Ashley Wheater News

Ashley Wheater, Artistic Director of The Joffrey Ballet, announces an epic 60th Anniversary Season of Celebration in 2015-16 including three World Premieres, the North American Premiere of Sylvia by John Neumeier, the Joffrey Premiere of Christopher Wheeldon's Fool's Paradise, and the return of Frederick Ashton's lavish Cinderella. Notably, 2015 will mark the farewell season of Robert Joffrey's The Nutcracker. The Joffrey has commissioned Christopher Wheeldon, whose An American in Paris is Broadway-bound this spring, to re-envision a major new Nutcracker to receive its World Premiere here in December 2016.

On the proverbial heels of its recent record-breaking engagement of Robert Joffrey's The Nutcracker, The Joffrey Ballet continues its 2014-15 season with 'Unique Voices,' a winter program of three contemporary ballets including the U.S. Premiere of Tulle by Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman, alongside the Chicago Premieres of Canadian choreographer James Kudelka's The Man in Black and Australian choreographer Stanton Welch's Maninyas. These three leading artists, all former Joffrey guest choreographers, return with work in distinctly different styles from what Chicagoans have seen before. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Ashley Wheater, The Joffrey Ballet presents 'Unique Voices' in ten performances only at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, today, February 11-22, 2015.

CHICAGO – The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago presents four World Premieres in the fifth annual “Winning Works” program, the culmination of the 2015 Choreographers of Color Awards. Three of the new works come from this year's Award winners Jennifer Archibald, Abdul Latif and Stephanie Martinez. The fourth piece is a new workby Joffrey Academy Artistic Director Alexei Kremnev called Windy Sand with original music by Karen LeFrak. 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 a new venue in 2015, the Edlis Neeson Theater at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 220 E. Chicago Avenue, over three performances: Saturday, March 7 at 3 pm and 7:30 pm and Sunday, March 8 at 3 pm.

The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago presents four World Premieres in the fifth annual “Winning Works” program, the culmination of the 2015 Choreographers of Color Awards.

On the proverbial heels of its recent record-breaking engagement of Robert Joffrey's The Nutcracker, The Joffrey Ballet continues its 2014-15 season with “Unique Voices,” a winter program of three contemporary ballets including the U.S. Premiere of Tulle by Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman, alongside the Chicago Premieres of Canadian choreographer James Kudelka's The Man in Black and Australian choreographer Stanton Welch's Maninyas. These three leading artists, all former Joffrey guest choreographers, return with work in distinctly different styles from what Chicagoans have seen before. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Ashley Wheater, The Joffrey Ballet presents “Unique Voices” in ten performances only at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway,February11-22, 2015.

The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, announces the winners of the fifth annual Choreographers of Color Award:Jennifer Archibald, Abdul Latif and Stephanie Martinez. This announcement follows a national call for artists to submit applications, which began in July.

The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, announces the winners of the fifth annual Choreographers of Color Award: Jennifer Archibald, Abdul Latif and Stephanie Martinez. This announcement follows a national call for artists to submit applications, which began in July.

The Joffrey Ballet celebrates its 20th anniversary of calling Chicago home in the 2014-15 season and its annual fall engagement brings the Joffrey Premiere of a newly envisioned Swan Lake to Chicago for the first time, choreographed by one of ballet's most acclaimed choreographers, Christopher Wheeldon. Continuing Joffrey Artistic Director Ashley Wheater's endeavor to bring re-imagined story-ballets to Chicago audiences, this performance represents the first time The Joffrey Ballet has ever performed a Swan Lake in its almost 60-year history. Swan Lake is presented at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, in 10 performances only, today, October 15 - 26.

CHICAGO (September 25, 2014) – Joffrey Ballet Artistic Director Ashley Wheater and Executive Director Greg Cameron announced today that Erica Lynette Edwards, a dancer with the Joffrey since 2000 who took on such roles as The Chosen One in Nijinsky's The Rite of Spring, fourth song soloist in Antony Tudor's Dark Elegies and the Fairy Godmother in Frederick Ashton's Cinderella, will retire following the engagement of Robert Joffrey's The Nutcracker (set to run at the Auditorium Theatre, December 5-28) to become the company's new Director of Community Engagement.

Joffrey Ballet Artistic Director Ashley Wheater and Executive Director Greg Cameron announced today that Erica Lynette Edwards, a dancer with the Joffrey since 2000 who took on such roles as The Chosen One in Nijinsky's The Rite of Spring, fourth song soloist in Antony Tudor's Dark Elegies and the Fairy Godmother in Frederick Ashton's Cinderella, will retire following the engagement of Robert Joffrey's The Nutcracker (set to run at the Auditorium Theatre, December 5-28) to become the company's new Director of Community Engagement.

