New Faces...Who's Who?
I've told you before, but we've added a lot of new friendly faces to our team since our debut at the Harris Theater for Season Five! Season Six welcomes new energy, but also a few new faces who bring such a load of talent and grit to our already tenacious team.
We are thrilled to welcome new members in all four tiers of our organization - Main Company members, Guest Artists, Associate Artists, and Emerging Artists.
You've met the old and seen them perform, now it's time to welcome the new. Beginning with our Emerging Artists, we have welcomed Maddie Counsell, J'Nae Howard, and Faith von Atzigen. Maddie recently stepped in to understudy a role at Navy Pier and J'Nae will soon grace the stage to understudy at this weekend's Harvest Festival performance. All three of our emerging artists have learned three pieces of our repertoire in a short month of rehearsals and are always prepared to step in if a member is absent!
Next up, we have the privilege of dancing with two new Associate Artists - Marissa Thomas and Mya Bryant. Both dancers have roles in Ron De Jesus' work as well as a role in Kia Smith's new Baroque composition. We've loved getting to know these two dancers and appreciate their energy and diligence.
Moving on to Guest Artists, Trey Alexander and Michael Battle have been insanely busy learning and understudying some major parts in our repertoire. They are the quickest learners and I have been nothing but impressed by both of their work ethics. It's truly an honor to dance next to them.
Finally, we welcome Sophia Vangelatos as our newest Main Company Member! Sophia is the kindest person with a brilliant movement quality and I'm personally so excited to get to know her more.
All around, we have the most wonderful team of artists and we are thrilled to continue to grow each season. A big thank you to everyone for coming in with such a warm energy and the ability to dive right into our family known as SCDT! We love you all!
Our FIRST Performance of Season 6
Chicago LIVE was our first event of the season, and it sure was a weekend filled with dance and other artistic performances. South Chicago Dance Theatre was thrilled to be a part of this event for our second year.
Meeting new dancers and having them all learn new repertoire within three short weeks was no easy task, but our team was more than up for the challenge. Five of our dancers had the project to learn and perfect Ron De Jesus' twelve-minute work entitled "HYbr:ID Line" during the month of September and let me tell you, they fit right in and made the piece their own. As a returning dancer to this work, it was exciting to explore new textures and push myself further in this choreography while also teaching and reviewing details to the dancers who joined. I always enjoy performing this piece because of it's grit and undeniable energy. The piece ends with a series of lifts and an intense unison section that is sure to raise the excitement level of the audience. Our Navy Pier audience on Sunday, September 25 seemed to be engaged throughout the entire piece.
In addition to Ron's piece, we also performed Stephanie Martinez's "On A Lark" which features five dancers and is another crowd pleasing dance with well-known music and character-driven choreography. Trey Alexander, our new guest artist, stepped into a featured role in the piece and absolutely swept the stage.
Post-performance, the entire cast enjoyed our free Ferris wheel ride and bonded over dinner together. It was an amazing night of dance and getting to know each other outside the dance studio even more!
As far as future performances, we are excited to perform as a full SCDT team throughout the month of October at multiple engagements. Check out our website or instagram for more info on where to catch us next!
New Season, New Collaboration!
First off - HAPPY SEASON SIX! We are back in rehearsal with many new additions to our team (stay tuned, you’ll meet them very soon), and we are more than ready to take on many new performance opportunities. One of those being our newest collaboration with Music of the Baroque. As an organization, South Chicago Dance Theatre is always engaging in collaborative efforts. Whether that be live music, working with students at universities, or joining forces with other companies or guest artists, we love sharing our art with other organizations. During season six, SCDT has the privilege to dance with Chicago’s ensemble, Music of the Baroque, which specializes in 18th-century music.
Eight dancers, including SCDT’s main company, guest artists, and associate artists, engaged in a week-long rehearsal process with our Artistic Director, Kia S. Smith. We’ve been practicing with a recording of the 9-minute work, but we are thrilled to rehearse with the live musicians soon. Our dance truly lies in the Baroque era and pulls from stories of Louis XIV. We explore a lot of classy and modest gestures alongside intricate footwork. A string of solos, duets, and group choreography juxtaposes the music and brings the music to life just as much as our dancing is brought to life by the score. We simply cannot wait to share it with the public and hope to continue this collaboration in the future!
