For Release July 10, 2012
FREE Tickets for the 2012 Chicago Dancing Festival – Available Beginning July 17
2012 Festival Includes 3 Free Events That Require No Tickets
CHICAGO – The Chicago Dancing Festival today announces that free tickets for the Festival’s 6th annual series of dance performances will become available to the general public beginning Tuesday, July 17. While all events are free, tickets for the indoor performances must be reserved in advance. The week-long Festival also includes three free events which do not require tickets. Co-produced by renowned choreographer Lar Lubovitch and esteemed dancer Jay Franke, the 2012 Chicago Dancing Festival is set to take place August 20–25.
Tickets will be released in a staggered format so that each venue releases its tickets on a different day, as follows:
Beginning TUESDAY, JULY 17 at 12 NOON:
Tickets for the “Chicago Dancing” program at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, Millennium Park, Monday, August 20, will be available in person at the Harris Theater Box Office, 205 E. Randolph Drive, Chicago, or by calling 312-334-7777.
Beginning WEDNESDAY, JULY 18 at 12 NOON:
Tickets for the “Dancing East & West of Chicago” performance at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, Wednesday, August 22,will be available in person at the Auditorium Theatre Box Office, 50 E. Congress Parkway, online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/070048DCCD6D6525 or by calling 1-800-982-ARTS. Not available at Ticketmaster Outlets.
Beginning THURSDAY, JULY 19 at 12 NOON:
Tickets for the “Chicago Now” Lecture-Demonstration at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA), Friday, August 24,will be available in person at the MCA Stage Box Office, 220 E. Chicago Avenue or by calling 312-397-4010.
Limit of two (2) tickets per order, per evening of performance, while available. Any tickets unclaimed at 15 minutes prior to curtain time will be released to customers on a wait list. Wait list begins one hour before the performance, in person only. All tickets will be held at Will-Call. All seating for all venues is general admission.
Non-ticketed Events:
Free events throughout the 2012 Festival that do not require tickets include “Dancing Movies,” a day-long screening of dance films at the MCA, Tuesday, August 21; “Dancing Under the Stars,” a partnership with SummerDance Chicago at the Grant Park Spirit of Music Garden, Thursday, August 23; and the Festival’s signature grand finale program, “Celebration of Dance,” at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion of Millennium Park, Saturday, August 25.
Prima Parti:
Following the performance of “Chicago Dancing” at the Harris Theater will be “Prima Parti” opening night after-party. Tickets are $200 per person and can be purchased by emailing primaparti@chicagodancingfestival.com or by calling 773-609-CDF5 (2335). “Prima Parti” attendees will enjoy VIP seating for the performance followed by cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and the chance to mingle with the professional artists in the Harris Theater Rooftop Tent.
CHICAGO DANCING FESTIVAL 2012 SCHEDULE
Monday, August 20, 7:00 pm – “Chicago Dancing”
Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive
- Bolero Chicago by Larry Keigwin (Chicago Premiere)
- Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Scarlatti by Twyla Tharp
- The Joffrey Ballet, In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated by William Forsythe
- After School Matters Hip Hop Culture Dance Ensemble, Touch of Soul, a new work by Nicholas Leichter (CDF commission)
- Giordano Dance Chicago, Two Become Three by Alexander Ekman (CDF commission)
Tuesday, August 21, beginning 12 noon – “Dancing Movies”
Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Avenue
- A day-long screening of dance films highlights innovative collaborations between contemporary dance artists, filmmakers and musicians. Selections include the Academy Award-nominated PINA (2011) plus other short and feature-length films. Curated by Sarah Best.
