International Touring in Review
photo from the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany
Throughout my time on South Chicago Dance Theatre, I have had the incredible privilege of touring internationally FIVE times. I can hardly believe it and I am filled with immense gratitude for this organization, our director Kia, and our touring manager Terra who all work together to bring us to beautiful places to experience, learn, perform, and dive into all things dance.
I was reflecting during the past trip to Berlin on how this was country number 5 with SCDT for me and was amazed at all we've done throughout the experiences. In order, below are the places I've been AND a short blurb about my favorite dance things we did at each location.
1. Arnhem, Netherlands (Season 5): It was the most incredible trip to ArtEz University teaching and collaborating with the students there. This was my first ever international trip for dance purposes and it swept me off my feet to discover the differences in dance culture.
2. Colombia (Season 7): We visited both Medellin and Bogota, both beautiful places. Collaborating with the dancers in Colombia was nothing short of a spiritual experience - they are connected to dance in a soulful way I can hardly articulate.
3. South Korea (Season 8): Being in Seoul was vibrant and fun, though my favorite memory was performing at the festival in Tank. The outdoor venue was unlike any other stage I've ever been on.
4. Vietnam (Season 8): In Vietnam, we collaborated with both a company from Vietnam as well as our beloved dancers from Choomna in Korea. Having two days to dance together, take class from one another, and learn the styles of each company was a beautiful collection of dance.
5. Berlin, Germany (Season 9): The focus we all had at LAKE studios Berlin was unlike any other. We created an entire new piece with Kia and everyone was locked in and connected through the process thanks to the beautiful facility and hospitality of LAKE studios.
Overall, I am insanely thrilled to have grown so much as a dancer and person throughout my travels with SCDT. I take a bit of wisdom from each country we tour and when I reflect on these travels, I remember nothing but joy and discovery!
Berlin Residency: While we are Here!
Overall, what an incredible second day of residency in Berlin. Today was the best mixture of structure, play, focus, and fun. The trip has just begun, but it’s already so memorable in the best possible way.
The day began as it typically does in Chicago as well. 9:15am call for warm-up in the studios. Only this studio in Berlin has a skylight view and a different sense of focus than at home. For a lot of us dancers, we work outside of rehearsal time or have other obligations to attend to. Here, thousands of miles away, our sole responsibility is to dedicate ourselves to this rehearsal process. Today we focused our energy on some phrases of movement that Kia, our director and choreographer, created. In addition, we explored some creative ideas with the potential use of props in abstract ways. It was thrilling to use our imagination in new ways and develop ownership in parts of the creative process. It’s one of my favorite things to do as a performer - act & think on my toes!
Post-rehearsal we all relaxed a bit and freshened up. A group of us dancers traveled to Alexanderplatz to check out the shopping and have a German meal. Top of my list for the trip was to have as many of my all-time favorite snacks: a pretzel. It did not disappoint and the live music at the restaurant was only a bonus on top of our group’s fun conversation. It’s a treasure to me to get along and enjoy the company of my co-workers. At this point they’ve become friends that I trust in my everyday work & in life.
Day two and already thrilled to continue. Thanks, Lake Studios Berlin!
SCDT takes on APAP in NYC
SCDT’s first ever tour to New York AND our first ever APAP all wrapped into one!!
We had such a wonderful time performing both an excerpt from “On a Lark” as well as all of “Under the Skin” for APAP, a performing arts presenters conference that takes place each year in the heart of New York City.
SCDT brought our Main Company and our two Associate Artists, Lauryn and Ben, for their first ever tour with us. They did a beautiful job and it’s always so fun bringing more of our Company on tour!
APAP is run so efficiently as there are performers that span all different form of entertainment - musicians, dancers, comedians, visual artists, magicians, and so many more - so that presenters from across the nation have a myriad of options to book.
Our short 20-minute slot was received well with a standing ovation and lots of fans of Kia’s in the audience!
It was straight from New York onto our International Tour to Germany! NYC was a quick trip yet so incredibly worth it!
Happy Holidays to All!
To close out our wonderful 2025 year, all I can do is wish you a Happy Holidays! In the midst of celebrations, I hope you all get a chance to enjoy family, friends, and good times.
At South Chicago Dance Theatre, we concluded our year of rehearsals with an in-studio party celebrating the success of our season. We ate good food, enjoyed great company (including our own child star, Peter Westergaard, who was featured in our recent production "Lamentations for Peace"), and watched back our Holiday show. Terra and Kia hosted an amazing day for us and sent us into our 2-week break from rehearsal feeling restful, appreciated, and ready for the New Year.
