A Conversation about Physically Integrated Dance

On Wed. Nov. 9th, professionals from the Chicago dance and disability community gathered at Access Living for "From Aspiration to Artist, a Conversation about Physically Integrated Dance in Chicago." At this event, a panel of integrated dance leaders spoke about disability in the performing arts, sharing their opinions and experiences and answering questions from the
audience.


Members of our panel spoke passionately about the future of integrated dance; each is working to expand and strengthen the field and can be a great resource for dancers, choreographers and company leaders with and without disabilities - please use the links provided to learn more about these artists and the work they are doing. The panel for the evening included:
Larry Ippel and Stephanie Clemens of Momenta

• "Choosing to be integrated is a commitment from the Artistic Director, not a one time thing." - Clemens
• "We fought to get the changes made to make public transit accessible...sometime it just requires a little bit of a fight." - Ippel
  
• "It's exciting to see you all here, but what are you going to do about these issues when you go home tonight?" - Ippel

Jessica Martin, Dancer and Choreographer from Momenta

• "I like dance because there are no rules. The people I dance with are like my second family." - Martin

Alana Wallace of Dance Detour

• "People think the quality of the company will be "cute" or "inspiring" - integrated dance is about more than that." - Wallace

Lucia Mauro, Dance Writer

• "Integrated dance is a sort of therapy, but it is more than that. It is artistic expression and people need to know that." - Mauro

Elizabeth Millman of the Joffrey Ballet's Academy

• "At the Academy we don't turn any people away from our classes. All are welcome." - Millman

Citlali Lopez-Ortiz, Integrated Dance Instructor

• "I think bringing integration into any performance adds to how we perceive our own humanity." - Lopez-Ortiz

Carrie Sandahl, Associate Prof. in the Dept. Of Disability and Human Development at U of I

• "We need to create the art that is cool enough for non-accessible spaces to NEED to make the change." - Sandahl

The Auditorium Theatre is dedicated to providing equal opportunities for performers with and without disabilities. Brett Batterson of the Auditorium Theatre stressed, "As long as physically integrated dance meets our criteria for programing, we will continue to bring these wonderful companies."

We are excited to be presenting AXIS Dance Company this weekend at the Auditorium Theatre. Tickets can be purchased HERE. Save $10 by using code SOCIAL.

A Message from Variety, the Children's Charity of Illinois

Hi!

My name is Mike Murillo, and I’m one of the event coordinators at Variety, the Children’s Charity of Illinois. Variety is really excited to be one of the sponsors for the AXIS Dance Company’s performance at the Auditorium Theatre on November 19th and 20th.

Variety’s mission is to provide funding and services for programs that strive to alleviate suffering and improve the quality of life for children who are mentally and physically challenged, abused, sick, homeless or underprivileged. Our “Kids on the Go” program is dedicated to helping children with disabilities participate in some of the same activities as their able-bodied friends, such as bike riding, sports and dance. I enjoy seeing young people with disabilities just as active as anyone else!

As a recent addition to the Variety team, I was not educated on physically integrated dance, but after attending the AXIS panel discussion last Wednesday, at Access Living, I was really moved and gained a huge an appreciation for the art form. What I learned was that physically integrated dance is about the beauty of the human form and appreciating the movement of each individual. The individuals performing are interested in being seen for how their art inspires people’s perceptions of the opportunities the human body can create, regardless of physical ability.

I am inspired by the philosophy and mindset that physically integrated dance hopes to shift the way that society looks at disability. Whereas traditionally a lot of society sees physically disabled individuals as more helpless and less capable than able-bodied people, physically integrated dance is an avenue to the possibility that we as humans are all capable of amazingly creative and technical ability. I really believe that physically integrated dance, and activities like it, can begin to shift the society’s perspective of what being disabled is, from a medical view to a more social view, including looking at physical handicaps through the lens of social barriers, attitudes towards disability, and possibilities to better integrate individuals into society, which is also a goal of Variety of Illinois.

Finally, I’m really excited to see the AXIS Dance Company perform. They are one of the premier integrated dance companies in the US and it is going to be an honor to see and support them at the Auditorium Theater. I really hope that you join me in seeing the performance!

If you would like to continue the dialog, please “like” Variety on Facebook at www.facebook.com/varietyofillinois.

$15 Student Rush Tickets AXIS Dance Company

AXIS Dance Company
Saturday, November 19 at 7:30pm
Sunday, November 20 at 2:00pm

Featured on So You Think You Can Dance!
Discover that the human body and spirit know no bounds when you attend AXIS Dance Company. Based in Oakland, CA, this innovative and unique company uses dancers with and without disabilities. Click here for more info.


