If you’ve been following along with SCDT on social media, you’ll know that we recently embarked on a new choreographic journey with Kia. It’s out of the box and a different world than we are used to, but we will be performing in our first ever Opera with Chicago Opera Theater on December 8 and 10, 2023 at the Harris Theater in Chicago! Kia was asked on as the production’s choreographer and six of us dancers have the privilege of being a part of this process!

Joining in with the actors and singers has been a beautiful and amazing experience for us! Opera is a “similar but different” world to put it vaguely. I could make a perfect Venn diagram just thinking about it. Both worlds include costume design, lighting, stage managers, music, etc. but I believe Opera (so far) to be so much more of a production than our dance experience. For this production of “The Nose”, we have a HUGE set with lots of specific props. The costuming is so specific – down to our socks and accessories, but also with the hemming and fit of the costume. The pieces we wear are so elaborate and well-made it makes for such a beautiful show. The stage managers we have been working with are excellent and cue EVERY time someone enters the stage. I will admit, though, that the lighting in dance is typically more elaborate than that of an Opera. The musicians/orchestra is fabulous and reminds me of our previous work with live musicians (which always makes the piece so much more fun to perform!!). The one thing I believe to be VERY similar in both dance and Opera is the people. Everyone working on this Opera is SO fun to be around and insanely supportive. It’s fun to know that no matter where you find yourself within the arts, there’s like-minded people who make you smile and appreciate your talent as much as you appreciate theirs.

So far, our experience in the rehearsal room and in the theater has been one to remember. It’s quick work – you receive a change or a note and you are expected to remember it right away in that moment without review. Kia has definitely prepared us for that as dancers, so we are no stranger towards that! There are just so many moving parts that it must work this way. I’m excited to continue to work in dress rehearsal and performances on this show and update the blog on how the shows are. For now, I hope you enjoyed hearing a small bit about our experience and if you’re in town, come on out to see us this Friday (7:30pm) and Sunday (3:00pm) at the Harris!