Ballet Chicago Celebrates 30 Years with "Balanchine + Beyond" May 10

Ballet Chicago is thrilled to present its highly anticipated Spring Repertory Performance, “Balanchine + Beyond,” at 2 and 7 p.m., Saturday, May 10, at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E Randolph Dr. This special program celebrates 30 years of artistic excellence and Ballet Chicago’s legacy as a premier training ground for the next generation of classical artists.

Audiences will experience a breathtaking showcase of classical and contemporary ballet, featuring two iconic works by legendary, award-winning choreographer George Balanchine, authentically restaged to highlight the versatility and artistry of Ballet Chicago’s dancers. The program is rounded out by two compelling works from Resident Choreographer Ted Seymour.

The Balanchine pieces illustrate the range of his work. They include his beautiful and moving “Serenade,” (1935) set to Tchaikovsky’s “Serenade for Strings in C Major, Op. 48,” and “Rubies,” from his full-length abstract and innovative ballet “Jewels” (1967) set to Stravinsky’s dynamic Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra. Both works are presented by arrangement with The George Balanchine Trust and are produced in accordance with the Balanchine Style ® and Balanchine Technique ®, service standards established and provided by the Trust.

Says Ballet Chicago Founder & Artistic Director Daniel Duell, “Associate Artistic Director and School Director Patricia Blair and I are both official répétiteurs for the George Balanchine Trust, authorized to stage and perform his choreography. Thus, when you see Balanchine choreography performed by Ballet Chicago, you are seeing as authentic a staging as can be seen anywhere – not only Mr. B.’s steps and patterns, but also his technical and musical approach to executing them. Further, you are seeing the amplitude, freedom, and joy intended by Mr. B., the release of individual expression through his choreography.”

The program also includes two works by Resident Choreographer Ted Seymour. These include “Danzón!,” (2015), combining Latin ballroom styles with classical ballet and set to award-winning contemporary Mexican composer Arturo Márquez’s popular “Danzon #2”; and the world premiere of a new children’s ballet performed to the compositions of American composer William Grant Still, the first African American to conduct a professional symphony orchestra in the United States.

Says Seymour, “Dance is the language of the body, music the voice of the soul. Together, they transcend boundaries, uniting hearts across time, space and culture. I am thrilled to have created these works that can open new windows of thought and emotion for our students and our audience and I can’t wait to see these works light up the Harris stage.”

Ballet Chicago presents “Balanchine + Beyond” at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, May 10. Tickets are $32-$71. For tickets and more information visit harristheaterchicago.org.