Chicago Dancing Festival Announces Ticket Release Details 8/23-27

The Chicago Dancing Festival, co-produced by internationally renowned choreographer and Chicago native Lar Lubovitch and highly esteemed Chicago dancer Jay Franke, celebrates its 5th Anniversary season with expanded programming to include five days of free dance-related events, in venues throughout downtown Chicago, August 23 - 27, 2011.

While all events are free, tickets for the indoor performance showcases must be reserved in advance. In 2010, tickets for the Festival "sold out" within two hours of being released.
Tickets will be available to the general public beginning Tuesday, July 19 in a staggered format so that each venue releases its tickets on a different day, as follows:

Tickets for performances at the Museum of Contemporary Art, including the MCA Moves programs on Wednesday, August 24 and the Muses program on Friday, August 26, will be released on Tuesday, July 19 beginning at 10:00 am. Tickets will be available in person at the MCA Stage Box Office, 220 E. Chicago Avenue, on line at www.mcachicago.org 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 wait list. Wait list begins one hour before the performance, in person only. All tickets will be held at Will-Call.

Tickets for all performances at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, including both Moderns programs on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 23 and 24, will be released on Wednesday, July 20 beginning at12:00 pm. Tickets will be available in person at the Harris Theater Box Office, 205 E. Randolph Street, or by calling 312-334-7777. Limit of two (2) tickets per order.

Tickets for the performance at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, Masters on Thursday, August 25, will be released on Thursday, July 21 beginning at 11:00 am. Tickets will be available in person at the Auditorium Theatre Box Office, 50 E. Congress Parkway, online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/070046EB7F991A75 or by calling 1-800-982-ARTS. Limit of two (2) tickets per order.

All seating for all venues is general admission. Unclaimed tickets will be released 15 minutes prior to curtain time.

Because of the popularity of the Festival, audience members not able to secure tickets to the indoor venues are encouraged to attend the Celebration of Dance Grand Finale on the stunning outdoor stage of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. No tickets are required for this outdoor performance and all seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Also, no tickets are required for the Movies program at the Chicago Cultural Center, an all-day screening of classic dance films on Friday, August 26 from 10 am to 6 pm.

CHICAGO DANCING FESTIVAL 5TH ANNIVERSARY SCHEDULE

Tuesday, August 23, 7:30 pm: MODERNS
The cutting edge of modern dance is represented by the work of these five daring, bold choreographers from across the country and around the world.
Venue: Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive
Program:
· Doug Varone & Dancers in Lux by Doug Varone

· Aspen Santa Fe Ballet in Uneven by Cayetano Soto (Chicago Premiere)

· Adam Barruch in his own solo work The Worst Pies in London

· River North Dance Company in 9-Person Precision Ball Passing by Charlie Moulton (Company Premiere)

· Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in Too Beaucoup by Sharon Eyal

Wednesday, August 24, 12 noon: MODERNS
Venue: Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive
Program: The Chicago Dancing Festival is pleased to announce, in collaboration with the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, a first-ever matinee performance. This will launch the third season of the Harris Theater's popular Eat to the Beat lunchtime series, featuring highlights from the previous evening's "Moderns" program including performances by Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, Doug Varone & Dancers, Adam Barruch and River North Dance Chicago. This performance is sponsored in part the Chauncey & Marion D. McCormick Family Foundation, who also serves as the Lead Foundation Sponsor of the Eat to the Beat series.

Wednesday, August 24, 6 and 8 pm: MCA MOVES
Venue: Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Avenue
Program: Independent, avant-garde and up-and-coming dance artists are highlighted together in this special program hosted by renowned Martha Graham impersonator Richard Move. Japanese Butoh exponents Eiko & Koma perform a special site-specific work outside of the MCA before the show. Other program features include an excerpt from Brian Brooks' Motor and Faye Driscoll's not...not.

Thursday, August 25, 7:30 pm: MASTERS
Works by some of the dance world's most venerated master choreographers are seen together on one stage.
Venue: Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway
Program:
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in Petite Mort by Jirí Kylián
Martha Graham Dance Company in Embattled Garden by Martha Graham
Lar Lubovitch Dance Company in The Legend of Ten by Lar Lubovitch

Friday, August 26, 10 am - 6 pm: MOVIES
A new event for the 2011 Festival, this day-long screening features dance as portrayed through the lens of film, culminating with the ultimate dance drama The Red Shoes.
Venue: Claudia Cassidy Theater of the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph Street
Program:
· Invitation to the Dance (1956, directed by Gene Kelly)

· A Dancer's World (1957, documentary directed by Peter Glushanok) with Martha Graham and company

· Beach Birds (1992, documentary directed by Elliot Caplan) with Merce Cunningham and company

· Dancemaker (1998, documentary directed by Matthew Diamond) with Paul Taylor and company

· The Red Shoes (1948, directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger)

Friday, August 26, 6pm: MUSES
This lecture/demonstration, hosted by dance historian and journalist Lucia Mauro, features a panel of choreographers and artistic directors discussing the creative relationship between choreographers and the dancers that inspire them, accompanied by performance excerpts.
Venue: Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Avenue
Panelists:
Janet Eilber, Artistic Director of the Martha Graham Dance Company
Bettie de Jong, Rehearsal Director of the Paul Taylor Dance Company
· Alejandro Cerrudo, Choreographer-in-Residence for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago

· Lar Lubovitch, Artistic Director of the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company & Chicago Dancing Festival Co-Founder

Saturday, August 27, 7:30 pm: CELEBRATION OF DANCE
The Festival grand finale celebrates the best of contemporary American dance.
Venue: Jay Pritzker Pavilion of Millennium Park
Program:
· The Joffrey Ballet in Stravinsky Violin Concerto by George Balanchine

· Ballet West in Sinfonietta by Jirí Kylián

· Martha Graham Dance Company in Diversion of Angels by Martha Graham

· Paul Taylor Dance Company in Esplanade by Paul Taylor

· New York City Ballet Guest Artists Gonzalo Garcia and Tiler Peck in Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux by George Balanchine

· River North Dance Company in 9-Person Precision Ball Passing by Charlie Moulton

 

All programs are subject to change.

About the Chicago Dancing Festival
The Chicago Dancing Festival was founded in 2007 to heighten awareness of dance in Chicago, to increase accessibility to the art form and to provide aspiration 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 dance destination.

Lar Lubovitch (Founder, Artistic Director) is one of America's most versatile and highly acclaimed choreographers and founded the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company 40 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 to its 2011 Sponsors, including: InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, Official Hotel Partner; American Airlines, Official Airline Partner; Museum of Contemporary Art, Venue Partner; Harris Theater for Music and Dance, Venue Partner; City of Chicago, Millennium Park, Venue Partner; The Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, Venue Partner; Oakmark; Illinois Arts Council; National Endowment for the Arts, Art Works; The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust; Jamie and Rob Taylor; UBS; and The Chicago Community Trust.

For more information, please visit www.chicagodancingfestival.com or call 773-609-CDF5 (2335).