Dance – Page 6 – Clef Notes Chicagoland Journal for the Arts

Alvin Ailey to Mark Triumphant Return to Chicago

February 12, 2022 Fred Cummings Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Auditorium Theatre

Much like the leaves that begin to bud on the trees in Millennium Park and the post-work sunsets commuters enjoy along the Eisenhower, Alvin Ailey’s yearly residency in the historic Auditorium Theater is like one of nature’s reminders that spring has sprung here in Chicago. But for the first time in half a century, in 2021, the elegance of Alvin Ailey dancers did not grace the Auditorium’s stage and audiences have felt the absence. The pandemic has caused us to miss a log of the culture we take for granted in this great city. But for many, it has also caused them to appreciate it all the more.

Ballet Dance

Joffrey Ballet Announces 2022 Winning Works Choreographers

December 7, 2021 Fred Cummings Joffrey Academy of Dance, Joffrey Ballet

offrey Academy of Dance has announced the recipients of the 12th annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition: Audrey Ipapo Baran, Joffrey Company Artist Edson Barbosa, Taylor Carrasco, and Derick McKoy. This announcement follows a national call for ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab and Native American) artists to submit applications, which began in June. The choreographers’ world premiere works will be showcased by the dancers of the Joffrey Studio Company and the Joffrey Academy Trainee Program in four performances at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago from March 18 – 20, 2022.

Ballet Dance

Joffrey Ballet Announces Return of Possokhov’s Don Quixote

December 3, 2021 Fred Cummings Don Quixote, Joffrey Ballet, Lyric Opera of Chicago

The Joffrey Ballet is kicking off off 2022 with the remount of Yuri Possokhov’s fresh interpretation of Don Quixote, the classic story written by Miguel De Cervantes, presented during the Joffrey’s first-ever season at the historic Lyric Opera House in downtown Chicago at 20 North Upper Wacker Drive, in 10 performance only, February 16–27, 2022.

Ballet Dance

Joffrey Ballet Welcomes Four New Dancers from Across the Globe

September 16, 2021 Fred Cummings Joffrey Ballet

The Joffrey Ballet’s Ashley Wheater MBE, The Mary B. Galvin Artistic Director and Greg Cameron, President and CEO have announced the addition of four dancers to the Joffrey roster for the 2021-22 season: Brian Bennett (Lanham, Maryland), Blake Kessler (Jacksonville, Florida), Yuchan Kim (Seoul, South Korea) and Miranda Silveira (Barcelona, Spain). With these new company members, The Joffrey Ballet has expanded to 43 dancers representing 13 countries.

Dance Summer 2021

New Horizons

July 6, 2021 Fred Cummings Auditorium Theatre, Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre, University of Chicago

The 2021-2022 season is getting off to a fabulous start for Deeply Rooted Dance Theater and Auditorium Theatre, which are launching a new partnership together beginning this year and extending at least through the 2024-2025 season.

“It’s always been a dream of mine,” says Deeply Rooted’s co-founder and executive director, Kevin Iega Jeff. “We first self-presented at the Auditorium in 1999 when we produced an evening with Roberta Flack—it was a wonderful collaboration. It was my hope to plant seeds for the relationship we’re beginning now.”

Dance

The Morrison-Shearer Foundation Announces the Release of “The Reality Beyond Realism”

July 1, 2021 Leslie Price

The Morrison-Shearer Foundation is proud to announce the release of “The Reality Beyond Realism,” the third volume of contemporary dance legend Sybil Shearer’s autobiography, “Without Wings The Way is Steep.”

Greg-Cameron-Raymond-Rodriguez-Joffrey-Academy-Team

Ballet Dance

Joffrey Ballet Expands Growing Footprint into Chicago’s South Loop

May 14, 2021 Fred Cummings Ashley Wheater, Joffrey Ballet

The Joffrey Ballet has announced the establishment of new studio space and training facilities at 1920 South Wabash Avenue (formerly

Dance

Ensemble Español Embraces New Era with “Zafiro Flamenco”

May 12, 2021 Fred Cummings Ensemble Espanol Spanish Dance Theatre

Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theatre in residence at Northeastern Illinois University, will present three performances as part of the “Zafiro Flamenco” 45th Anniversary Festival at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie.

Ballet Dance

Joffrey Ballet to Present First Performance Since Start of the Pandemic

January 23, 2021 Patrick Curran Ashley Wheater, Bolero, Joffrey Ballet

The Joffrey Ballet recently announced the world premiere of Boléro, its first performance since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Named after the acclaimed orchestral piece by composer Maurice Ravel and choreographed by Joffrey Company Artist Yoshihisa Arai, the performance will be streamed in one free performance on February 12, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. on the Joffrey’s YouTube channel, youtube.com/TheJoffreyBallet.

Raymond-Rodriguez-Joffrey-Academy-of-Dance

Ballet Dance Winter 2021

Out of the Ashes: A New Role At Joffrey Academy

January 11, 2021 Fred Cummings Abbot Fund, Joffrey Academy of Dance, Joffrey Ballet, Raymond Rodriguez

Queen Elizabeth dubbed 1992 “Annus Horribilis” (horrible year) because of the various tumultuous events that had wreaked havoc within her royal family that year. Annus horribilis might also be an accurate description of the year 2020, when a once-in-a-century global pandemic wrought havoc upon our nation’s economy and social distancing mandates forced the closure of most of the nation’s arts and cultural institutions.