Ashley Wheater News

Check out the top stories from Chicago you might have missed this week and more!

Ashley Wheater, Artistic Director of The Joffrey Ballet, proudly announces an impressive 2017-18 season including a world premiere by Joffrey Ballet Master Nicolas Blanc, the North American Premiere of Midsummer Night's Dream by acclaimed chorographer Alexander Ekman plus Chicago Premieres by George Balanchine, Lola de Ávila and Jerome Robbins. 

Celebrating innovation and diversity in American ballet, the Kennedy Center presents the return of its weeklong Ballet Across America series, April 17 and April 19-23, for seven performances in the Opera House. Last seen in 2013, and illustrating the most exciting, creative dance happening across America today, this season's engagement explores new directions in the art form through programs curated by two of the biggest superstars in the ballet world: dancer-choreographer Justin Peck and principal dancer Misty Copeland.

The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet in collaboration with Chicago Public Library present four world premieres in the seventh annual Winning Works program, the culmination of Joffrey's national call for ALAANA (African, Latino(a), Asian, Arab and Native American) artists to submit applications for the Joffrey Academy's Seventh Annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition.

For its annual winter engagement, The Joffrey Ballet presents Game Changers, a program of three contemporary ballets including the Chicago Premiere of Year of the Rabbit by New York City Ballet resident choreographer Justin Peck.

The Joffrey Ballet, led by Artistic Director Ashley Wheater and Executive Director Greg Cameron, proudly presents the highly anticipated world premiere production of The Nutcracker by Christopher Wheeldon, winner of the 2015 Tony Award® for Best Choreography for An American in Paris. 

The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, announces the recipients of the seventh annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition: Shannon Alvis, Sean Carmon, Karen Gabay and Jimmy Orrante.

The Joyce Theater Foundation, Inc. (Linda Shelton, Executive Director), will present the long-awaited NYC return of one of the world's most renowned ballet companies, The Joffrey Ballet, performing the New York premiere of its critically acclaimed production of Krzysztof Pastor's majestic Romeo & Juliet at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater from March 29 - April 2.

The Joffrey Ballet, led by Artistic Director Ashley Wheater and Executive Director Greg Cameron, proudly presents the highly anticipated world premiere production of The Nutcracker by Christopher Wheeldon, winner of the 2015 Tony Award® for Best Choreography for An American in Paris. 

The Joffrey Ballet launches its 2016-2017 season with the return of Polish National Ballet Director Krzysztof Pastor's popular Romeo & Juliet, which mesmerized audiences at its Chicago premiere in spring 2014. Romeo & Juliet is presented in 10 performances only at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 East Congress Parkway, October 13-23, 2016.

The Joffrey Ballet is pleased to announce a major leadership reorganization for the Joffrey Academy of Dance featuring a new team comprised of respected dance industry veteran Raymond Rodriguez as Head of Studio Company and Trainee Program, effective late October, and Joffrey Ballet's Karin Ellis-Wentz as Head of Pre-Professional Programs, effective immediately. Both of these newly created director-level positions will report to Karine Provost, who will serve in a newly elevated role as Academy Director. Additionally, Joffrey Ballet's Artistic Director Ashley Wheater will now serve as Artistic Director of both the Academy and the Company - assuming creative leadership across the organization. 

The Joffrey Ballet launches its 2016-2017 season with the return of Polish National Ballet Director Krzysztof Pastor's popular Romeo & Juliet, which mesmerized audiences at its Chicago premiere in spring 2014. Romeo & Juliet is presented in 10 performances only at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 East Congress Parkway, October 13-23, 2016.

The Chicago Humanities Festival announces a number of additions and changes to its Fallfest/16: Speed line-up.

The Joffrey Ballet will offer the public a rare glimpse into the rehearsal studio when it streams a live, first look of the highly anticipated world premiere production of The Nutcracker by Christopher Wheeldon, winner of the 2015 Tony Award for Best Choreography for the Broadway hit, An American in Paris. Seeing the master at work and watching the impeccably trained dancers of The Joffrey Ballet is a one-day-only opportunity, Today, September 8, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm (CT) and is accessible via the Joffrey's online YouTube channel.

The Joffrey Ballet will offer the public a rare glimpse into the rehearsal studio when it streams a live, first look of the highly anticipated world premiere production of The Nutcracker by Christopher Wheeldon, winner of the 2015 Tony Award® for Best Choreography for the Broadway hit, An American in Paris. Seeing the master at work and watching the impeccably trained dancers of The Joffrey Ballet is a one-day-only opportunity,Thursday, September 8, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm (CT) and is accessible via the Joffrey's online YouTube channel.

The Joffrey Ballet will offer the public a rare glimpse into the rehearsal studio when it streams a live, first look of the highly anticipated world premiere production of The Nutcracker by Christopher Wheeldon, winner of the 2015 Tony Award for Best Choreography for the Broadway hit, An American in Paris. Seeing the master at work and watching the impeccably trained dancers of The Joffrey Ballet is a one-day-only opportunity, Thursday, September 8, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm (CT) and is accessible via the Joffrey's online YouTube channel.

The Board of Directors of The Joffrey Ballet is pleased to announce that a new five-year contract for its company of 41 dancers has been approved, effective immediately through the 2020-2021 Season. The announcement was made by The Joffrey Ballet's Executive Director Greg Cameron and follows negotiations with the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), the union representing the dancers. 

The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, announces a national call for ALAANA (African, Latino(a), Asian, Arab and Native American) artists to submit applications for The Joffrey Academy's Seventh Annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition.

What happens when you bring together the music of composer Bela Bartok, noted for developing new sounds for a new century, The Cleveland Orchestra under the direction of Franz Welser-Most, and The Joffrey Ballet, under the creative vision of Ashley Wheater, and the sounds of two well-trained opera singers? The result is a creative, spell-binding visual and musical concert of high audience pleasing quality.

CHICAGO – The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago present four World Premieres in the sixth annual “Winning Works” program, the culmination of Joffrey's 2016 Winning Works Choreographic Competition. This year's Competition winners - Jeffrey Cirio, Christian Denice and Mariana Oliveira each choreographed a work, along with a fourth by Joffrey Academy Artistic Director Alexei Kremnev, titled Coco + Igor. All four works are performed by dancers from the Joffrey Studio Company and the Joffrey Academy Trainee Program. The Joffrey Academy of Dance's “Winning Works” program is presented at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago's Edlis Neeson Theater, 220 E. Chicago Avenue, over three performances only: tonight, March 5, at 3:00 PM and 7:30 PM and Sunday, March 6 at 3:00 PM.