We have so much to be thankful for throughout the year. In 2025, we presented TWO main-stage shows in Chicago. Our first two-show run of a main-stage show was that of "Lamentations for Peace" and we were so glad to have performed it twice. Lots of firsts - including our tour to Utah AND our tour to Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan - while also returning to places we love - like the Dance Center at Colombia College and Laguna Beach to perform with Opera Laguna for the second time.
SCDT is entering 2026 with the determination to make each year better than the last. I'm particularly reflective on how my co-workers have never felt more like family and what a blessing that is. Here's to a HAPPY NEW YEAR. Cheers and love to you and your people!
Opera Laguna: Year 2
It may be snowy and ice cold in our hometown of Chicago, but we’ve been enjoying our time in the 60s and 70s in sunny Laguna Beach, California.
On Wednesday, December 10, the eight of us Company Members traveled to California to join forces with Opera Laguna, a beautifully talented Opera Group on the West Coast. This is our second year collaborating with them and it is such a privilege to work with live musicians. This year, they’ve not only enhanced the show, but they’ve leveled up our role in the show. New for this year, they’ve included a world-class new conductor, a children’s choir, and three new pieces for us to dance to.
Handel’s Messiah, the Opera we are working on, is sort of the “Nutcracker” of the Opera world. Music enthusiasts make it a tradition to come experience this Opera yearly to kick off the Holiday season.
Us at SCDT are quite spirited as we just wrapped up our own premiering Holiday show, “Lamentations for Peace”. Now we are jumping into “Messiah” ready to bring more Holiday joy - although the temperatures here don’t feel quite like Christmastime to me!
We are so lucky to have the opportunity to perform here in California and to nurture our continued relationship with Opera Laguna!
Lamentations for Peace: A Great Success!
What a beautiful string of performances we had this past Saturday & Sunday at the Dance Center at Colombia College for our World Premiere of "Lamentations for Peace".
The weekend included two almost Sold Out shows with friends, family, supporters, and our biggest fans.
The reviews are in, and not only did this show encompass the Holiday Spirit, but it also showed the depth of human relationships and how this can be a difficult time for families and loved ones. An authentic journey through the trials and tribulations of a tough relationship and how it weighs on those surrounding.
See Chicago Dance said that "this is a dance not only to watch, but to feel and experience", which comes across with the longing emotions and deep storytelling of our Company. Third Coast Review even "recommend[ed] that you attend a performance of South Chicago Dance Theatre whenever you get the chance."
These glowing reviews have us excited to continue to grow this performance year after year and let it become a Holiday tradition for families in and traveling to the Chicago area. We laughed, we cried, we celebrated, and we grappled with grief in this show. There's truly something for everyone - whether that be a certain emotion or a genre of dance. We did it all and we can't wait to do it again!
Gratitude 2025 Edition
I may be a couple of days behind, but don't you worry, I didn't forget about my favorite blog of the year - MY GRATITUDE JOURNAL!
If you've been following for the past few seasons while I've been doing the Blog for SCDT, my Gratitude Blog is one of my all time favorites. I'm huge on gratitude - I journal about it, I meditate about it, and I try my best to remind myself of things I'm grateful for throughout each day. It's the best way to stay positive and bring joy to myself and hopefully rubs off on those around me.
So, yes, I'm a little late after Thanksgiving this year, but hopefully you can forgive me for soaking up our break with friends and family. Below, in no particular order, are 10 things I'm grateful for from this season of South Chicago Dance Theatre!
1. My coworkers! Yes, I said no particular order, but this one HAS to be at the top. My fellow dancers get me through each day. They are the magic behind South Chicago Dance Theatre and over the years, they have become more like family than coworkers.
2. Our new Artistic Liaison, Noelle Kayser! She's an incredible mentor, leader, and cleans our dances so well!
3. Our newest Company Class instructor, Laura Wade! She's obsessed with ballet and never fails to answer all of our nerdy questions about technique.
4. Speaking of Laura, we LOVE having Imogen as our accompanist for Laura's class this season. It is SO incredible having live music for ballet class each Thursday!
5. Kia - as always!! - and her fun process with our new holiday show, "Lamentations for Peace". We are thrilled to put this one on stage and Kia has been our fearless leader throughout this choreographic process.
6. Another year-to-year favorite, our Managing Director Terra Schultz. Terra RUNS our lives (or at least it feels like it) and is so professional, prompt, and thorough with all things behind the scenes!
7. Our collaborators, such as but not limited to, Trey with costume design, The Bourne singers as live music for our upcoming show, the kids casts in our Holiday Show, and so many more!