If you’d like to learn more about Music of the Baroque, visit baroque.org or go to the Harris Theater website to buy tickets to see us in action on October 11, 2022 at 7:30pm.
A Final Farewell
Well, team, this is it! The last you'll hear from me for Season 5! I still can't believe that, not only has this year flown by, but five full years of South Chicago Dance Theatre has flown by as well. I am so incredibly thankful for this organization and all that it's given me.
I say it over and over again and it seems to fit into each phase of my life, but the one thing I love more than dance is the people I dance with. This has been my second season with South Chicago Dance Theatre and the relationships I have formed will last a lifetime. I've traveled across countries with some of these people, endured long-lasting rehearsals on days where we really thought we couldn't, and formed mentorships with Kia, other choreographers, and my fellow dancers and guest artists that I look up to. Sure, the Harris Theater show on May 20 was huge, but what a beautiful reminder that there are things even bigger than that.
As my final goodbye for Season 5 and as we have our last few rehearsals this month, I just want to send a giant thank you and a big appreciation to my fellow dancers. You've made this season what it was and kept me smiling through each day. I wouldn't want to spend five hours a dance in a sweaty dance studio with anyone else. More than anything, your dance people become your family. You have to trust, rely on, and be there for one another. I'm proud to say that I have a pretty amazing extended dance family. So much love for you all, SCDT.
Here's to Season 6 and more fun adventures to come!!
Harris Theater Debut - CHECK!
Family, friends, dance community, supporters, fans - WE DID IT!
If you weren't there on Friday, May 20, 2022 to join us for our SOLD OUT Harris Theater Debut, here's a picture to flood you with our memories of it. This was the biggest show of South Chicago Dance Theater's existence and to tell you we were stunned that we sold out every seat in the theater is still a shock to me. I will never forget checking the seat plot online continuously. During our lunch break on Friday, we hit that mark - SOLD OUT. To all of you who came out and bought tickets - thank you from the bottom of our heart. You supporting the arts and our passion-filled career means the absolute most to us.
The show featured 5 world premieres of new works by 5 different choreographers. It was a wide range of pieces - in size, genre, intensity, and choreography. It was the biggest sigh of relief at the final bow of the show to know that everything went as planned and that all of our choreographers and our wonderful Artistic Director were proud of what went out on that stage. A smile was plastered on my face throughout the evening and into the next day in which I felt like the rest of my body couldn't move an inch.
One of my favorite memories of the show that I'll leave you with today is something that our guest artist Ricky Ruiz said to us right after warm-up and before the show began. All in all, I've always loved a pep talk or encouraging word from others prior to performing...those are the memories I save for a lifetime. After our Rehearsal Director, Jessica Miller Tomlinson, finished class and gave us a few encouraging words, Ricky asked if he could say a few words as well. Ricky is a Chicago dance community veteran and has a few more professional dancing years on the rest of us (SCDT is a young company, y'all!). Ricky told us to enjoy every moment out on that stage because you'll wish you had it back. The years and the performances fly by, and he encouraged us to savor the moment and soak it up while we have it. I hugged fellow company member Heather Cagle as he said it because it's true. Each phase of your dancing career moves by so quickly. I love and enjoy dancing with these people pictured above so much and if I did one thing on that stage on Friday, it was enjoy where I was in the present moment.
Dance is my favorite thing out there. To share it with over 1,500 people on Friday night was a dream. Thank you - for being so supportive and allowing us to live out our biggest dreams. Without an audience, there is no show. ALL of my love and appreciation.
CHECK THIS OUT!
We simply can't believe it! South Chicago Dance Theatre is featured on the Walgreens downtown on State & Randolph...go check us out and make sure to buy tickets to our show!!
