Areas We Cover
Categories
Dance
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Dance Review: CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON’S NUTCRACKER (The Joffrey Ballet at Lyric Opera House)
A FAIRYTALE REBORN ON THE SOUTH SIDE Wheeldon’s Chicago-set Nutcracker still casts a decade-long spell Ten years in, Pyotr Tchaikovsky and the World’s Columbian Exposition are still a match made in ballet heaven. It’s December 24, 1892, in Jackson Park, a working-class neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. A young girl (Amanda Assucena), accompanied by her…
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Dance Review: MATTERS OF THE HEART (The Joffrey Ballet at The Harris Theater)
FROM FRIDA TO FUNK, MATTERS OF THE HEART THRILLS When words fall short of capturing the fullness and depth of life’s experience, there is dance—or more broadly, art itself. That truth was made irrefutably clear last weekend when The Joffrey Ballet joined forces with Harris Theater for Joffrey at the Harris: Matters of the Heart,…
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Dance Review: PAUL TAYLOR DANCE COMPANY (2025 Lincoln Center Residency Opening Night)
TAYLOR MADE During his 64-year career, Paul Taylor helped lead, define, and shape American modern dance. Out of his 147 works, the Paul Taylor Dance Company opened its three-week Lincoln Center season last night with one of his final creations, Concertiana, which premiered in 2018—the year of his passing. Paul Taylor’s Concertiana Eleven dancers, clad…
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Dance Review: AN EVENING WITH JOHAN INGER (Gibney Company Up Close at New York Live Arts)
RUNNING IN PLACE AMONG THE STARS: A TRANSFIXING EVENING OF JOHAN INGER “I hate dance reviews,” my friend says to me during intermission. There are vertical trails on her cheeks, wet where her tears made slalom paths moments ago. “What could you say that would describe what we just saw?” I agree with her. I…
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Highly Recommended Event: THE 2025 3ARTS AWARDS CELEBRATION (Harris Theater)
CELEBRATING THE INDESPENSIBILITY OF CHICAGO’S CREATIVES Glowing cultural vibrancy and great world cities are so often intertwined they are effectively one. Scan the globe and nearly every city that enjoys high international prestige harbors a rich, and often dazzling, arts community. Whether it’s Paris, Cape Town, Mexico City, Lisbon, London or Hanoi, the arts explode…
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Dance Review: GRAVITY (Ballet Preljocaj, The Joyce)
Angelin Preljocaj has carved out a daring niche in the dance world, fusing classical ballet with contemporary flair to invent a unique, bold alphabet of movements. Now, the US premiere of Ballet Preljocaj’s Gravity is at The Joyce Theater, and it is an amazing experience, a meditation on the invisible force that binds us all….
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Dance Review: LIMÓN DANCE COMPANY (Joyce)
WHAT TO DO WITH MIDCENTURY MODERNISM? The first piece on the evening bill of the José Limon Dance Company’s residency at the Joyce was Limón’s Chaconne. As the director’s note in the program points out, the chaconne was a Mexican musical style interpreted by European composers. This piece, from 1942, was given a contemporary makeover,…
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Dance Review: DEATH AND THE MAIDEN WITH BURLESQUE: VARIATION IX (American Contemporary Ballet)
CORPS MEETS CORPSE: ACB DANCES LIFE TO DEATH (AND BACK AGAIN) Loss and longing pervade the revival of American Contemporary Ballet‘s surprisingly optimistic Death and the Maiden, now running at Bank of America Plaza through November 1, paired with a brand-new installment in the company’s Burlesque series, all accompanied by live music. Death and the…
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Highly Recommended Dance: IGNITE THE SOUL (Giordano Dance Chicago)
Jazz Dance at its Finest Landing Soon on Chicago’s North Shore From the look of Giordano Dance Chicago’s (GDC) upcoming program, Ignite the Soul, at Skokie’s North Shore Center for the Performing Arts on the October 18 & 19, they’ll be entering their fall season hot. The country’s original jazz dance company, who’ve proven themselves…
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5 TIPS FOR SUCCEEDING AS A PROFESSIONAL DANCER
While a career in dancing can be challenging and physically demanding, it offers many fulfilling avenues beyond just performing. In this article, we’ll explore five effective strategies for succeeding as a dancer to help you achieve your career goals. Cultivate Your Artistry While versatility is valuable, developing your unique identity as an artist is essential….