8. Our consistent company class instructors including Jessica, Meredith, Ethan, Laura, and Noelle. You know how to get us ready for our busy days at rehearsal and we love beginning each day with you all!
9. Our GUEST company instructors!! This season it has been so fun getting to interact with new faces from around the Chicago-area on Tuesdays. Thank you Kara, Maggie, Faith, Homer, Patti, Craig, Imani, and so many more! We can't wait to add more to our list.
10. Finally, our grand finale - YOU ALL! We love our audiences so much and it wouldn't make sense if we didn't thank you for your support.
Happy Thanksgiving and let's keep the gratitude rolling all season long!
Resident Costume Designer: Trey Alexander
As the excitement to our Holiday show begins (WE ARE TWO WEEKS AWAY!!!) I thought what better way to make it all come together than to introduce you to the multiple elements and collaborations we have involved.
For not only "Lamentations for Peace" but for almost all of our shows and repertoire pieces, Trey Alexander is our costume designer. Trey collaborates with the choreographers to help progress their vision and conceptualize an outfit or design that encompasses the feeling or story the choreographer is going for.
For "Lamentations for Peace" in particular, Trey has had the difficult task of creating a vintage-styled world amongst making each of us into multiple characters within one 75-minute show. There are multiple scenes that all have different feels - one is dark and mysterious while another scene is hopeful and full of angelic characters. For this show, I feel like Trey has over 90 costumes to manage. This includes us dancers, the children's cast, and our child star - Peter.
Speaking of these other elements, our Holiday show includes many layers. As just previously mentioned - Hyde Park School of Dance's training company dancers are involved in the show as well as a 7-year old boy who plays the lead - Peter Westergaard. In addition, there are loads of costumes by Trey, tons of props that fill the stage and set the scene, AND the Bourne singers which is a group of 9 beautiful live singers that make our music sound so beautiful I can hardly handle it.
There's something for EVERYONE in this show - singing, dancing, acting, Holiday cheer, and so much more!! You don't want to miss it December 6 & 7 at the Dance Center at Colombia College.
Lamentations for Peace - A World Premiere Holiday Show
Officially announced and out in the world - "Lamentations for Peace" is an evening length Holiday themed show choreographed by Kia S. Smith premiering on December 6 and 7th at the Dance Center at Colombia College!
JOIN US for an evening/afternoon of fun, festivities, and a moving Holiday-themed show. The show not only amps up the Holiday spirit and gets audience's ready for the Season, but is a tale of hardships and community during the Holidays. Extra exciting for us is that we are including a children's cast from Hyde Park School of Dance's Training Company as well as a featured child soloist - Peter Westergaard (age 7). It's sure to be a night you won't forget with Holiday sets, choreography, songs, and joyous sprits!
This choreographic process has been one of joy and anticipation leading up to the month of December. Personally, I've decorated earlier for the Holidays than ever before simply due to the fact that we've been rehearsing to Holiday music since August! I'm ready for the Season, but most importantly...I'm ready to share the show with you all!
The show really highlights the versatility of SCDT as dancers - it includes high energy jazz moments, beautiful partnering, and angelic and controlled contemporary. We have it all for you wrapped up in a bow!
We hope you come to the show and enjoy every moment as we lead audience's into the Holiday Spirit! You can get tickets at: https://dance.colum.edu/events/2025/12/6/south-chicago-dance-theatre
We can't wait to see you there....HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
The Most Wonderful time of the Year - HALLOWEEN!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year….I mean YES we are preparing for our Holiday show, but I’m talking about HALLOWEEN! South Chicago dancers take this Holiday quite seriously and each year brings its own tricks and treats.
For example, last year is one we will NEVER forget. After a prank two years back where all of us dancers dressed up as Kia for Halloween, Kia got us back. She went full out and dressed up as the famous Abby Lee Miller, a notoriously harsh children’s dance teacher who has a reality show. Kia jokingly did a whole skit as Abby Lee herself – it had us dancers laughing for a full ten minutes straight.
This year, we aren’t backing down. In fact, we’ve expanded and created a whole entire Halloween Spirit Week. Tuesday is Pajama Day, Wednesday we all have randomly assigned twins, Thursday is SCDT costume day (where we each try to recreate a SCDT costume from our closet), and Friday is Halloween costumes!!
Stay tuned to see the creativity that is our company – YES – we love to have fun and there’s all a little bit of inner child left in each one of us. More stories, more pictures, and more creativity to be shared. For now…Happy Spirit Week from SCDT!