Wednesday, August 22, 7:30 pm – “Dancing East and West of Chicago”
Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway
- Pacific Northwest Ballet guest artists, Afternoon of a Faun by Jerome Robbins
- Ballet Arizona, Rubies by George Balanchine
- Stars of San Francisco Ballet Sofiane Sylve and Vito Mazzeo, The Sleeping Beauty (pas de deux) by Marius Petipa
- Martha Graham Dance Company, Chronicle by Martha Graham
- Brian Brooks Moving Company, Descent by Brian Brooks (Chicago Premiere)
Thursday, August 23, 6 pm – “Dancing Under the Stars”
Grant Park, Spirit of Music Garden, 601 S. Michigan Avenue
- Chicago Dancing Festival partners with SummerDance Chicago for an evening of participatory dancing as people of all ages and skill levels come together on a 4,900 square-foot, open-air dance floor for an introductory one-hour dance lesson, followed by music and dancing. This evening begins with a Polka Dance lesson by Paul Collins followed by dancing to the beats of Joe Walega and the Happy Hearts Orchestra with instruction from Ethnic Dance Chicago.
Friday, August 24, 6 pm – “Chicago Now”
Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Avenue
- A discussion of the state of dance in Chicago today moderated by lead dance journalist and former dancer Zac Whittenburg, featuring three local companies performing in a lecture-demonstration format. Specific program to be announced at a later date.
Saturday, August 25, 7:30 pm – “Celebration of Dance”
Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park
- Houston Ballet, Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes by Mark Morris (performed with live music)
- Martha Graham Dance Company, Steps in the Street (excerpt from Chronicle) by Martha Graham
- Stars of San Francisco Ballet Sofiane Sylve and Vito Mazzeo, Continuum (pas de deux) by Christopher Wheeldon
- Bolero Chicago by Larry Keigwin
- After School Matters Hip Hop Culture Dance Ensemble, Touch of Soul by Nicholas Leichter
- Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Tabula Rasa (first movement) by Ohad Naharin
- Stars of New York City Ballet Ana Sophia Scheller and Gonzalo Garcia, Don Quixote (pas de deux) by Marius Petipa
All programs are subject to change.
About the Chicago Dancing Festival
The Chicago Dancing Festival was founded in 2006 to elevate awareness of dance in Chicago, to increase accessibility to the art form and to provide inspiration for local artists. Its mission is to present a wide variety of excellent dance, enrich the lives of the people of Chicago and provide increased accessibility to the art form, thereby helping create a new audience. Its vision is to raise the national and international profile of dance in the city, furthering Chicago as a national and international dance destination.
Past seasons have attracted new and returning audiences of thousands with the highest quality offerings in ballet and modern dance from companies from all across the nation and outside of the United States. Since its inaugural event, more than 40 different companies have performed for 50,000+ audience members — growing from an audience of 8,500 in 2006 to more than 18,000 in 2011 — all with free admission.
Lar Lubovitch (Founder, Artistic Director) is one of America’s most versatile and highly acclaimed choreographers and founded the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company 44 years ago. In the years since, he has choreographed more than 100 dances for his New York-based company, which has performed in nearly all 50 American states as well as in more than 30 foreign countries. Born in Chicago, Lubovitch was educated at the University of Iowa and the Juilliard School in New York.
Jay Franke (Founder, Artistic Director) first danced with the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company in 2005. Jay began his formal training at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas, Texas. In 1993 he was selected as a Finalist for Presidential Scholar in the Arts and accepted into the Juilliard School. Upon receiving his B.F.A. in Dance from the Juilliard School, Franke went to work with the Twyla Tharp Dance Company, “THARP!” Franke has since danced with The 58 Group, Lyric Opera Ballet Chicago, and most recently Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.
The Chicago Dancing Festival is grateful for its 2012 supporters including: InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, Official Hotel Partner; Chicago Sun-Times, Exclusive Media Sponsor; the Sun-Times Foundation; Museum of Contemporary Art; Harris Theater for Music and Dance; City of Chicago, Millennium Park; The Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University; Jamie and Rob Taylor; David Herro and Jay Franke; UBS; Illinois Arts Council; National Endowment for the Arts; Art Works; The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust; The Chicago Community Trust; The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation through The MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture.
For more information, please visit www.chicagodancingfestival.com.
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