Concert Dance Inc. to Kick Off Ravinia Festival & Ruth Page Festival of Dance, 6/5-6

CDI/Concert Dance Inc. (CDI) returns as part of the Ruth Page Festival of Dance and marks the opening event of the 2014 Ravinia Season Thursday, June 5 and Friday, June 6 st 7:30 p.m. in Ravinia's Bennett Gordon Hall Ravinia is located at 418 Sheridan Rd., Highland Park and gates to the event open at 6:30 p.m. Regularly commissioned by Ravinia to present new works, the CDI performance includes the world premiere of "Four Last Songs" choreographed by Artistic Director Venetia Stifler and uses dancers and live vocals, piano and violin accompaniment in a new compositional reduction inspired by songs written shortly before Richard Strauss' death, Reserved seating tickets are available for $10 and may be purchased at www.ravinia.org or via phone by calling 847.266.5100. No lawn seating will be available. For more information on CDI and the Ruth Page Festival of Dance, please visit www.ruthpage.org

Ruth Page first began her association with Ravinia in 1926 and today, the Ruth Page Festival of Dance continues her legacy and dedication to dance, new ideas and breathtaking performances. An annual favorite with soldout performances, CDI opens the Ruth Page Festival of Dance and the 2014 Ravinia Season with an evening program consisting of four pieces uniquely choreographed by Stifler. The full program includes:

Venetia Stifler, Emmy-nominated choreographer and director, is the Executive and Artistic Director of The Ruth Page Center for the Arts and is also the Artistic Director of CDI/Concert Dance Inc., the official contemporary dance company of the Ruth Page Center, which performs choreography by Stifler and other leading contemporary artists while also exploring and re-envisioning Ruth Page's work. Since becoming The Ruth Page Center for the Arts' Executive and Artistic Director in 2000, Stifler has helped to bring into greater focus the its mission of ensuring that children and dance artists have a place to study, work and perform at the highest level of excellence

Stifler has choreographed over 25 major works, including the critically-acclaimed "The Chicago Project," a collaborative work combining original music and photography that used Chicago's rich architectural landscape as a vibrant backdrop. Her re-envisioned production of Ruth Page's groundbreaking 1947 "ballet carton" "Billy Sunday" came alive again in 2007 with several stage productions and in the PBS documentary produced by HMS Media. A two-year project, "Billy Sunday" not only brought this masterpiece work to new audiences, but also garnered several Emmy nominations from The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Stifler served, and continues to serve, as Artistic Director for the Ruth Page Dance Series (RPDS), a festival of dance she created in honor of Ms. Page to showcase the rich variety of dance styles and artists in Chicago and which is produced in conjunction with Northeastern Illinois University. The RPDS has produced over 40 Chicago area dance companies in the last 17 years in venues throughout the Chicagoland area and in 1999 was part of the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival, garnering a "Best of the Fest" by the Sunday Times of Scotland.

About CDI/Concert Dance Inc.

Founded in 1981, CDI/Concert Dance Inc. is the official contemporary dance company and an Artist In-Residence of the Ruth Page Center for the Arts. CDI creates and presents contemporary works that evolve from a choreographic collective under the artistic direction of Emmy Award-nominated choreographer, Venetia Stifler, often using live music, video and other media to enhance the process and product. This approach to dance and choreography drives the company's artistic vision and sets an example of artistic collaboration. CDI has evolved from a repertory company into a dance collective and artistic incubator; a unique community of collaborators within a growing organism that changes with every new dance that is made. The choreography that is currently presented by CDI comes out of this creative process. Because the dancers are both highly trained technically and active in the development of the movement vocabulary, their skills of improvisation and ability to create visual imagery results in work that is not only of the highest caliber, but also artistically proficient and emotionally satisfying.

About the Ruth Page Center for the Arts

The Ruth Page Center for the Arts has for over forty years committed its resources to creating a dance destination in Chicago. Located at 1016 N. Dearborn Street, The Center serves the Chicago dance community by being an incubator, providing a home, office space, rehearsal space, performance opportunities, professional dance training, and marketing support for the up-and-coming companies and artists of Chicago's vibrant dance scene. Its mission is to ensure that children and dance artists have a place to study, work and perform at the highest level of excellence. Founded by Chicago icon and internationally-renown performer and choreographer, Ruth Page, the Center reflects her vision of supporting dance excellence in Chicago. Emanating from the Illinois heartland, the visionary work of Ruth Page influenced the growth of theater design, opera-ballet, and dance. She achieved worldwide recognition as a true pioneer of dance in America by creating at the forefront of social, political and artistic issues. As a prominent force in the Chicago arts community, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts continues that legacy through its initiatives and programs that nurture the art form of dance, and by being an arts incubator for emerging and established artists and organizations.

CDI/Concert Dance Inc. (CDI) returns as part of the Ruth Page Festival of Dance and marks the opening event of the 2014 Ravinia Season Thursday, June 5 and Friday, June 6 st 7:30 p.m. in Ravinia's Bennett Gordon Hall Ravinia is located at 418 Sheridan Rd., Highland Park and gates to the event open at 6:30 p.m. Reserved seating tickets are available for $10 and may be purchased at www.ravinia.org or via phone by calling 847.266.5100. No lawn seating will be available. For more information on CDI the Ruth Page Festival of Dance, please visit www.ruthpage.org

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