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ELECTIONS 2023: 48th Ward candidate Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth on why running, biggest differences from other challengers
A lifelong Chicagoan, Leni Manaa-Hoppeworth is running to become the next 48th Ward Alderperson. She is currently a small business owner (Chicago Dance Supply, 5301 N. Clark St., for the past 20 years) in the ward ...
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Quigley commends progress in FDA LGBTQI+ blood donation draft guidance
--From a press release
Washington, DC — Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), Vice-Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, released the following statement commending long-awaited updates to the FDA's blood donation guidance for LGBTQI+ ...
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SHOWBIZ Indigo Girls, LGBTQ+ films, GALECA nods, Jeremy Pope
Indigo Girls will perform at an opening-night celebration for the Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 19 in Park City, Utah, Variety reported. The Grammy-winning lesbian folk-rock duo are debuting their new documentary, It's Only Life After All, ...
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WORLD Church of England, World Cup news, court rulings, Justin Trudeau
The Church of England is defending the scrutinized guidance for its 4,700 primary schools on LGBTQ+ issues, claiming that it doesn't allow students as young as 5 to self-identify as the opposite sex, The Christian Post ...
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Baton Show Lounge unveils new male burlesque
On the evening of Nov. 17, Baton Show Lounge, 4713 N. Broadway, presented Burlesque Royale, a new male review featuring local and national talent. Produced by noted photographer Ramsey Prince, the sold-out show featured vocalists Danika ...
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DANCE Deeply Rooted performing Nov. 5 at Auditorium Theatre
The Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Dr., will present Deeply Rooted Dance Theater—a Chicago-based African-American contemporary dance company—in a one-night-only performance Saturday, Nov. 5, at 7:30 p.m. as ...
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AT&T celebrates National Coming Out Day (early) with performances, panel
AT&T—in partnership with Center on Halsted and with the participation of do312.com—held "Turn Up the Love," a pre-celebration for National Coming Out Day that took place Oct. 8 at its flagship store at 600 N. Michigan ...
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DANCE Joffrey celebrates return of 'The Nutcracker' on Dec. 3-27
This holiday season, The Joffrey Ballet celebrates the return of Tony-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon's production of The Nutcracker. Set in Chicago's World Fair in 1893, The Nutcracker will be presented at the Lyric Opera House, 20 ...
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DANCE Cerqua Rivera kickoff/benefit on Oct. 22
Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre (CRDT) will hold its season kickoff/benefit on Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th St., at 7:30 p.m. CRDT's Dance Ensemble and Jazz ...
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Howard Brown Health partners with Chicago Dancers United
-- From a press release
Howard Brown Health and Chicago Dancers United (CDU) have announced a partnership to improve healthcare outcomes for local dance community members. Through the partnership, Howard Brown will be the go-to ...
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Joffrey Ballet welcomes nine new dancers
The Joffrey Ballet's Ashley Wheater MBE, The Mary B. Galvin Artistic Director and President/CEO Greg Cameron announced the addition of nine dancers to the Joffrey roster for the 2022-23 season. They are Coco Alvarez-Mena (Miami, Florida), ...
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TV 'Dancing with the Stars' has first drag contestant
The show Dancing with the Stars is recording a couple of firsts in its 31st season—including its first-ever drag queen competitor. Actor and Performer D.J. "Shangela" Pierce—the first contestant to compete on three separate seasons of ...
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DANCE Rogers Park group Synapse Arts to hold Sept. 17 fundraiser
On Saturday, Sept. 17, there will be another “Crosswalk Dance” from the Rogers Park company Synapse Arts as well as another Jarvis Square Artisan Market and the celebration of National Dance Day. ...
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Chicago Dancers United raises $300K at 'Dance for Life'
Chicago Dancers United (CDU), which supports the health and wellness of Chicago's professional dance community, welcomed more than 1,700 people to the 31st annual Dance for Life on Aug. 13 at the Auditorium Theatre, followed by ...
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DANCE Ensemble Espanol at Auditorium Theatre on Oct. 1
The Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Dr., will kick off the 2022-23 season of its Chicago Dance series with Ensemble Espanol Spanish Dance Theater, for one performance only, on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 7:30 ...
