera, and experimental collaboration. He received a BFA in Dance from Columbia College Chicago. Currently, Elson is in his fifth season dancing with contemporary dance company The Seldoms, with whom he also serves as Technology and Media Coordinator. Elson’s choreographic work has been showcased in Chicago as part of MIX with SIX presented by The Seldoms, Dance for $9.99 presented by Chicago Moving Company, The Open Space Project, Poonie’s Cabaret, The A.W.A.R.D. Show! 2010: Chicago, Red Tape Theater’s CFANN 2010, Manifest Urban Arts Festival, Links Hall’s Linkages Program, and at The Loyola University Museum of Art in conjunction with The Seldoms. Elson’s choreography has also been presented nationally and internationally by Performance Works NorthWest (Portland, OR), Collin College’s Dance Fusion (Plano, TX), In It For Life Productions (New York, NY), Muscle Memory Dance Theater (Dallas,TX), the American College Dance Festival (Urbana,IL), and Basso (Berlin, Germany). Elson’s collaborative roles with dance involve sound and video design, web design, video documentation and editing, curation, and arts administration. Elson has served as curator for Bizarre Bazaar: A Holiday Special hosted by Red Tape Theatre, The 2011 Chicago Fringe Artists Networking Night (CFANN), the Student/Alumni Stage for 1306: Ten Years Later at The Dance Center of Columbia College, and Dive – a festival event presented by The Open Space Project. Elson has had the pleasure to work with companies and artists such as Carrie Hanson/The Seldoms, tEEth, Joanna Rosenthal/ Same Planet Different World Dance Theater, Paige Cunningham-Caldarella, Colleen Halloran, Jonathan Meyer/Khecari Dance Theater, Liz Burritt, Matthew Hollis, Jyl Fehrenkamp, and Muscle Memory Dance Theatre.

Newman and Newman: Cara and Julia Newman have been dancing together for over two decades. Cara Newman received her BFA in Dance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2011 and has been making work and performing in Chicago since then. Her work has been performed at Links Hall, the Fasseas White Box, and the ATTIC.  Cara began collaborating with her sister Julia Newman recently in an effort to investigate the quality of movement and references made as a result of two sisters creating work together. Julia Newman received her training at the Dance Centre in Lombard, IL and is currently a nursing student at Loyola University.  Cara and Julia would like to thank their parents for creating quite the duo.

ABOUT THE PRODUCERS:

Lauren Warnecke / Art Intercepts is a Chicago-based dance artist, writer, and educator. She trained in classical ballet and modern dance, earning a BA at Columbia College Chicago. Lauren completed an MS in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she is a full-time Clinical Instructor and Certified Personal Trainer (American College of Sports Medicine). Created in 2009 as a platform for dance-based discourse, Lauren owns and operates Art Intercepts. She is a contributing author/blogger at Dance Advantage, SeeChicagoDance, 4dancers, The L Stop, and the Huffington Post.  Lauren also freelances as a choreographer, grant writer, and production/stage manager, and enjoys baking scones and digging in the dirt.

Julie E. Ballard is a Chicago-based lighting designer, photographer, production/stage manager and sound/media designer.  She worked as the Lighting Director at the Dance Center of Columbia College for nearly 8 years, and is owner/operator of Overlap Lighting Productions.  As an independent, freelance artist, Ms. Ballard is an Artistic Associate with Signal Ensemble Theatre and Unnatural Spaces, as well as Technical Director for The Seldoms, Same Planet/Different World, and Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre.  Ms. Ballard has been a part of numerous festivals as well as American Dance Festival, and has toured nationally and internationally with David Dorfman Dance and The Seldoms.  Some of her favorite theatre designs include Cabaret (University of Florida), 1776 (Signal Ensemble Theatre) and I Sing (Whitehorse Theatre).  Ms. Ballard holds a BA in Theater, and earned her MFA in Lighting Design from the University of Florida. www.overlaplighting.com

Anthony Ingram is in his eighth season as an ensemble member with Signal.  His sound designs with the company include Princes of Waco, Hostage Song, Motion, East of Berlin/The Russian Play, Aces, Aftermath, The Ballad of the Sad Cafe, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Six Degrees of Separation, The Birthday Party, Old Wicked Songs, Fool for Love, Hamlet, The Weir, Closer, The Dumb Waiter and The Zoo Story, She Stoops to Conquer and Seascape. He has stage-managed prior Signal Ensemble productions including Catch-22 and the original run of Waiting for Godot,  performed as Lucky in the remount of Godot, and directed Accidental Death of an Anarchist. He has been building, designing, performing in, directing and stage-managing productions in the Chicagoland area since his arrival in 2002. His other recent sound designs include Lifeline’s Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, The Factory’s Dead Wrong, Right Brain Project’s And They Put Handcuffs On The Flowers, Shattered Globe’s The Little Foxes, and Bailiwick’s Thrill Me.

ABOUT THE ENSEMBLE PROJECT:

Signal’s mission speaks to our commitment to challenge and support our distinguished ensemble in their artistic growth.  The season of shows provides opportunities to grow as an ensemble within the framework of the company’s vision, but we recognize our artists’ potential as individuals outside of that as well.

The Ensemble Project has been created to provide our ensemble members and associates with an outlet for their individual projects.  These are not limited to the theatrical medium and can be proposed at any time.  Upon approval, Signal provides the space, certain marketing opportunities and other help, which is determines on a case-by-case basis.  The individual is the primary producer on this venture and assumes the remaining production responsibilities.

For more information, visit http://www.signalensemble.com