Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre Continues INSIDE/OUT Series And Unveils Columbia College Chicago Residency

Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre will continue its Inside/Out performance series in early 2026 and will serve as company-in-residence at Columbia College Chicago’s Dance Center for its Spring Concert Series. The upcoming programming follows a fall 2025 season that included the launch of the Chicago Latinx/e Contemporary Movement Festival and marks continued activity during the company’s 27th season.

The Inside/Out series resumes with Inside/Out: Nuestras Voces (Our Voices) on Thursday, February 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Old Town School of Folk Music’s Myron Szold Hall. The program features two new works by emerging Latinx choreographers. “Los Immigrantes” by Ruben Andrés Castillo Gomez reflects on his experience immigrating from Mexico and navigating cultural displacement in college, while “La Guerrera” by Lilia Castillo Gomez draws inspiration from the women in her family who immigrated to the United States from Cuba. Members of Cerqua Rivera’s professional Dance Ensemble will perform excerpts from both works, followed by a discussion with the choreographers about their creative process. Tickets are priced at $23–$25.

The series continues with Inside/Out with Monique Haley and TROUBLE IN MIND on Sunday, March 22 at 3:00 p.m. at Epiphany Center for the Arts’ Sanctuary. This event offers an early look at Trouble in Mind, a new collaboration by Monique Haley and Cerqua Rivera co-founder Joe Cerqua. Inspired by the song by Richard M. Jones and the 1955 play by Alice Childress, the work examines recurring cycles of racism, sexism, and injustice, while also considering shared humanity. Tickets range from $20–$35.

Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre will make its debut at the Columbia College Chicago Dance Center with the 2026 Spring Concert Series, running Thursday, April 30 and Friday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, May 2 at 12:00 noon. The concerts mark the company’s only full-scale production of the year, featuring the complete Dance Ensemble and Jazz Orchestra with projections, costumes, and live music. The program includes two world premieres, Immense World by Shannon Alvis and Trouble in Mind by Monique Haley, as well as the return of Alvis’ A Place Between Earth & Sky with original music by Clarice Assad. Tickets are $10–$30, with free admission for Columbia College Chicago students.

The company will also host its annual fundraising gala, Joyful Rhythms / Fearless Dance, on Thursday, May 28 at 6:00 p.m. at The Arts Club of Chicago. Tickets begin at $175, with sponsorship opportunities starting at $2,500. Proceeds from the gala directly support artist compensation and sustain Cerqua Rivera’s ongoing commitment to centering the stories of Latinx, Black, AAPI, LGBTQ+, and women artists.