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POLITICS Queer businesswoman running for alderperson in 48th Ward
Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth—a queer native Chicagoan and 23-year resident of Andersonville who also describes herself as a "mother of three, tango dancer, small business owner and community organizer"—announced her candidacy for ...
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Joffrey Academy offers historic contemporary dance track
Ashley Wheater MBE, The Mary B. Galvin Artistic Director of The Joffrey Ballet, announced the launch of the Joffrey Academy Contemporary Ballet Trainee Program—the first full-time contemporary ballet training program ...
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COVID CDC 'streamlines guidance'; new info for immunocompromised
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a statement saying it is "streamlining its COVID-19 guidance to help people better understand their risk, how to protect themselves and others, what actions to take if ...
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Dance for Life 2022 taking place Aug. 13 at the Auditorium Theatre
-- From a press release
Chicago Dancers United (CDU), which supports the health and wellness of Chicago's professional dance community, presents seven companies and a world premiere finale for its 31st annual fundraiser, Dance for Life 2022. The event takes place ...
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Montreal Pride Parade is canceled
Citing security concerns, the organizers of the Fierte Montreal Pride Parade abruptly canceled the Aug. 7 event at the last minute, The Washington Blade reported. The other events scheduled at the Esplanade of the Olympic Park—T-Dance ...
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Billy Masters
"I wasn't trying to have his career because he sings, he dances. I'm barely a single threat. I'm just an actor."—Tuc Watkins, explaining how he emulated the career trajectory of Kevin Kline— to the best of ...
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NATIONAL Okla. schools, Tenn. lawsuit, political items, Mich. library
Video below
Oklahoma public schools have started requiring students from kindergarten to college to complete "biological sex affidavits" if they want to compete in school sports, in accordance with a state law that took effect earlier this year, ...
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Judge blocks Dept. of Education's pro-trans Title IX guidance
On July 15, Eastern District of Tennessee Judge Charles Atchley Jr. temporarily blocked the Education Department's Title IX guidance, which prohibits discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation, Politico ...
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'Dance Divas' on July 31-Aug. 1 at the Baton
Showcasing Chicago dancers with performances of music, dance and laughter, Chicago Dancers United will present Dance Divas 2022 on Sunday, July 31, at 6 p.m.; and Monday, Aug. 1, at 7 and 9 p.m. Performances will ...
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Hubbard Street Dance Chicago announces 'Sapphire' season
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (HSDC) Artistic Director Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell announced the company's 45th-anniversary "sapphire" season: a mix of world premieres and revivals of company and audience favorites. The 2022-23 Season ...
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Out at CHM: Panelists discuss HIV/AIDS' continued impact on dance community
The Chicago History Museum (CHM) hosted a June 23 panel with doctors and dancers who shared their experiences with the HIV/AIDS epidemic as well as ideas for continuing to address the disease today. Following the discussion, ...
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Chicago Dance Crash celebrates 20th anniversary with 'Booms Day'
Chicago Dance Crash's signature blend of concert and street dance styles paints a colorful picture of life, strife and relationship goals after the end of the world with Booms Day, a two-act, world premiere dance production ...
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DANCE Chicago's Joffrey Ballet releasing Pride video filmed in NYC
The Joffrey Ballet and Action Lines—a video-production company founded by Joffrey artists Xavier Nunez and Dylan Gutierrez as well as writer/producer Eric Grant—have unveiled a video filmed at the FDR Four Freedoms State Park (on New ...
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PERFORMANCE 'Moonset Sunrise' at Navy Pier on June 16 and 18
Collaboraction announced that Moonset Sunrise, its 25th-anniversary production, with live performances on June 16 and 18 at 7:30 p.m. at Beat Kitchen's new Bar Sol on Navy Pier, 700 E. Grand Ave. Through healing ritual, storytelling, ...
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Ukraine's Kyiv City Ballet makes first Chicago appearance, opening Auditorium Theatre 2022-23 season
-- From a press release
(CHICAGO, IL) Chicago's landmark Auditorium Theatre (50 E. Ida B. Wells Dr.) announced its 2022-23 performance season highlighted by its most expansive global dance series ever, including the first-ever Chicago ...
