Hello from Chicago

[Paulina]

My daughter is a pre-professional student who loves ballet, and I am trying to be as supportive of that as possible.  Thank you for creating these forums.

I just bought my first two dance subscriptions for myself and my DD, to two Chicago Theatres.  We are truly looking forward to seeing 7 dance performances here in Chicago, over the next 9 months, mostly ballet but also contemporary.  

Balancing schedules for school and dance is much more challenging than I ever could have realized, but I am so thankful every time I see her perform.  I also have DS who plays baseball almost as much as DD dances.  

Looking forward to reading and learning, and possibly getting some guidance if I need it.

 

[Helene]

Welcome to Ballet Alert! Paulina!

You're in luck:  in today's Links there is an article about American Ballet Theatre performing in Chicago each season through 2022:

https://balletalert.invisionzone.com/topic/44002-thursday-august-2/

I'm guessing you and your daughter already know about our sister board, Ballet Talk for Dancers, but just in case, here's the link:

https://dancers.invisionzone.com/

It requires separate registration, and it has its own registration and posting rules and policies.

It's an invaluable resource to students and parents navigating the pre-professional waters.

Please tell us about what you see: we don't have many members posting from Chicago, and we'd really appreciate hearing about what is being performed there.

[sandik]

Greetings from Seattle!

You've got the English National Ballet coming in February/March with a new version of Giselle by Akram Khan -- you lucky duck!

[Paulina]

Thank you, a little belated!!  I’m escorting DD and a friend from her ballet school to see Miami City Ballet, this Friday.  We are very fortunate to have tickets to English National Ballet, for Giselle, which my DD can’t wait to see.  We are also very excited to see Whipped Cream by ABT in April.  Sorry for my late response.  Just seeing this and I truly appreciate the welcome!  I have been navigating the BTFD boards (DD just finished one ballet and is now six weeks away from finishing Nutcracker) and I am really just trying to keep up, and figure these boards out.  I am afraid to post on them, because I honestly do not know very much and am here to learn from everyone.  I am very excited to accompany my DD to some wonderful live performances in Chicago.

Edited November 5, 2018 by Paulina

[Jack Reed]

Hello from another Chicagoan, Paulina!

On 8/1/2018 at 9:58 PM, Paulina said:

...

Balancing schedules for school and dance is much more challenging than I ever could have realized, but I am so thankful every time I see her perform.  ...

Behind every young dancer there's a family!  A friend and her dancing daughter, also a Joffrey student, and I will also be at MCB Friday night.   

There's a lot of dance to see in Chicago, and with two series already, you're obviously up on it.  

I'm mostly classical ballet myself, but Sunday I will be watching Ballet Folklorico de Mexico with a former member, and the following weekend we'll see the Joffrey Academy Fall Program, where my friend's daughter will dance.  

May I suggest as an addition to your busy calendar a personal favorite I feel is under-appreciated, our alternate, pre-professional ballet school, Ballet Chicago?   More "Balanchine oriented," they put on their home-grown Nutcracker the second and third weekends in December in the Athenaeum theater (as well as mixed repertory in the Harris Theater in mid-May).  

The musicality of the choreography really suits my sensibilities.  It's mostly by Dan Duell and his wife, Patricia Blair, former Balanchine dancers, and there's Balanchine's "Sugar Plum" pas de deux toward the end.  Beautifully costumed by a small army of volunteer seamstresses, and at $30 and down - seniors and children pay less - value for money, too.  (Helene kindly posted some images of those costumes a few years ago.)

Try a different Nutcracker and see how you  like it?   Sometimes comparing things brings out something you wouldn't have noticed in each of them otherwise.  

Edited November 7, 2018 by Jack Reed
afterthoughts...