The Joffrey Ballet celebrates its 20th anniversary of calling Chicago home in the 2014-15 season. Artistic Director Ashley Wheater opens the season with 'Stories in Motion,' a special one-weekend-only addition to the Joffrey's usual three-program subscription season. This program, exploring the concept of 'story ballet' with works that each tell a story in a freshly conceived way, features the return of two Joffrey repertory favorites, George Balanchine's Prodigal Son and Antony Tudor's Lilac Garden, along with the Joffrey/Chicago Premiere of Yuri Possokhov's Asian-themed RAkU. The Joffrey presents 'Stories in Motion' in five performances only at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 East Congress Parkway, this weekend, September 18 - 21.

The Joffrey Ballet celebrates its 20th anniversary of calling Chicago home in the 2014-15 season and its annual fall engagement brings the Joffrey Premiere of a newly envisioned Swan Lake to Chicago for the first time, choreographed by one of ballet's most acclaimed choreographers, Christopher Wheeldon. Continuing Joffrey Artistic Director Ashley Wheater's endeavor to bring re-imagined story-ballets to Chicago audiences, this performance represents the first time The Joffrey Ballet has ever performed a Swan Lake in its almost 60-year history. Swan Lake is presented at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, in 10 performances only, October 15 - 26.

The Joffrey Ballet celebrates its 20th anniversary of calling Chicago home in the 2014-15 season and its annual fall engagement brings the Joffrey Premiere of a newly envisioned Swan Lake to Chicago for the first time, choreographed by one of ballet's most acclaimed choreographers, Christopher Wheeldon. Continuing Joffrey Artistic Director Ashley Wheater's endeavor to bring re-imagined story-ballets to Chicago audiences, this performance represents the first time The Joffrey Ballet has ever performed a Swan Lake in its almost 60-year history. Swan Lake is presented at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, in 10 performances only, October 15 - 26.

CHICAGO (September 3, 2014) – Ashley Wheater, Artistic Director of The Joffrey Ballet, is pleased to announce the addition of three dancers to the Joffrey's international roster for the 2014-2015 season: Artur Babajanyan (Armenia), Edson Barbosa (Brazil) and Brooke Linford, a former Joffrey Academy of Dance Trainee (Alpine, Utah). The three new dancers officially began rehearsing with the company July 21.

For the first time, The Joffrey Ballet offers the public a rare glimpse into the rehearsal studio when it streams live, via its online YouTube channel, a rehearsal of Swan Lake. Internationally renowned choreographer Christopher Wheeldonwill coach the dancers on his re-imagined production, which will have its Chicago Premiere by The Joffrey Ballet at the Auditorium Theatre (50 E. Congress Parkway), October 15-26. Seeing the master at work and watching the impeccably trained dancers of the company is a one-day-only opportunity, today, August 21,11:30 am - 3 pm.

r the first time, The Joffrey Ballet offers the public a rare glimpse into the rehearsal studio when it streams live, via its online YouTube channel, a rehearsal of Swan Lake. Internationally renowned choreographer Christopher Wheeldonwill coach the dancers on his re-imagined production, which will have its Chicago Premiere by The Joffrey Ballet at the Auditorium Theatre (50 E. Congress Parkway), October 15-26. Seeing the master at work and watching the impeccably trained dancers of the company is a one-day-only opportunity, Thursday, August 21,11:30 am - 3 pm.

For the first time, The Joffrey Ballet offers the public a rare glimpse into the rehearsal studio when it streams live, via its online YouTube channel, a rehearsal of Swan Lake. Internationally renowned choreographer Christopher Wheeldon will coach the dancers on his re-imagined production, which will have its Chicago Premiere by The Joffrey Ballet at the Auditorium Theatre (50 E. Congress Parkway), October 15-26. Seeing the master at work and watching the impeccably trained dancers of the company is a one-day-only opportunity, Thursday, August 21, 11:30 am - 3 pm.

CHICAGO (August 11, 2014) – The Joffrey Ballet celebrates its 20th anniversary of calling Chicago home in the 2014-15 season. Artistic Director Ashley Wheater opens the season with “Stories in Motion,” a special one-weekend-only addition to the Joffrey's usual three-program subscription season. This program, exploring the concept of “story ballet” with works that each tell a story in a freshly conceived way, features the return of two Joffrey repertory favorites, George Balanchine's Prodigal Son and Antony Tudor's Lilac Garden, along with the Joffrey/Chicago Premiere of Yuri Possokhov's Asian-themed RAkU. The Joffrey presents “Stories in Motion” in five performances only at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 East Congress Parkway,September 18 – 21.