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Out at CHM's 'Dancing for Life' to take place June 23
The Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., is continuing its Out at CHM series with "Dancing for Life: Moving through HIV/AIDS" on Thursday, June 23, 5:30-8:30 p.m. In honor of Chicago designating 2022 as the ...
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Illinois attorney general issues guidance on reproductive rights in the state
-- From a press release
Chicago — Attorney General Kwame Raoul released new guidance to ensure that the public and members of law enforcement understand Illinois' legal protections for abortions. Attorney General Raoul's office released ...
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DANCE Cerqua Rivera's 'Mood Swing' on May 28
On Saturday, May 28, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre will host "Inside/Out with Mood Swing" at 7:30 p.m. at Dovetail Studios, 2853 W. Montrose Ave. Mood Swing is described as Cerqua Rivera's "suite of passionate responses to ...
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Dance for Life returns to Auditorium
-- From a press release
Chicago Dancers United (CDU), which supports the health and wellness of Chicago's professional dance community, announces the program for its 31st annual fundraiser, Dance for Life 2022, which takes place Saturday, August 13 at 6 p.m. ...
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Giordano Dance Chicago to showcase modern works June 11
The Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Dr., completes its Made in Chicago 2021-22 Dance Series with the return of Giordano Dance Chicago (GDC) performing its annual summer engagement on Saturday, June 11, at 7:30 ...
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MUSIC Madonna curating, releasing dance-music compilation 'Finally Enough Love'
Madonna made history once again when she topped the Dance Club Songs chart for the 50th time, making her the first and only recording artist to have 50 number-one hits on any Billboard chart. To celebrate ...
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DANCE A&A Ballet to offer Family Dance Series starting May 14
A&A Ballet (A&A), under the artistic direction of Alexei Kremnev and Anna Reznik, announced a new Family Dance Series at the Athenaeum Theater, 2936 N. Southport Ave., premiering Saturday, May 14, at 3 p.m. Fresh from ...
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Hubbard Street Dance Chicago's 'RE/UNION' to take place May 12-15
After reconnecting with audiences this spring at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (HSDC) has announced the program for the company's return to the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph ...
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Dance Divas return to Baton July 31 and Aug. 1
-- From a press release
Showcasing Chicago dancers in a night of music, dance, and laughter, Chicago Dancers United presents Dance Divas 2022, a party and performance Sunday, July 31 at 6 p.m. and Monday, Aug. 1, at 7 and 9 p.m. at the Baton Show Lounge ...
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Exxon Mobil's plan to ban Pride flag triggers employee pushback
Exxon Mobil Corp. plans to prohibit the LGBTQ+ Pride flag from being flown outside its offices during Pride month in June, prompting backlash from Houston-based employees, Time Magazine reported. The company updated company guidance on what ...
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DANCE 'Wired,' focusing on barbed wire, to premiere at MCA on May 5-8
The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA) will showcase the world premiere of Wired on May 5-8. Internationally recognized disability arts ensemble Kinetic Light will return to the stage to premiere its latest work. The work ...
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MUSIC Gay composer's historic 'Emancipation' at Harris Theater on April 29
The Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance will present Emancipation, by gay composer Adrian Dunn, with The Adrian Dunn Singers and Rize Orchestra on the Mainstage on Friday, April 29, at ...
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SHOWBIZ JoJo Siwa, Indigo Girls, singer Bitch, 'Shahs of Sunset'
The Fox show So You Think You Can Dance unveiled its new judging lineup, and LGBTQ Dancing with the Stars runner-up JoJo Siwa will be part of it, per Out Magazine. Siwa will be joined at the judge's table by Glee ...
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Golden-Con's 'Mother of a Solid Gold Dancer Disco' on April 23
The Golden Gays of NYC and London's DJ Paul Joseph will be part of the first-ever "Golden-Con's Mother of a Solid Gold Dancer Disco" at Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk, 301 E. North Water St., the official ...
