Ruth Page Center for the Arts

Ruth Page School of Dance is proudly participating in ’s and at Navy Pier! Dancers will be performing two tap pieces by Jumaane Taylor, modern repertories by guest choreographer Francisco Aviña, School Director Victor Alexander and alumna Alexandra Bradley along with jazz and Afro-Cuban from the annual School concerts! Performers include International Dance Experience students from Chicago and abroad!

We are so excited to share the stage with Natya Dance Theater.

Saturday, July 13, 2024 @ Navy Pier’s Wave Wall
4:00-4:30pm – Natya Dance Theater
4:30-5:00pm – Ruth Page School of Dance

Find a complete list of performances, events, and workshops here: https://bit.ly/ChiDanceMonth

CYCLES
July 12 & 13, 2024 7:30pm
Ruth Page Center for the Arts Theater

Presented by The Seldoms, Ginger Farley, and Hedwig Dances, "Cycles'' experiments with nowness and the passages of times and spaces, with choreographers and artistic collaborations at different stages of their careers and artistic journeys. Two of the four pieces presented in “Cycles” originate from dances commissioned in 2005.

"Cycles" features works by four Chicago dancemakers: Gabriela Chavez, Ginger Farley, Carrie Hanson, and Rigo Saura.

Get Ready for Fall! Registration starts Monday. Contact [email protected] with questions.

We can’t wait to see you back in August!

This weekend!

Moonwater Dance Project returns this June with their annual repertoire program, featuring two world premieres alongside two pieces of past repertoire. Moonwater VI will bring back one of our favorite pieces first created in 2019 for Moonwater II, "Grisly Bare" by Katie Carey. This intensely emotional piece explores the vulnerability and fight when a relationship seems to be ending. This program will also see the revival of "Montage" by Jessica Miller Tomlinson. Throughout the piece, the dancers are whipped around like leaves in the wind, jumping, turning, and partnering in this non-stop, exciting piece. Moonwater VI will premiere a solo set on original company member, Emily Brand, choreographed by Founder and Artistic Director, Mackenzie King. The final world premiere "Cloud Land" is a collaboration between choreographers Noelle Kayser and Ching Ching Wong.

June 28 & June 29, 2024 7:30pm

June 30, 2024 3pm

TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT!!!!
Tickets are still available; make sure you don't miss out!

Join us next week at Ravinia's Bennett Gordon Hall for the Festival of Dance!

Ruth Page Professional Dance Training Program brings the elegance, artistry, and creative daring of its boundary-breaking namesake for performances featuring world and Ravinia premieres and a special guest artist.

The program featuring the Ruth Page Professional Dance Training Program is highlighted by two commissioned contemporary works from Mexican choreographers: “Apophonia” by Adrián Marcelo Sáenz and “La Tierra de Canela y Maíz” (The Land of Cinnamon and Corn), by Francisco Aviña. Rounding out the evening will be special classical selections from the Ruth Page Professional Dance Training Program’s repertoire, the tap dance bravura of guest artist Jumaane Taylor, artistic director of the Chicago Human Rhythm Project and Stone Soup Rhythms, and Moonwater Dance Project, a Chicago contemporary repertory company founded in 2018 by Artistic Director Mackenzie King."

Thursday, June 20 - 7:00
Saturday, June 22 - 1:30

Click this link (bit.ly/RPRavinia) to snag your tickets today!

Thodos Dance Chicago and DanceWorks Chicago are excited to collaborate on New Dances 2024 and continue a shared tradition of developing choreographic talent and serving Chicago’s dance community. Originating with The Chicago Repertory Dance Ensemble, New Dances has been part of Chicago’s dance history for over 40 years, offering a platform for early career choreographers to create new work with artistic, logistic, and financial support.

See World Premieres by Chicago-based choreographers Sophie Minouche Allen, Mark Gonzalez, Joey Martinez, Alix Schillaci, Jessi Stegall, and Sophia Vangelatos.

Performances will be held at The Ruth Page Center Theater, the very theater where New Dances began in 1983, 1016 North Dearborn, at 7pm, Thursday-Saturday, June 20-22, during Chicago Dance Month.