Get Student Rush Tickets
In person at the Auditorium box office (50 E. Congress Pkwy) One hour before show time Two tickets per valid college


ID NOTE: Student Rush tickets are last minute tickets sold at the discretion of the presenter. Policies may vary. Tickets and locations are subject to availability and cannot be reserved in advance.

AXIS Dance - Change the Way You Think

Hello, Chicago! Are you ready to change the way you think about dance and the possibilities of the human body forever?

I'm Sebastian Grubb and have been a dancer with AXIS Dance Company for 2.5 years. We are really excited about coming to Chicago and performing at the beautiful Auditorium Theatre on November 19th and 20th.

AXIS Dance Company has become world-renowned for its work in the field of contemporary dance. The company includes both dancers with and without physical disabilities and this divergent starting point has become a potent tool for making revolutionary dances. Aside from being known for its cutting-edge and original works, the company has also become known for its bold athleticism.

AXIS regularly commissions choreographers from around the world to make work on our dancers. This means our dance performance in Chicago will include a strong artistic diversity of works made by: Alex Ketley, David Dorfman, and the UK-based Marc Brew.

Brew's piece, "Full of Words," was created this past September/October during a grueling and inspiring 5-week rehearsal intensive (see our AXIS blog). It features three duets performed in three domestic environments created on stage: a dining room, a bathroom, a living room.
"Words" is designed to give the audience a glimpse into distinct lives and conversations, running parallel to each other and full of dynamism and powerful, innovative partnering.

"Full of Words" requires different set pieces and each theater we tour to has to collect those pieces for us. One of the challenges is to work with these new sets every time we come to a new theater, which adds an extra dimension to the touring component. When we get to see our Chicago bathtub, table and armchair, we'll know what we have to do to adapt the choreography to fit the new pieces.

We are looking forward to bringing Vessel, Light Shelter, and Full of Words to Chicago and can't wait to hear what you think of them!

Take Education Outside of the Classroom

Educators and student groups have the fun and affordable opportunity to take education outside of the classroom by joining the Student Balcony Club.

There are so many ways to use our exciting and amazing shows as an educational tool. Dance students have the opportunity to see legendary companies like American Ballet Theatre and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in order to improve upon their technique. School teachers can educate their students on the importance of accessibility and inclusion within the disabled community with a trip to see AXIS Dance Company. History or social studies teachers can celebrate the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend by taking their students to see Too Hot to Handel: The Jazz-Gospel Messiah. Instrumental and vocal students can see the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra with Rockapella to gather inspiration during practice time. The arts aren't just about education—they’re about having fun and fostering a community within the classroom too. DRUMLINE LIVE and Rasta Thomas' BAD BOYS of DANCE are perfect shows to engage students because both offer a contemporary take on classical music and dance, turning an experience with the arts into one giant party! And finally, college students will love one of the most exciting contemporary dance companies in the world, Batsheva Dance Company.

You can join the Student Balcony Club by booking a group of 10+ people, and remember the majority of the group must be students. Student Balcony Club members save 20% on balcony tickets (instead of our standard 10% group discount) for price levels 3 & 4. This means tickets are as little as $24!

You can learn more about booking your student group and access color-coded price maps by clicking here.

For more information or to reserve your seats, contact Nicole or Katie at 312-431.2357 or groups@auditoriumtheatre.org.

Single Tickets on Sale NOW!

And now...the moment you have all been waiting for!

Single tickets go on sale TODAY for all 2011-2012 shows that take place before Jan 1, 2012.

Buy your tickets now for:
Hallelujah Broadway
On Stage With…Susan Werner
DRUMLINE LIVE
Rasta Thomas’ BAD BOYS of DANCE
AXIS Dance Company
2011 Holiday Pops Tour, featuring the Boston Pops
Esplanade Orchestra with guest Rockapella

Click HERE for info on the upcoming shows. Click below to see a video of just one of them!

Buy Tickets
Online: ticketmaster.com
Call: 800.982.ARTS (2787)
Box Office: 50 E. Congress Pkwy
Subscriptions & Groups 10+: 312.431.2357

Have the Best Timing, Get the BEST Seats

Excited to go see Hallelujah Broadway, On Stage with...Susan Werner, and AXIS Dance Company (featured on this week’s episode of SYTYCD)? Want to be sure you get the best seats in the house for these events and more? Put this on your calendar:

Single tickets go on sale July 11 for all 2011-2012 shows that take place before Jan 1, 2012.