After rehearsal last Friday, the six of us involved in SCDT's photoshoot sponsored by Athleta took a little field trip to go see our life-size transparent posters at the Walgreens downtown. When I say I jumped out of the car and my mouth was wide open - I mean it. It was so shocking and surreal to experience our own photos on a busy street downtown for many people to see.
Not only is this great promotion for our show, but also for our company! Within the month that this window hang will be displayed, we will make millions of impressions on local commuters.
Big time thank you to Michelle Reid for capturing these athletic photos of our dancers. If you're a dancer and you haven't worked with Michelle, here's my personal recommendation. She is one of the best dance photographers in the industry. She works with you and makes you feel amazing along the way. She's efficient yet thorough and makes the most of each shoot.
We also have a big thank you to Cindy Raymond, Lindsey Jennings, and Tiffany Moten for making this all come together. What an incredible opportunity and we love our newfound partnership and sponsorship from Athleta. Trust me - I live in their workout apparel. The most amazing clothing out there. AND if you bring your ticket from our show into any Chicagoland Athleta, you automatically get 15% off an item! So cool.
This season just feels like a total blessing. So many amazing things coming up and we can't wait to showcase it all at the Harris Theatre on May 20!
What YOU have to look forward To
Guess what's coming up sooner than you've ever imagined?? OUR 5TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON CONCERT AT THE HARRIS THEATER!
Okay, I'm sorry to get so excited, but this is big! It's the moment we've been preparing for all season and I am more than prepared to tell you all about it without spoiling too much. Today you'll get a brief insider's scoop to each piece in the show, who choreographed it, and what you can expect from it. Don't let it stop you from getting your tickets - you truly have to see it to believe it!
In no particular order, here's a glimpse of the five newly commissioned works you'll see on the evening of May 20!
- "In Lieu of Flowers" choreographed by our own Kia S. Smith. This duet is sure to hone your focus as it is one of the most connected and partner-driven works we have. Kia's new choreographing will allow you to investigate the grieving process portrayed through two female dancers.
- "Lit-Anies" choreographed by Crystal Michelle Perkins. If you've seen it before, just get ready to see it again! This piece was originally choreographed over Zoom though the dance has expanded since then. Crystal's dynamic and athletic choreography will draw your interest.
- Title TBD choreographed by Wade Schaaf is one of our more gentle yet dramatic words. Technically driven and light in nature, Wade's piece jumps from somber to joyful to painful set to a classical score.
- "Stammer" choreographed by Ron De Jesus is our powerful finale. It's aggressive and confrontational and our biggest group piece of the show. It'll end with a bang - that's for sure!
- Title TBD choreographed by Stephanie Martinez will break up the intense nature of the rest of the show. Exploring show business and the monotony of day-to-day work in our industry is shown through playful choreography and upbeat music.
Are you ready to see it yet?! If so, hop on over to the Harris Theater website, find the buy tickets link, and head to May 20. Fill the theater for us! We can't wait for you to see what we've been working on.
Netherlands: According to Heather
We have officially returned from Arnhem, Netherlands and we LOVED our time there! To give you even more of an inside scoop on all things Amsterdam, we chatted with company member, Heather Cagle. Here’s what she had to share about our experience:
Have you ever been to Europe before?: Yes, I’ve been to Italy!
What shocked you the most in Amsterdam?: The height of everyone! They were so TALL!
What were travel days like?: They were long travel days, tiring, full of laughter, full of confusion, but with lots of yummy food at the end of it all.
Describe the dancers at university: They were freaks of nature in the best way possible. The students at ArtEz University are extremely gifted, enthusiastic, and open to anything.
How were our dancing styles compared?: Our personalities were similar to the students in the Netherlands…very large personalities that filled the room. The differences came in structure. In the U.S. we seem to be more structured whereas the European students were more freeform.
How was it collaborating with Choomna Dance Company again?: I LOVE them. They feel like our other half from across the world. They are so calming. The coolest thing is that Joseph knows how to get people to connect differently than we do in the US. We think performance quality, Joseph talks about finding a center together, breathing, waiting and listening.
