Three new dance premieres and the company premiere of its new Youth Performing Company will headline the Fall Benefit of the Joel Hall Dancers Saturday, Oct. 13. "Respectfully Yours" will take place at the Park West, 322 W. Armitage. A VIP reception is at 6:30 p.m., performance at 8:30 p.m.
Founded in 1974, Chicago's longest thriving multi-cultural and multi-ethnic dance organization consists of the Joel Hall Dancers, a professional dance company, and The Joel Hall Dance Center, the teaching facility. Today the organization's principal goals remain to succeed as a nationally and internationally acclaimed performance company and to work for the enhancement of Chicago's cultural, educational and social life. The Dance Center is located at 1511 W. Berwyn.
This ethnically and culturally diverse professional company has performed extensively throughout the Chicago area, the U.S. and Europe. Programs include both full-length and mixed repertoire performances incorporating dance styles such as urban jazz, modern, ballet, hip-hop, and traditional African. Repertoire includes: NUTS & BOLTS, A Jazzy Nutcracker; The Crossing; El Gato Negro; L'Etranger and Caliente Por Favor.
Since founding the Dance Center in 1974, Hall has become one of the leading proponents of dance in the American mid-west. Hall received the 2001 Community Achiever Award from the Black and Hispanic Achievers Program of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago. Hall is also an inductee into the City of Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame.
One of Chicago's largest dance centers, JHDC provides classes in ballet, modern, jazz, hip-hop, tap, social dance, swing, Egyptian and Pilates.
The Joel Hall Dancers will premier three new works: one world premiere by Artistic Director Joel Hall, a Company Premiere by significant Chicago modern dance choreographer, Richard Arve, and a third company premiere by Sarita Smith Childs, a Ruth Page Award-recipient in 2000. In addition, the Joel Hall Dance Center will unveil its new Youth Performing Group, JHD 1511, made up of 11- to 16-year-olds from across the city.
Up and coming Chicago theatre artist/comedian/personality Jessica Halem and T.C. Carson, recording artist and star of the hit comedy TV series, Living Single, will serve as Masters of Ceremony. Currently living in LA, T.C. is a native of Chicago. T.C. studied at the Joel Hall Dance Center and counts Hall among his mentors.
Pre-concert VIP dessert reception at 6:30 p.m. will be followed by the 8:30 p.m. performance. Tickets are $125 including VIP reception, $75 General Admission. Tickets can be purchased by calling ( 773 ) 293-0900, online at ticketmaster.com, or by calling Ticketmaster at ( 312 ) 559-1212.
A special Row Captain Party will take place at Rushmore, 1023 W. Lake Street in Chicago, from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug, 23, 2001. This party will feature special guest T.C. Carson and is open to donors, "row captains" ( those volunteers helping to sell tickets ) , JHDC staff, members of the media and other special guests.