Here’s an unpopular opinion: I love winter. Hot drinks, cold noses, big sweaters — all of it.
Don’t get me wrong, Chicago summers have a lot to offer, but dance lovers can’t sleep on the cold months. That’s when a lot of the magic happens, and I think this list of possibilities makes that case. Here are some anticipated highlights of the winter dance season, profiled chronologically. The last entry clearly dangles off the end, into April. The crocuses are likely to be in bloom by then but it is significant enough to include in our winter guide.
RE dance group’s 15th anniversary: Long-distance artistic partners Michael Estanich and Lucy Vurusic Riner have been creating across state lines for the better part of two decades, giving Estanich’s luscious choreography a home in Chicago whilst working in academia. For their 15th anniversary, RE dance group (R for Riner, E for Estanich) necessarily moves from Hamlin Park into the enormous auditorium of an Andersonville church for a danced conversation with God. Estanich extracts themes from prior whimsical worlds to ponder the divine as the evening’s main event. The program is capped by two short musings: one by of the company’s longest-tenured company members, Corinne Imberski, and one from the newest, KT Williams. Jan. 17-25 at Ebenezer Lutheran Church, 1650 W. Foster Ave.; tickets $20-$50 at redancegroup.org
Complexions Contemporary Ballet does U2: Episodic ballets to rock music aren’t a new concept, but Complexions’ Bowie tribute brought enthusiastic new faces to their Auditorium Theatre debut last season. And now, they return with a new mixed rep set to music by U2. It’s not just smart marketing; this boundary-busting ballet company has been knocking socks off for 30 years and is bound to do so again. Feb. 7 at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B Wells Drive; tickets $39-$129 at 312-341-2300 and auditoriumtheatre.org
A Valentine’s pre-game with two venerable jazz artists: Dee Alexander and Jumaane Taylor are known to periodically hold court at the Jazz Showcase, sometimes together. Now, they’ll take their respective love notes to the big Harris Theater for the first time. Alexander’s instrument is her voice; Taylor’s is his feet. And the love infusing each piece isn’t cloying. Alexander presents selections from her wide-ranging album “It’s All About Love,” while Taylor, arguably among the city’s very best hoofers, revives his John Coltrane tribute “Supreme Love.” Both are worth pursuing as many times as you can. Feb. 7-8 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St.; tickets $20 at 312-334-7777 and harristheaterchicago.org
The Seldoms commune with nature, in a museum: Choreographer Carrie Hanson has long been fascinated by the intersection of politics and the environment, most recently in “Superbloom” (on a desert West wildflower phenomenon), “Grass” (of the suburban turf and Mary Jane varieties) and “Floe” (as in glaciers). Sections from all three will appear beside the visual art show “Sustenance & Land.” And if this is anything like The Seldoms’ gallery dance at Hyde Park Art Center a couple of years ago, we’re in for a treat. Feb. 13 at Elmhurst Art Museum, 150 Cottage Hill Ave., Elmhurst; tickets $30-$40 at elmhurstartmuseum.org
Hubbard Street revels in familiar territory: Once upon a time, James Gregg was a fledgling dancer at River North Dance Chicago, but he’s most known for splitting time between Los Angeles and Montreal with Bodytraffic, Les Ballet Jazz de Montreal, Rubberband Dance and Aszure Barton. As a choreographer, he’s never forgotten the Midwest, creating works for River North, Danceworks Chicago and Elements Ballet, plus St. Louis and Milwaukee’s ballet companies over the past decade or so. Now comes his biggest Chicago assignment to date: Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. The program places Gregg’s world premiere beside other beautifully dark, ooey gooey items from the rep, reviving Johan Inger’s “Impasse,” Hubbard Street alumni Alice Klock and Florian Lochner’s “Into Being” and “Black Milk,” by Ohad Naharin — the latter not seen with this company in 24 years. Together, the pieces foray into familiar territory honed on Hubbard Street since about the time “Black Milk” debuted — an aesthetic Hubbard Street is now unafraid to veer from, and, apparently, to return to. Feb. 13-16 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St.; tickets $20-$110 at 312-334-7777 and hubbardstreetdance.com
Joffrey Ballet brings warm tones to cold weather: Last winter, Joffrey’s annual evening of shorter works was aesthetically chilly. Here, the theme is “Golden Hour,” including two jewel-toned mini-ballets by Cathy Marston and Nicolas Blanc returning to the Joffrey stage. Marston’s “Heimat” premiered two years ago at Symphony Center as part of the Joffrey’s new-ish collaboration with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Blanc’s contribution, called “Under the Trees’ Voices,” was initially made for video during the pandemic (and looked absolutely gorgeous when it was restaged for live audiences in 2021). Yuri Possokhov is slated to set something new, as is Oregon Ballet Theatre director Dani Rowe, who fashions hers after the fairy tale “Princess and the Pea.” Feb. 20 to March 2 at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; tickets $36-$192 at 312-386-8905 and joffrey.org
It’s not business as usual for Ailey: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has been visiting the Auditorium Theatre annually for more than 50 years. That’s not changed, but a lot has since last year. In November, the company appointed Alicia Mack Graf as its fourth artistic director; the second, Judith Jamison, died the same month. For opening night, Ailey will present an excerpt from “Cry” as a tribute to Jamison. The rest, apart from “Revelations” as the traditional closer, is almost entirely new to Chicago: Ronald K. Brown’s “Grace,” Hope Boykin’s “Finding Free,” plus Chicago premieres by Matthew Rushing and Lar Lubovitch spanning two programs in an uncharacteristically short run. March 7-9 at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B Wells Dr.; tickets $39-$129 at 312-341-2300 and auditoriumtheatre.org
“Winning Works” almost always wins: Though technically a pre-professional showcase for the young trainees from Joffrey’s Grainger Academy, “Winning Works” has also become a vetted proving ground for emerging choreographers since its launch 15 years ago. This year boasts a large and esteemed roster, including Ballet Memphis up-and-comer Karley Childress, Houston native Roderick George, Sidra Bell Dance alum Alejandro Perez and two familiar faces: Rockford native Keelan Whitmore and current Hubbard Street dancer Shota Miyoshi. March 14-23 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave.; tickets $35 at 312-386-8905 and joffrey.org
A welcome return for Ragamala Dance: Both of Minneapolis-based Ragamala’s prior trips to the Harris Theater, in 2019 and again in 2021, left me wanting more. Fortunately, we’re going to get it. The latest from this intergenerational troupe blends South Asian forms to meddle somewhere between earthly and divine realms. The inspiration is author Keerthik Sasidharan’s 2021 novel retelling the “Mahabharata;” with past as prologue, it’s bound to be gorgeous. March 21 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St.; tickets $35-$150 at 312-334-7777 and hubbardstreetdance.com
An apt tribute from Giordano Dance Chicago: Ray Leeper’s big, bodacious “Red & Black” is tempered by the return of Peter Chu’s more grounded “Groove, in formed.” Fold in something new from choreographer-in-residence Al Blackstone — who lives and breathes classic Giordano jazz — and you have the full spectrum of American jazz dance from a company that does it better than anyone else. The program is intended to celebrate artistic director Nan Giordano’s 40th year leading the troupe her father launched six decades ago. Naturally, that means reviving her 2001 Indian-infused work “Taal,” which is arguably her best (and very beautiful, too). And a new piece combining dance and video will also honor Giordano’s son Keenan Giordano Casey, who died on Oct. 22, 2024. April 4-5 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St.; tickets $25-$95 at 312-334-7777 and harristheaterchicago.org
Lauren Warnecke is a freelance critic.