Favorite memory from the trip?: Our steak dinner as a company was very fanamal! Friday as a whole actually - performing internationally and teaching the students and seeing their culture and their environment all come together was so exciting.
Would you go back: YES!
What do you recommend to others traveling to Amsterdam?:
1. Do your research beforehand
2. Go with the flow when you get there, explore, be a tourist, and have so much fun
3. Take public transportation and walk because you see more of the culture and
4. TRY ALL THE FOOD!
We loved our trip to the Netherlands and hope to go back soon!
Reunited & it feels SO Good
Reunited with our South Korean Seoul-mates in Arnhem, Netherlands for a residency at ArtEz University and it feels amazing! On March 12, 2022 the four main company members and Kia travelled out to Amsterdam to meet up with our collaborating company (Choomna Dance Company) from Seoul, South Korea. We spent five weekdays educating the dancers at the university which is considered to be the "Julliard of Europe". The students had great energy, were insanely receptive to our teaching, and reignited our passion to continue the season. Students participated in Kia's Horton technique modern class, learned repertoire from our upcoming show, had multiple improvisation lessons from Joseph Kim of Choomna, and even experienced the collaboration of Kia and Joseph in their own creation of a short piece.
Our time in Arnhem was not only beneficial to the students, but we also got to premiere Kia and Joseph's collaborative piece titled "Resilience in the Rain" on the Friday of the trip. After three years of working together on this piece with multiple casts and rehearsals, the piece was shown on a stage with lighting and recorded professionally for reference. The piece itself is one of my favorites to perform - working with the dancers from Seoul is a whole different experience that bonds us through the language of dance. Having Joseph's style so effortlessly blend in with Kia's from section to section is one of the most fascinating projects to watch come to fruition.
More to come about our personal times in Amsterdam and how we felt traveling internationally as a group, but I am insanely thankful to have had this experience for many reasons. I leave feeling inspired by the dancers at ArtEz University, craving more of Joseph's improvisational practices, and proud of the company of dancers I get to work with on a daily basis.
Thank you, Amsterdam! After a year of cancelled performances and virtual stages due to Covid-19, it was just a blessing to safely travel to the Netherlands and be around dancers of a different culture. Looking forward to more trips in the future!
THANK YOU to our Chicago Public Schools!
I know I've given you the full low down of how our Black History Month show goes down at each school and the pieces and knowledge we share with each school and their students, but I'd like to take a blog to thank the Chicago Public Schools that made this all possible. As we reach the end of February, I personally feel very thankful to these schools and I know as an organization that South Chicago Dance Theatre feels so proud of our community for so many reasons.
First of all, thanks to the staff, administration, and principals of many CPS schools so many children were exposed to art in its purest form...LIVE! It's been awhile since we've performed live and for many schools they made mention that it had been approximately two years since they had had an assembly gathering their students. It truly made us feel honored to be the first performance back in action.
These kids got the privilege of witnessing dance which many kids never get to experience due to many factors including cost, accessibility, or interest. Students were able to see the product of hard work and chasing a dream. Introducing the possibility of doing something you love through passion and hard work is worth more than I could ever explain. Whether it be dance, singing, acting, math, science, business, medicine, engineering, construction, etc. these kids got to understand that if you work towards a goal it is possible to achieve it.
Lastly, and most importantly, the CPS students were able to learn about Black History. Even with information as simple as the name of the Black National Anthem or the colors of the African American Flag, kids need to understand the influence of black culture on the United States. It's everywhere and it's pivotal and they got to learn about it in a fun and accessible way. If even a handful of kids walked away learning something they didn't know before, it's all worth it.
A big shout-out and giant thank you to the following schools that participated in our Black History Month performance series...we LOVED visiting your beautiful schools and wonderful students!
Wescott Elementary
British School Lincoln Park
Ogden Elementary (East Campus)
Powell Elementary
Haines Elementary
Ogden High School (West Campus)
Hickory Bend Elementary
NKO Charter School
Edward Coles Elementary
We greatly appreciate your willingness to educate your students on Black History, expose them to the arts, and support SCDT!
Happy Black History Month!