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!
Happy Black History Month, Chicago!
Happy Black History Month to all! February is a wonderful month to celebrate and honor the history of African Americans and their influence on our overall culture! As a dance company, we are especially excited as we have the privilege of traveling throughout the Chicagoland area and performing our Black History Month show entitled "Dancing Through the Great Migration" in Chicago Public Schools!
As a child, I never experienced a dance company touring to my school. Exposure to the arts were little if any and most of our assemblies were lectures rather than interactive performances. To share such an important topic through dance with children throughout our local area is so important and so special. We've already had multiple students approach us after the performance asking where they can take class with us and expressing their admiration for dance and what they experienced! That is the most rewarding thing to hear.
In "Dancing Through the Great Migration" students ages preschool through high school are able to hear important topics related to black history and black artists displayed through a dance performance. We begin with a break-down of each style of dance used throughout the show. A black pioneer of each dance genre is introduced followed by a brief demonstration of the style - whether that be ballet, jazz, modern, West African, improvisation, tap, or hip-hop. This way students are introduced to a variety of styles and can depict what styles they are seeing throughout the show!
Next up, students learn about the Black National Anthem ("Lift Every Voice and Sing") and view a dance using the three colors of the African American flag (red, green, and black). Students then hear about the Great Migration, learn about the Rainbow Coalition, and hear about the African American's toils in Chicago.
Where the performance is interactive is when the students get to stand up and join in by learning 5 jazz steps utilized in the 1920's - the Charleston, sugars, bee's knees, jazz hands, and a basic slide step. We combine these movements to create a simple dance for the children to learn and participate with. It's a hit at every school we've been in!!
Finally, the performance is wrapped up with a demonstration of jazz dance, an exposure to black poetry through Maya Angelou's "Still I Rise" poem, and a dance to Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech.
The children learn a lot in a short period of time in such a fun way. Watching dance is stimulating and drives focus. It's amazing to me how chatty the kids can be at the start of the assembly and ten minutes later they are completely mesmerized by the dancing. PLUS, so many kids at the schools we've been to have had tremendous questions during our Q&A section at the end! We've been blown away by these kids' perceptions of dance and their curiosity!
What a privilege it's been to share this performance and this bit of education with so many schools in our area. A special thank you and shout out to the wonderful principals and staff at each of these Chicago Public Schools that took the time out of their day to have us and expose their students to something so critical to our culture!
Happy Black History Month! Do something to educate yourself and celebrate!
14 people we LOVE this Valentine's Day
Happy Valentine’s Day, SCDT fans! Whether you celebrate it or consider it a Hallmark holiday, we never mind spreading more love around and contributing to a positive and nurturing environment! This Valentine’s Day I want to highlight 14 people (or groups of people) that we are sending big love to this February and always!!
- Our Board AND Administrative Staff…you have no idea how much they do for us! From serving as promotion throughout our community to assisting with grant writing, budget, payroll…the list is never-ending. Without them, there would be no South Chicago Dance Theatre. We appreciate you all!
- Hyde Park School of Dance staff. Without the fabulous staff and directors of HPSD, we would not have a space to rehearse each day. If dancers don’t have a studio, there is no show. We love your generosity and willingness to have us around each week!
- Ethan Kirschbaum. The most feel good of all feel good contemporary classes we’ve ever taken. We look forward to having you and continuing our training with you each and every week!
- Sarah Schaefer. We’ve had Sarah as our ballet mistress for two years running and can we talk about our technical improvement in ballet? She’s a magician and we love her dearly.
- Jessica Miller Tomlinson. Talk about the most impressive Rehearsal Director you’ve ever met. Jessica has been so busy prepping us for our Harris Theater debut and we could not be more thankful.
- My fellow dancers! Kim, Hayley, Heather, Taylor, Sydney, JD, Tori, Amaya, Louis, Lourdes, Elijah, Mauricio, Ricky…I wouldn’t be the dancer I am without growing and learning from you all. Much love!
- Joseph Kim & Choomna Art Center. We had the most wonderful time with you in Chicago in the fall and simply cannot wait to see you in the Netherlands in a short month!
- Our Black History Month School coordinators! The Chicago Public Schools’ principals, coordinators, and staff have been wonderful to us this month. We love your support of the arts & SCDT!
- Wade Schaaf. Our first resident choreographer for our 5th anniversary season - we love your piece and the energy you brought to our rehearsal!
- Ron De Jesus. Our powerhouse final piece that you choreographed for our entire company is unmatched. We love it!
- Stephanie Martinez. We are ecstatic to work with you and are excited to see what you have in store.
- Crystal Michelle Perkins. Our second season with your fabulous and dynamic choreography. We’re lucky to have you!
- Our guest teachers! Throughout the season we’ve experienced plenty of outside help. Our master classes with Samantha Dauer, Patti Eylar, ReginaArtD, and many more keep us exploring new styles and ways of approaching movement!
- Kia S. Smith - our lovely artistic and executive director! We never know how you do what you do, but we are forever grateful that you do it and keep us dancing! YOU are the epitome of energy, grace, and power!
Tell someone you love them today. Wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day and the best remainder of the month!
Dancer Spotlight: Hayley Midea
We can’t let too much of the season go by without giving you a dancer spotlight on our newest Company Member for the 2021-2022 SCDT Season!! Hayley Midea was an Emerging Artist last season and we are so proud to have her on as a Company Member this year! Learn more about her below…
Name: Hayley Midea
Age: 23
Hometown: Wixom, MI
Favorite Color: Pink
Favorite Style of Dance: Contemporary
Favorite Choreographer: I love working with Jackie Nowicki and Monique Haley! I love to watch Jessica Starr’s choreography as well!
When did you start dancing?: When I was 2 years old.
College: Western Michigan University!
Siblings: I have three siblings. I have two older brothers and a twin sister!
Why do you feel passionate about dance?: Dance has always been something that I loved and where I feel like I am most comfortable, can be myself, and express myself the most.
If you weren’t a dancer, what career would you choose?: I would probably be involved in fitness or personal training like my mom is!
If you could do a duet with one person, who would it be?: Alex Turner…I danced with him growing up and he was one of my best friends growing up. He now dances at University of Arizona!
Favorite place you’ve traveled: Honduras on a cruise!
Favorite food: Does ice cream count as food…?
One word to describe yourself: Compassionate
If you had a dance move that described you, what would it be?: Parallel Fourth Lunge
Fun Facts: My parents were bodybuilders in the 80s, I have really tiny ears, and I LOVE the tv show Friends.
Thanks for getting to know Hayley & look out for her shining on stage in May at our Harris Theatre debut!