SOUTH CHICAGO DANCE THEATRE Continues Its Momentum

 

SOUTH CHICAGO DANCE THEATRE Continues Its Momentum  

Among highlights are a World Premiere-packed program by choreographers including DONALD BYRD and JOSHUA BLAKE CARTER; company debut in South America; and Chicago Opera Theater collaboration. 

CHICAGO, Ill. – On the heels of its critically acclaimed World Premiere presentation, Memoirs of Jazz in the Alley at the Auditorium Theatre, South Chicago Dance Theatre continues gaining momentum with the announcement of its 7th season in 2023-24. Under the leadership of Kia S. Smith, its dynamic Executive Artistic Director, South Chicago Dance Theatre is a Chicago-centric, multicultural organization that fuses classical and contemporary dance styles.  Starting this Summer with active involvement in three high profile dance festivals here and culminating next Spring with its own program of World Premiere works commissioned from a diverse lineup of major choreographic talents, among the company’s season highlights are expected to be: 

·         South Chicago Dance Theatre makes its South American debut with performances in Bogotá, Colombia in October, an outcome of the company’s Choreographic Diplomacy™ program launched in 2018 and presently spanning the creation and presentation of new work with artists in Seoul, Korea; Arnhem, Netherlands; and Colombia.  

·         Following, in December 2023, the company undertakes a major choreographic collaboration with Chicago Opera Theater for the Chicago Premiere of Shostakovich’s farcical work, “The Nose,” in two performances at Harris Theater for Music and Dance. Working alongside acclaimed director Francesca Zambello (Lyric Opera of Chicago’s “West Side Story”), Smith will contribute choreography with members of South Chicago Dance Theatre engaged as the dance corps. 

·         Finally, South Chicago Dance Theatre returns to the Auditorium Theatre in April 2024 for its annual ‘home season’ concert, proudly presenting an all-World Premiere program of five pieces commissioned by top contemporary choreographers: Donald Byrd, Joshua Blake Carter, Monique Haley, Tsai Tsi Hung, and Terence Marling, alongside a new title by Kia Smith.   

“South Chicago Dance Theatre’s seventh season is a year of innovation, collaboration, and community. We are excited to introduce our audiences to the work of a diversity of choreographers through six new commissions, particularly a World Premiere by the renowned Donald Byrd. I have always admired Mr. Byrd for the breadth and depth of his choreographic work, the clarity and boldness in his voice and in the rigor of his creative process. It is a real honor to be adding his work to our growing repertoire. This season also marks the first year in which SCDT Main Company artists are salaried and receive health insurance benefits, a dream of mine since the organization’s inception in 2017.  Plus, under the direction of Education Program Manager Anne Kasdorf, SCDT serves 12 public schools throughout the greater Chicagoland area with its dance and theater programs and has received three years of support from Ingenuity Incorporated to enhance SCDT’s arts integration model within Chicago Public Schools. We also look forward to programs such as South Chicago Dance Festival and our South American debut at Los Andes Cultural Center!” 

2023-24 South Chicago Dance Theatre season (to date) 

Trio of major citywide dance festivals: 

Chicago Dancers United Dance for Life 2023 

Auditorium Theatre, August 19, 6:00 PM 

Harris Fest – Music + Dance in the Park  

Millennium Park, September 9, 6:00 PM 

Navy Pier Chicago Live! 

Navy Pier, September 23, 6:45 PM 

Followed by: 

Tour to Bogotá, Colombia 

October 2023 

South American debut, in collaboration with Choomna Dance Company (Seoul, South Korea). 

Chicago Opera Theater’s Chicago Premiere of “The Nose” 

Harris Theater for Music and Dance, December 8, 8:00 PM + December 10, 3:00 PM 

Southeast Missouri State University residency and performance 

Cape Girardeau, MO, January 29 – February 2, 2024 

Miller Auditorium, in partnership with Education for the Arts 

Kalamazoo, MI, February 4-5, 2024 

Black History Month performance series 

Chicago Public Schools, February 2024 

Auditorium Theatre annual home season concert 

Auditorium Theatre, April 27, 2024, 7:30 PM 

Featuring world premieres by commissioned choreographers Donald Byrd, Joshua Blake Carter, Monique Haley, Tsai Tsi Hung, Terence Marling and Kia S. Smith. 

For individual performance information and tickets, please visit the website for each venue. 

 

 

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