ABT Dancer Rachel Richardson compares "Whipped Cream" with beloved classic "The Nutcracker" to give us an in-depth look at the whimsy that choreographer Alexei Ratmansky and visual artist Mark Ryden will bring to Chicago's Auditorium Theatre. Here's what she told us:
We asked the five participating choreographers one question each about their works in Red Clay Dance Company's La Femme Dance Festival. Here's what L. Graciella Maiolatesi, Brittany C. Winters, Jasmin Williams, Marceia Scruggs and Linsday Renea Benton told us:
From his hometown Pescara, Italy to Chicago to New York City, Riccardo Battaglia has experienced a successful career as a professional dancer, which most recently landed him a company position with Alvin Ailey Dance Theater. We asked Riccardo to tell us about his journey to Ailey, which celebrates its 60th Anniversary this year. Here is what he told us:
CTT Founder and Artistic Director Mark Yonally shares his personal tap journey and how it continues to influence the nature of the company's work and productions. Here's what he told us:
...what happens when you are at the helm of an artistic operation for decades? How do you stay inspired, motivated and fight the burnout? If you happen to be the Artistic Director of a dance company, your responsibilities are monumental and seemingly endless. Those responsibilities are centered around the all-important preservation and growth of the company’s artistic vision, which can mean lending your own choreographic voice to the repertoire. This is in addition to finding other dance makers, both seasoned and up-and-coming, to keep the season’s programming diverse while still functioning in support of the original vision. Then comes curating
The saying 'opposites attract' is most often used to describe a phenomenon that draws people together. It's something you may have experienced yourself at one time or another -- you butt heads with someone on some level, or perhaps you find complete disagreement across the board. Perhaps it's the excitement of a good debate that gets your blood flowing, or maybe learning about the other side strengthens your argument against it. For some it may simply be the excitement of something new -- of exploring a perspective outside of your own. Whatever the reason, the age old saying has some
Marinda Davis is a phenomenal choreographer who continues to fight against phenomenal odds. This past May, Marinda shared her story on the CW's My Last Days, which detailed her battle against a series of diseases that compromise her health and how dance has played a major role in fueling her resilience and healing. We are humbled and send our heartfelt love as she continues to fight for her health, but here we choose to focus on the light she brings to our world through choreography. In more recent years, Marinda has had her company and choreography featured on NBC's World of Dance and has taken a dive into the commercial side of the art form. Through the years, she never forgot about the connection she made as a dance convention assistant to the legendary Gus Giordano, and now has the opportunity to choreograph on the legacy company that he left behind. There is something incredibly satisfying and elusive about life coming full circle, and for Marinda, this experience with Giordano Dance Chicago was just that. DancerMusic Dance Editor Kristi Licera caught up with Marinda to learn more about how she formed her relationship with the company, as well as the creative process behind her work for GDC, titled "Flickers." Here's what she told us:
You may not be able to physically see something, but that does not take away from its existence. Take for instance, what happens behind the scenes to create and produce a dance concert. As an audience member, you see the magic of movement and theater before your eyes; what you do not see is the countless hours of rehearsal, research and refinement necessary to present what appears before you. Furthermore, in today's financial climate (especially in regards to the arts), limits on funding mean that a company may only be able to produce concerts on an annual basis. So what happens to these artists between shows? They keep creating! And that is part of the message behind J. Lindsay Brown Dance's production of "Alive & Well: Dances about Resilience." "Alive & Well: Dances about Resilience" seeks to redefine resilience by presenting a wide range of creative concepts from an equally wide range of perspectives. The program features three choreographic works by J. Lindsay Brown herself, along with a collection of new works from up-and-coming choreographers from the Chicago area. DancerMusic Dance Editor Kristi Licera recently caught up with Linsday to learn more about how the program aims to accomplish redefining resilience, as well as more about the concepts and visions behind the works to be presented. Here's what she told us:
If you missed Giordano Dance Chicago's Fall Series at the Harris Theater back in October, have no fear; the company is doing an encore performance of their Live in the Momentum program Saturday, February 2 at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts. For the last 56 years, Giordano has worked to preserve and invigorate the legacy of jazz dance they have so carefully and lovingly built. As the company continues to grow, so does their network of support, including those whose task it is to curate the programs that a theater presents. At North Shore Center for the Performing Arts this task falls upon General Manager Michael Pauken. For the last 16 years, Michael has searched far and wide to bring the best of the best into a theater that falls into the same category. With such an abundance of artists and performances to choose from locally, nationally, and internationally, there has to be something unique, almost magical that makes a company or artist standout from the pack. DancerMusic's Kristi Licera caught up with Michael to learn more about why Giordano Dance Chicago fits the standard, and how his relationship with GDC has grown over the years. Here's what he told us:
This year, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre celebrates its 20th anniversary season. Every dance company dreams of celebrating such a milestone, so what is the secret to the success? It might have something to do with the incredible blend of live dance and music that the company continues to curate, but more likely it is the passionate and consistent commitment to their artistic mission that co-founders Wilfredo Rivera and Joe Cerqua demonstrate year after year. Despite the challenges of building and maintaining an audience, procuring funding, and pushing the boundaries of both music and dance, CRDT has nourished the creative talents