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MUSIC Cor.Ece accomplishes 'Impossible,' is set to release new EP
Video below
Cor.Ece (nee Mark Corece) is a queer Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter (and onetime Chicagoan) who has been constantly working on new soulful material. His EP, Dance to Keep from Crying (on ...
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'Dancing with Chicago Celebrities' to feature first same-sex couple
The 16th Annual Arthur Murray Presents Dancing with Chicago Celebrities will take place Friday, March 25, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago Hotel, 151 E. Wacker Dr. Doors open at 6 p.m. The event (which is raising funds to help ...
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BOOKS Janelle Monae in Chicago April 22 to discuss 'The Memory Librarian'
Singer-songwriter, actor, fashion icon and author Janelle Monae will visit Chicago's Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St., as part of the tour for her new book, The Memory Librarian and Other Stories ...
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Joffrey Ballet announces 2022-23 season at Lyric Opera House
-- From a press release
March 14, 2022 (Chicago) Ashley Wheater MBE, The Mary B. Galvin Artistic Director of The Joffrey Ballet, today announces the Joffrey's 2022 2023 Season at Lyric Opera House, featuring a world premiere from a rising choreographic ...
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Congressman Davis praises HHS' LGBTQ+ foster-care guidance
Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-Massachusetts) and Worker and Family Support Subcommittee Chairman Danny K. Davis (D-Illinois) recently released a statement applauding new Department of Health and ...
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COVID CDC relaxes mask guidance for most Americans
COVID CDC relaxes mask guidance for most Americans On Feb. 25, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new set of guidelines stating that most people in the United States can relax when ...
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Joffery Academy's 'Winning Works' returns, features four world premieres
-- From a press release
CHICAGO – Feb. 23, 2022 – The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, presents four world premieres in the culmination of Joffrey’s national call for ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab and Native American) a ...
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Ballet Hispanico to present Chicago premiere of Evita Peron work on March 26-27
The Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Dr., will present the return of Ballet Hispanico with the Chicago premiere of "Dona Peron" on March 26-27 only. Choreographed by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa to music by Peter ...
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Dancer Vernard Gilmore 'Reflects' on Alvin Ailey, dance, his own feelings
Twenty-five years is a long time to be involved in any discipline. Now imagine having to be in prime physical shape all that time on the level of an elite athlete. Vernard Gilmore, who grew up in ...
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South Chicago Dance Theatre marking five years with May 20 event
South Chicago Dance Theatre (SCDT)—a multicultural organization that fuses classical and contemporary dance styles while preserving historic dance work—has announced "An Evening with the South Chicago Dance Theatre: Celebrating Five ...
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Gay skater wins gold; DeRozan still hot as Bulls prevail; Blackhawks win
Out gay skater Guillaume Cizeron and dance partner Gabriella Papadakis, representing France, won the gold medal at the Winter Olympics in pairs ice dancing on Feb. 14. The couple also earned themselves a record-breaking score of ...
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Dance foundation backing Chicago choreographer and Deeply Rooted
The Morrison-Shearer Foundation announced the recipients of two fully funded Sybil Shearer Fellowship residencies in the new Sybil Shearer Studio at Ragdale, in Lake Forest, Illinois. The awardees are Chicago-based ...
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Chicago Philharmonic Society to present 'Fanfare Chicago' and feature lesbian composer on March 27
The Chicago Philharmonic Society will present its third of four concerts of its 32nd season, "Fanfare Chicago," on March 27 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St. Led by Artistic Director ...
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THEATER "The world keeps spinnin' 'round and 'round" for Andrew Levitt in Hairspray
"Welcome to the '60s," where psychedelic fashions ruled and mini-skirts were everywhere. Soul music gained a strong voice while segregation separated the dance floors. John Waters' original 1988 film Hairspray displayed drag diva Divine as mother ...
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DANCE Alvin Ailey company at Auditorium Theatre on March 2-6
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to stages on a coast-to-coast national tour starting Jan. 28 in Philadelphia; kicking off Black History Month at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 1; and traveling to ...
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Local burlesque dancer tells stories through movement
When words can't describe how Jenn Freeman feels and thinks, she turns to movement. In the studio, she dances to a mixtape of music, spoken word and historical speeches. As her body moves, Freeman asks herself, ...
