archive: Hyde Park School of Dance

4PHOTOSChoreography and Concert DanceDancerMusic Exclusive

4PHOTOS with Damien Thompson on Hyde Park School of Dance’s “Amira: A Chicago Cinderella Story”

June 13, 2018

If you recall our PRE-View of Hyde Park School of Dance's Amira: A Chicago Cinderella Story, then you may remember HPSD Artistic Director August Tye mention that the Prince's journey to find his princess, Amira, leads him on a search through some iconic neighborhoods on Chicago's south side. The dancers' balletic movement and gestures are the main vein for storytelling, but what completes this scenic journey are the projections and illustrations Tye has created in collaboration with photographer Damien Thompson and illustrator Sara Petrolis. DancerMusic got an exclusive sneak peek at the images to be used in Amira, and asked Damien Thompson to tell us more about the process of creating these powerful images and what role they play in bringing Amira to life. Take a journey through Chicago's south side as you learn what Damien told us:

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Choreography and Concert DanceDancerMusic Exclusive

5 Questions with August Tye on Hyde Park School of Dance’s “Amira: A Chicago Cinderella Story”

June 11, 2018

As a child, you may have often dreamed of yourself as a prince or princess in your favorite story. But as we age and discover the truth about the world around us, we begin to see the cracks in our beloved tales. We learn that those portrayed as evil may not have been so bad after all, and what we once thought to be the truth is merely a representation of what someone wants the truth to be. Now that we're adults, how do we change these stories to reflect our reality, while still maintaining the magic they gave us as children? August Tye, Founding Artistic Director of Hyde Park School of Dance, has the answer. August, her artistic team, and a cast of over a hundred dancers are getting ready to share this revelation in their production of Amira: A Chicago Cinderella Story at the Reva and David Logan Center in Hyde Park. DancerMusic Dance Editor Kristi Licera caught up with August to learn more about this massive undertaking. Here's what August told us:

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Choreography and Concert DanceDancerMusic ExclusivePRE-View

PRE-View: Hyde Park School of Dance Presents “Amira: A Chicago Cinderella Story”

June 6, 2018

It's time to introduce a new princess into the world. She cannot shoot icicles out of her fingers nor is she as famed as Sleeping Beauty, but one thing will be certain the moment you meet her: you will feel like you have already met. It may be because this new character is a fresh iteration of a princess we already know and love, Cinderella. But the more likely cause of your familiarity is that this princess, like so many of us in the city of Chicago and in our country, is an immigrant. In this day and age, we

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4PHOTOSChoreography and Concert DanceDancerMusic Exclusive

4PHOTOS: Founder and Artistic Director Kia Smith on An Evening with South Chicago Dance Theatre

June 4, 2018

First impressions are important . There's no denying it, especially when you are debuting a brand new dance company in a city that has an abundance of them. There are many ways to make a great first impression, but often, the best way to do so is to stay true to who you are and to step into the light with a kind and open heart. This is exactly what Founder and Artistic Director of South Chicago Dance Theatre, Kia Smith did. This past May, Smith curated SCDT's first evening-length performance at University of Chicago's Mandel Hall. What may not

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