It’s a small world after all… Part 2

Posted in Performances on July 29th, 2009 by MarcMacaranas

Photo by Lois Greenfield

Let’s take a look at Craig Hall who, like Jonathan Alsberry, studied at the Chicago Academy for the Arts. Originally from Maywood, IL, he’s now a soloist with New York City Ballet and will be performing with NYCB principal dancer Wendy Whelan at the Festival this year. Look for them at the Modern Masters program on August 20 at the Harris Theater where they will be performing a pas deux from Christopher Wheeldon’s “Liturgy”. Chicago audiences might be familiar with Wheeldon’s work as his “Carousel (A Dance)” was performed by the Joffrey Ballet for their Spring season earlier this year.

Check out this awesome article about Craig Hall to learn a little more about his start as a dancer – as well as interesting tidbit involving “Age of Innocence” choreographer Edwaard Liang’s hairdryer The Joffrey will perform Liang’s work, first premiered by the company last Fall, at the New Voices program on August 18.

Jessica Lang, whose “To Familiar Spaces in Dream” will be performed at New Voices by Richmond Ballet, follows suit with her homonym contemporary Ed Liang (and Ed’s NCYB compatriot Chris Wheeldon) — Lang is set to create a work on the Joffrey Ballet for their upcoming season.

Did you get all that?
Here’s the Cliff Notes version (don’t worry, you won’t be tested on any of this):

Craig Hall and Jonathan Alsberry – Chicago Academy for the Arts
Craig and Ed Liang, Wendy Whelan and Christopher Wheeldon – New York City Ballet
Ed Liang, Chris Wheeldon and Jessica Lang – Joffrey Ballet
Jonathan Alsberry – Luna Negra, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company and Aszure Barton & Artists
Aszure Barton – Hubbard Street Dance Chicago

And that’s just a quick look! To find out more about the dancers and the ties that bind them, meet them in person following each performance. Our hotel sponsor, the Palmer House Hilton, is helping us put together a series of fantastic parties to celebrate the festival events. We’ll see you there after the shows!

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Happy Anniversary wishes from Chicago Dancing Festival

Posted in Chicago Dancing Company on July 20th, 2009 by Teri Fritze

The Chicago Dancing Festival has an amazing line up of dance companies that will perform in Chicago during a week-long festival this August 18-22, 2009. Did you know that many of the companies performing are celebrating milestone anniversaries this Season. Happy Anniversary and Congrats to the following companies:

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater- 50 years

 

Dayton Contemporary Dance Company- 40 years

Houston Ballet- 40 years

Lar Lubovitch Dance Company- 40 years

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago- 30 years

Richmond Ballet- 25 years

River North Chicago Dance Company- 20 years

Les Ballet Grandiva- 10 years

Luna Negra Dance Theater- 10 years

We wish you many more years of great performances!

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