Saturday, 09 May 2026 12:33
Chicago Danztheatre's Architecture of Memory Turns Personal Reflection Into Collective Catharsis
Written by Wesley David
At first glance, the performance space for Architecture of Memory feels less like a theater and more like a living museum of human experience. Before a single performer moves, the audience is invited into an art installation featuring the work of three artists whose visions quietly prepare us for the…
Published in
Dance in Review
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Monday, 13 April 2026 11:52
Giordano’s Ignite the Soul Dance Concert a Study in Topflight Versatility
Written by Mitchell Oldham
It’s no secret every new dance season is filled with its own undercurrent of anticipation. Regardless of the company, audiences who follow them silently wonder what will be the prevailing theme that will dominate a troupe’s next major performance. What attributes will signal growth and maturity. What kind of insights…
Published in
Dance in Review
Friday, 13 March 2026 20:57
A Winning Combination: Winning Works at the Museum of Contemporary Art
Written by Kendall Royzen
It was the flippant statement heard round the humanities. An errant comment, a sweeping generalization, and another dismissive remark towards the arts. While the internet might have lambasted the commentator, the commentary at its core is the erroneous belief or misunderstanding that the arts are a relic of a bygone…
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Dance in Review
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Friday, 20 February 2026 13:57
Seventy Years in Motion: The Joffrey Ballet’s American Icons
Written by Bree Samani
Marking 70 years of bold, expressive movement, American Icons from The Joffrey Ballet shines as a vibrant salute to the choreographers who shaped American ballet and helped define the company’s enduring legacy. Presented at the stunning Lyric Opera House in the heart of downtown Chicago, the program unfolds under the…
Published in
Dance in Review
Sunday, 25 January 2026 13:58
A Century in Motion: Martha Graham’s Legacy Reborn
Written by Wesley David
At the Auditorium Theatre, a building that itself carries the muscle memory of American performance history, the Martha Graham Dance Company marked its 100th anniversary with an evening that felt less like a retrospective than a living argument for why Graham still matters. This was not modern dance preserved in…
Published in
Dance in Review
Saturday, 06 December 2025 11:19
Chicago Christmas Magic: The Nutcracker Celebrates 10 years of Magic at The Lyric Opera
Written by Kendall Royzen
At this time of year, when Christmas lights begin to twinkle and colors of green and red illuminate throughout the city, I am nostalgically drawn to the ballet. To me, there is nothing so quintessentially magical as The Nutcracker ballet at Christmas time. I can hum, and chair compose the…
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Dance in Review
Sunday, 16 November 2025 13:31
Review: Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater’s 50th Anniversary Celebration at Auditorium Theatre
Written by Bree Samani
The Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater’s 50th Anniversary Celebration was a gorgeous tribute to the history, culture and romance of Spanish dance. From the moment the dancers stepped onstage I was immediately drawn in by the burst of color, the pulse of the music and the intricate, lightning-fast footwork. The…
Published in
Dance in Review
Sunday, 09 November 2025 14:24
Review: Chicago Repertory Ballet's The Capulets at Ruth Page Center for the Arts
Sarz Maxwell
I’ll cut right to the chase and say THE CAPULETS by Chicago Repertory Ballet may be the finest dance show I’ve seen since I saw the Joffrey dance Christopher Wheeldon’s iconic adaptation of Nutcracker. I had the delight of speaking both before & after the show with Wade Schaaf, founder…
Published in
Dance in Review
Monday, 20 October 2025 15:51
Giordano Dance Chicago’s Ignite the Soul: red, black and vibrant
Written by Susan Lieberman
Many decades ago, my mother enrolled me in ballet classes, hoping the classical training would somehow turn her rotund preteen into a graceful swan. On my way to those tortuous lessons on Davis Street in Evanston, I passed another door marked “Gus Giordano Studio.” The typeface was cooler than the…
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Dance in Review
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Monday, 09 June 2025 15:23
Review: Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre at Ruth Page Center for the Arts
Sarz Maxwell
This performance by Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre (CRDT) at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts directly addressed and refuted the declarations hurled at us since January 2025, e.g.: “As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders:…
Published in
Dance in Review
Saturday, 07 June 2025 00:09
Chasing the White Rabbit into Ballet Brilliance: Joffrey Ballet’s Mesmerizing 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'
Written by Kimberly Katz
Wowza! If you're searching for one of Chicago’s must-see summer events, look no further. The Joffrey Ballet has done it again, this time taking Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to electrifying new heights at the Lyric Opera House, delivering a kaleidoscopic whirlwind of dance, theatrics, and pure magic. Guided by the…
Published in
Dance in Review
Sunday, 18 May 2025 13:47
Hiplet Ballerinas: A Daring Dance Revolution at Auditorium Theatre
Written by Kimberly Katz
An electrifying evening of artistic fusion unfolded at the Auditorium Theatre as Hiplet Ballerinas, the professional company of the Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center, dazzled audiences once again with their breathtaking production, Dipped in Versatility. Created by Homer Hans Bryant, Hiplet redefines the boundaries of dance, blending the elegance of classical…
Published in
Dance in Review
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- Auditorium Theatre
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- Brandon Paraharm
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- Terri “Berri” Woodall
- Dajiah Alexander
- Benjamin Marshall
- Miranda McGovern
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- Nia Towe
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- Alexandria Franklin
- Ballet
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Monday, 07 April 2025 12:19
GDC Spring Program Eloquently Distills the Vagaries and Splendor of Life Through Dance
Written by Mitchell Oldham
Dance performances can often be moving events but rarely do they hold the density, breadth and depth of emotions Giordano Dance Chicago’s (GDC) Spring engagement encompassed Friday night at the Harris Theater. Part tribute, part commemoration of a milestone, and a total celebration of life, Soaring: Life, Light and Legacy…
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Dance in Review
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