Click HERE to see the full list of upcoming shows. Click below to see a video of just one of them!

So You Think THIS is Dance? [video]

By Lizzie Leopold

See below for a special pre-sale offer.

I’ve always wondered, with a hint of jealousy, why we struggle to fill a theater the way we fill sports stadiums. How do the arts get that kind of continued, dedicated fan base? FOX’s smash hit So You Think You Can Dance has certainly taken on that challenge whole heartedly and created the Super Bowl of dance shows.

When I heard that AXIS Dance Company would perform on tonight’s (Thursday June 30) show I was shocked, thrilled and nervous all at once! AXIS is an Oakland-based company known as one of the nation’s leading ensembles to feature dancers with and without disabilities. Wheelchairs and prosthetics become fully integrated body parts like any leg or shoulder. AXIS is award winning, inspiring and absolutely unexpected. AXIS company members Sonsheree Giles and Rodney Bell will perform the duet To Color Me Different, choreographed by Alex Ketley.

Whether you are a dedicated SYTYCD viewer or have never watched before, this is an important moment for dance and, in my opinion, a significant change in course for the show. The millions of viewers will have the opportunity to think more deeply about what dance is, what a dancer’s body is and where the possibilities lie. I will be holding my breath, hoping that the judges, the audience, the camera men and the producers recognize this as an expanding of horizons.

So, tune in tonight to So You Think You Can Dance, June 30^th at 8pm/7 central on FOX. But more importantly, come see AXIS Dance Company perform live at the Auditorium Theatre in November. Sit in the packed theater. Watch the plush, gold curtain rise and experience dance collectively with the people around you. It will be less shiny, no rock star lighting and no screaming fans. But maybe, you’ll be able to see the dance a little clearer. Be a little closer. Hear the breathing and feel the shared energy. And if an episode of So You Think You Can Dance brought you to the theater, then I owe a great debt to network television and split leaps everywhere.

Special Pre-Sale for One Week Only
Pre-sale tickets are available Thursday, June 30 at 9:00 am through Wednesday, July 6 at 10:00 pm.
Use code DANCE when purchasing pre-sale tickets (limit to 8 tickets).
Pre-sale tickets are available online ONLY at ticketmaster.com/auditorium.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on July 11.

Lizzie Leopold is a Chicago choreographer and dance scholar. She is the Artistic Director of the Leopold Group and holds degrees from the University of Michigan (BFA in Dance) and New York University (MA in Performance Studies). Lizzie is a PhD candidate at Northwestern University, writing about the intersection of dance and business.

Announcing Our 2011-12 Subscription Season

After a long and very snowy winter, spring has finally sprung, and as we enter the season of renewal, there’s no better time to announce our 2011-2012 season and to begin our subscription renewal process.

Our 2011-2012 season is bigger and better than ever. With nine subscription shows plus a very special add-on option, we cannot wait for our new season to begin, and we hope you will join us for the fun.

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Enter our Facebook giveaway for a chance to win a five-show subscription package or two tickets for any show!

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Dance:
Rasta Thomas’ BAD BOYS of DANCE

AXIS Dance Company
Batsheva Dance Company
American Ballet Theatre Giselle
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Music:
Hallelujah Broadway
DRUMLINE LIVE
2011 Holiday Pops Tour, featuring the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra with guest Rockapella
Too Hot to Handel: The Jazz Gospel Messiah

Add-On Special:
On Stage With…Susan Werner

Subscriptions and Groups of 10+ are available for the music and dance performances listed above with special add-on pricing for Susan Werner for all our subscribers. Remember, you can receive subscriber benefits by opting for just two of our nine shows (two-show subscriptions start at just $54); however, the more shows you choose, the greater your discount—up to 25% off!

Auditorium subscribers have premium seat selection and receive amazing benefits, including:

• Discounts: 10% for two shows, 15% for three, 20% for four and 25% for five or more
• Family Series: A FREE child subscription with a full-priced adult subscription. Available on specific performances; please call for details.
• Flexible and Stress-Free Exchange Policy
• Fireside Chats (for most productions)
• Pre-Paid Parking: Save $6 with $12 parking per show at Loop Auto Parks

To ensure preferred seating, please renew by May 2, 2011. View and download an order form.
Subscriber form may be faxed to 312.431.2360 or mailed to 50 E. Congress Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60605. To order by phone, for groups of 10+ or questions, please call 312. 431.2357.