Deeply Rooted Dance Theater Unveils 30th Anniversary Season

Chicago's premiere Black dance company, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, is kicking off its 30th anniversary season with performances November 7-8 at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts on the University of Chicago campus. The season will also feature a collaboration with the Chicago Sinfonietta and a return to the grand stage of the historic Auditorium Theatre.

The 2025/2026 season showcases the powerful visual storytelling that has become synonymous with Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, honoring the rich traditions of the past while leaping into the future with new thought-provoking and soul-stirring work

"What you'll see on stage is love and joy and the ability to resist and push against the norms of what you think dance should be," said Nicole Clarke-Springer, artistic director of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater. "It's not just movement, but it's stories brought to life."

The 30th anniversary arrives as the seeds of the company's commitment to community and dance education are growing on Chicago's South Side. Construction on the multi-million dollar, state-of-the-art Deeply Rooted Center for Black Dance and Creative Communities at 5339 South State Street is slated to begin in 2026.

"I am honored to continue building upon the legacy of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, a true cultural treasure of Chicago. My priority is to deepen the structural roots that will secure the company's place as a lasting institution on the South Side," said Makeda Crayton, executive director of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater.

ABOUT THE SEASON

Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts

November 7-8

The 30th anniversary season kicks off with a return to the company's roots, featuring Kevin Iega Jeff's intimately reflective Wild is the Wind, Gary Abbott's beautiful and tragic Parallel Lives, Nicole Clarke-Springer's glorious choreography in Sacred Spaces and the premiere of an exciting new work by resident choreographer and dancer Joshua L. Ishmon.

Still I Rise - Chicago Sinfonietta x Deeply Rooted Dance Theater

March 6 - Wentz Concert Hall, Naperville

March 7 - Harris Theater for Music and Dance

A women's history month celebration bringing Florence Price's vibrant Dances in the Canebrakes to life with original choreography. Price was the first Black woman to have her music performed by a major American orchestra. The program also features a new collaborative commission, Seventh Sense: Incidents in the Life of Queen Amanirenas for Dance and Orchestra with music by renowned British composer Dr. Shirley J. Thompson and choreography by Nicole Clarke-Springer, paying homage to the super power of women.

The Auditorium Theatre

May 30, 2026

Deeply Rooted Dance Theater returns to The Auditorium stage with a must-see lineup including Ulysses Dove's towering and timeless work Vespers and Nicole Clarke-Springer's searing encapsulation of protest and freedom Madonna Anno Domini.

*All performances are subject to change

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OTHER ENGAGEMENTS

Mutual Dance Theatre Presents: Embrace - A Season of Connection

October 3-4, Aronoff Center - Cincinnati, OH

Deeply Rooted Dance Theater makes its Cincinnati premiere to open Mutual Dance Theatre's season.

International Association of Blacks in Dance Conference and Festival

February 7-8 2026, Atlanta, GA