Internationally renowned musician and composer Michael Zerang talks with Rachel Thorne Germond about his Chicago roots and involvement with the experimental dance, performance and theater scene here, including Links Hall.

By Rachel Thorne Germond

An interview with Denise Jefferson, Director of the Ailey School, who was recently in Chicago to audition young dancers at the Chicago Academy of the Arts for the Ailey School’s Summer Intensive, Certificate and Independent Study Programs. Following her visit the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will be performing at the Auditorium Theatre April 16-20 (see our video preview).

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By Matt McDermott

This interview was carried out in relation to RTG Dance's fall performance of Once Removed: Peripeteia. In it Rachel Thorne Germond discusses her approach to making a tragic dance, to working with music and video, plus her influences.
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By Sally Magallanes

Dance therapy, better known as dance/movement therapy, is defined by the American Dance Therapy Association as “the psychotherapeutic use of movement as a process which furthers the emotional, social, cognitive and physical integration of the individual.”

By Stephanie Clemens

First and foremost, I need to state my qualifications – I am simply a ballet teacher, but one with close to 40 years teaching experience. The perspective that this gives me is one where I have been able to observe students over many years as they grow and develop.

By Matt McDermott

One of the reasons the pioneers of the modern visual and performing arts rejected the classical tradition was to create an art for a wider audience: an art that didn’t require an elite education. Ironically, the modern and contemporary arts continue to be seen by mass audiences in Chicago and elsewhere as less accessible than the predecessors against which the pioneers rebelled. Modern dance companies continue to work hard to cultivate their audience, even though modern dance arguably ranks among the most American of modern art forms.

By Rachel Thorne-Germond

Why did you start re-staging historical works of choreography and how did you choose the works you reconstruct? How do you reconstruct them?

By Matt McDermott

Tap dance has a strong tradition in Chicago, illustrated by the upcoming tribute to Sammy Dyer at the 3rd Annual Chicago Tap Summit (Oct. 12-14). In jazz dance, we have been lucky enough to give a home to the world-famous Gus Giordano, to the influential Joel Hall and now to the talent of Billy Siegenfeld. This article will keep words brief and focus on video to introduce some of the variety of famous names in the history of jazz and tap dance before listing some Chicago companies you can explore.

By Matt McDermott

How is each season's program determined at your company?

I sit down with my company. We're a company that's very much on the side of consensus decision-making. And so we discuss projects. We think about what we did the previous year. We think about pieces that we might want to get before the Chicago Public. We also think about what John Schmitz's needs are in terms of programming at Dance Chicago. We put that all together.

By Matt McDermott

How is each season's program decided at your dance company?

The season is decided in a couple of ways. The first is I try to create new ways to both challenge and entertain my audience. I want every show to be a new experience whether it is a full evening length ballet or a show devoted entirely to company rep. The other way is completely specific to my dancers. I look at them and try and find choreographic works that make them stronger and more versatile artists.