As the summer months finally reach the Windy City, the traditional dance season (late September through early June) ramps down. While the larger companies are on break (for the most part), there is an abundance of smaller, independent companies and artists that continue to perform throughout the summer season. Look for tap, jazz, flamenco, Cuban, contemporary, dance theater and dance festivals in the coming months.
June is busting out all over
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago lets its dancer create the dances for danc(e)volve: New Works Festival presented over two weekends at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago on the MCA Stage, 220 E. Chicago Ave., Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, June 6, 8 and 9; as well as Thursday-Sunday, June 13-16. Performance times vary. Tickets are $35 (MCA Members $28, students $10); call 312-397-4010 or visit www.mcachicago.org .
Links Hall launches the Midwest Nexus Program at the new Constellation venue (3111 N. Western Ave.) featuring Synapse Arts and Minnesota choreographer Penelope Feeh. Friday-Sunday, June 7-9, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $12-$25; visit www.linkshall.org .
The Dance Center of Columbia College brings back the Dance Improvisation Festival this month featuring workshops, showings, discussions and performances. Performances include a community showing at Links Hall (3111 N. Western Ave.) on Monday, June 3, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10-$15. Jennifer Monson performs her Live Dancing Archive at the Dance Center (1306 S. Michigan Ave.) on Thursday, June 6, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $5-$15. For more information, call 312-369-8330 or visit www.colum.edu/dancecenter.
Celebrating 20 years of dance education, the Hyde Park School of Dance presents "En Avant," featuring dancers and alumni from Tyego Dance Project, Memphis Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Joel Hall and Dancers and Deeply Rooted Dance Theater II at the Logan Arts Center, 915 E. 60th St on Friday, June 14, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, June 15, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $35-$75; call 773-493-8498 or visit www.hydeparkdance.org . There will be a post-show reception on Saturday, June 15. Ticket required.
Get ready to punk out when Bonedanse presents "bully.punk.riot: a rebellion vent inspired by our collective herding tendencies" at Links Hall/Constellation, 3111 N. Western Ave., Thursdays-Sundays, June 20-30, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $18-$20; visit www.ticketfly.com/search/. For more information, visit www.breakbone.com .
Hedwig Dances and DanzAbiera—the latter a special guest from Havana, Cuba—perform together for two nights at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave., Friday-Saturday, Jun 21-22 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15-$30; call 773-871-0872 or visit https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/921245.
Ensemble Español presents "Flamenco Passion" as part of its 37th annual American Spanish Dance and Music Festival. The show features also celebrates the 20th anniversary of founder/director Dame Libby Komaiko's Bolero, plus three world premieres, a U.S. premiere and a first-time festival performance. Performances are Friday-Saturday, June 21-22, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 23, at 3 p.m. at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd. Tickets are $26-$46; call 847-673-6300 or visit www.northshorecenter.org .
Hot tickets for July
The inception for Hubbard Street's danc(e)volve performances starts with its annual Inside/Out choreographic workshop. In its 12th year, they present two performance at the UIC Theatre, 1040 W.Harrison St., Saturday, July 6, at 5 and 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 for VIP and $20 for general admission. Tickets will be available beginning Tuesday, June 4; call 312-850-9744 or visit www.hubbardstreetdance.com .
Pursuit Productions presents Blood Wedding, an adaptation of Federico Garcia Lorca's poem at Studio Be, 3110 N. Sheffield Ave., Thursdays-Sundays, July 18-Aug. 11 at 6 p.m. Tickets are $20; RSVP required. Visit www.pursuitproductions.co/events/blood-wedding-event.
Chicago Human Rhythm Project presents JUBA! Masters of Tap and Percussive Dance as part of its annual Rhythm World tap conference. Performances are at the Edlis Neeson Theater at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave., Wed., July 31-Friday, Aug. 1, and Saturday, Aug. 3, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25-$32; call 312-397-4010 or visit www.mcachicago.org .
Festivals of dance in August
Dance for Life—the annual dance performance benefiting the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, The Dancers Fund and Chicago House—takes the stage at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Pkwy., this month. Companies scheduled to appear are Giordano Dance Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The Joffrey Ballet and River North Dance Chicago. The one-night-only show is Saturday, Aug. 17, at 8 p.m. The gala reception before will be at the Hilton Chicago at 5 p.m. Tickets are $50-$500; call 312-922-5812 or visit www.danceforlifechicago.com .
This will be the seventh year for the Chicago Dancing Festival presented at the Pritzker Pavilion stage in Millennium Park. The all-free fest running Wed.-Saturday, Aug. 21-24, includes some of the best dance companies around. As of press time, this year's line up of performers had not been released. For more information, visit www.chicagodancingfestival.com .
Big shows coming in September
In late September, the fall dance season starts to sizzle with Susan Marshall & Co. leading off the 2013-2014 season at the Dance Center of Columbia College and the Joffrey Ballet's Russian Masters program featuring the revival of Nijinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring) at the Auditorium Theatre.
For future listings, send to vic@vickicrain.com or andrew@windycitymediagroup.com .