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Hubbard Street Dance Chicago announces 2021/22 44th season, 'RE/CONNECT'
-- From a press release
CHICAGO Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (HSDC) has announced its 2021/22 44th season Spring Series: RE/CONNECT. The dance company will premiere two programs that will take place at the Museum of Contemporary Art (220 E. Chicago ...
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Mayor Lightfoot, DCASE, dance community designate 2022 the "Year of Chicago Dance"
-- From a press release
CHICAGO In deep partnership with the local dance community, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) Commissioner Erin Harkey have designated 2022 as the "Year ...
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Hubbard Street Dance finds new home at Water Tower Place
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (HSDC) has moved its studio to a 13,000-square-foot space on the fourth floor of Water Tower Place, 835 N. Michigan Ave. The new facility will include a dance studio, artist lounge, office ...
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THEATER Steppenwolf delays '1919' premiere due to COVID
Due to the COVID-19 surge driven by the Omicron variant, and out of an abundance of caution for public health, Steppenwolf Theatre Company has postponed its Steppenwolf for Young Adults world-premiere adaptation of Eve L. Ewing's ...
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IDHR issues guidance regarding TGNC students
The Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) has issued its Guidance Relating to Protection of Transgender, Nonbinary, and Gender Nonconforming Students. The document is a non-regulatory guidance on non-discrimination protections ...
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THEATER Goodman's 'A Christmas Carol' to resume Dec. 26
Executive Director Roche Schulfer announced that performances of Goodman Theatre's A Christmas Carol will resume on Sunday, Dec. 26, in accordance with guidance from the Chicago Department of Public Health. The company has cleared the testing ...
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DANCE Joffrey's remaining 'Nutcracker' performances canceled [UPDATE]
After canceling three performances of The Nutcracker due to a breakthrough case of COVID-19 within the company, The Joffrey Ballet resumed performances Dec. 19, and they will run through Sunday, Dec. 26. Artists will wear protective ...
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Photography giant Annie Leibovitz talks 'Wonderland' at Chicago Humanities Festival
In its classic style of spotlighting creative humans, the Chicago Humanities Festival (CHF) hosted "Ellen Stone Belic Presents: In Her Infinite Wisdom Annie Leibovitz: Wonderland" on Dec. 7 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance. ...
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DANCE Joffrey's Winning Works winners named
The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, announced the recipients of the twelfth annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition: Audrey Ipapo Baran, Joffrey Company artist Edson Barbosa, Taylor Carrasco and Derick McKoy Jr. ...
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M3 Dance presenting 'The Nutcracker' in Elgin on Dec. 4-5
M3 Dance and Synergy Dance Academy will present Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker on Saturday, Dec. 4 at 2 and 7 p.m.; and on Sunday, Dec. 5, at 2 p.m. at Elgin's Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 ...
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Ivan Aguayo brings eclectic background to 'evolution' of dance
In the center of the A&A Ballet studio stood the Mouse King. His long, felt tail trailed behind him as he made attempts to pose both for the camera and the numerous other ballet performers in ...
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TV JoJo Siwa in finale of 'Dancing with the Stars' and the winner is…
Queer social-media and reality-show figure JoJo Siwa made history on this season of Dancing with the Stars by being part of the series' first same-sex couple (with partner Jenna Johnson) and the twosome made it all the ...
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Joffrey announces return of reimagined classic, The Nutcracker
--From a press release
CHICAGO (November 8, 2021) The Joffrey Ballet's critically acclaimed reimagined classic, The Nutcracker, by Tony Award®-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, will be a part of the Joffrey's first-ever season at the historic Lyric ...
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Joffrey names new head of studio company and trainee program
Abbott Academy Director of the Joffrey Academy of Dance Raymond Rodriguez announced that Christopher Marney is the new head of studio company and trainees at the academy. Marney begins his new role Nov. 3, just eight ...
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Hubbard Street Dance back on the stage with 'RE/TURN'
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (HSDC) will present Fall Series: RE/TURN to herald its return to the stage at the Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph St. The program will feature new premieres as well as audience favorites ...
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