On the program: SIX new and diverse dances presented in an intimate setting. Each performance includes a post-show Q & A with the choreographers. Nothing matches the exhilaration of in-real-life events. Buy tickets today to experience it live!

Thank you for supporting Chicago-based artists and organizations!

Run-time: 90 minutes with intermission

$40 SuperStar Ticket

$20 RisingStar Ticket

$20 Pay-It-Forward Ticket: Be a Good Dance Citizen and contribute to our Community Call Board by purchasing a Pay-It-Forward Ticket, which gives an opportunity for a community member to experience the performance! Community members may redeem vouchers to attend a New Dances 2024 performance by responding to Instagram Stories on either the DanceWorks Chicago or Thodos Dance Chicago pages.

$80 SuperStar Ticket with Post-Performance Celebration (Saturday, June 22 only, limited availability)

Join New Dances 2024 for a Post-Performance Celebration in the stunning Rose Lounge at Adalina, located in the heart of the Gold Coast at 912 North State Street, Chicago, IL 60610. $80 ticket price includes a SuperStar Ticket to Saturday’s performance and celebration with light bites, wine, beer, and the opportunity to mingle with New Dances 2024 choreographers and dance artists immediately following the show.

Join us next week at Ravinia's Bennett Gordon Hall for the Festival of Dance!

Ruth Page Professional Dance Training Program brings the elegance, artistry, and creative daring of its boundary-breaking namesake for performances featuring world and Ravinia premieres and a special guest artist.

The program featuring the Ruth Page Professional Dance Training Program is highlighted by two commissioned contemporary works from Mexican choreographers: “Apophonia” by Adrián Marcelo Sáenz and “La Tierra de Canela y Maíz” (The Land of Cinnamon and Corn), by Francisco Aviña. Rounding out the evening will be special classical selections from the Ruth Page Professional Dance Training Program’s repertoire, the tap dance bravura of guest artist Jumaane Taylor, artistic director of the Chicago Human Rhythm Project and Stone Soup Rhythms, and Moonwater Dance Project, a Chicago contemporary repertory company founded in 2018 by Artistic Director Mackenzie King."

Thursday, June 20 - 7:00
Saturday, June 22 - 1:30

Click this link (bit.ly/RPRavinia) to snag your tickets today!

Join us next Friday and Saturday for our annual Ruth Page School of Dance Spring Show 2024! Celebrate the end of our dance year and the hard work of our students as they perform pieces they have learned in their classes, as well as a school performance of Degas Suite choreographed by Dolores & Larry long!

Friday - 7:00pm
Saturday - 3:00pm & 7:00pm

General Admission: $25
Students/Seniors: $20

Get your tickets at bit.ly/RPSpringshow

Our Founder!!!

This month is Chicago Dance Month!

Join us as we take a journey through the city’s dance history during June and July! We’ll give you a glimpse into the history behind different companies, studios, teachers, venues, and more that contribute to the vibrant dance scene we know today. Along the way, we’ll also share more about how you can preserve your history with the Chicago Dance History Project. We’ve been incredibly fortunate to partner with so many of you over the years, but we are still striving to create an even more expansive and inclusive community.

In the early 1920s Ruth Page made Chicago her home, opening the Chicago Opera Ballet later renamed Ruth Page’s International Ballet. The company flourished into the 1970s when she also founded the Ruth Page Foundation School of Dance. In addition, Page was also well known for her large scale productions of The Nutcracker which ran annually from 1965 to 1997. The legacy and impact of Ruth Page is still greatly seen throughout the city today.
Ruth Page Center for the Arts
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Only 3 more days till our annual Ruth Page Legacy Gala!

Can't make it? No problem! You can still join the excitement and support upgrades for the Ruth Page Theater by diving into our thrilling silent auction! 🎉 It's live and ready for your bids! Just tap this link bit.ly/RPLGAuction to start your bidding adventure. Trust us, you won't want to miss out on snagging some of the amazing items showcased above! Let the bidding begin!

Bidding closes at 9:00pm on Saturday, June 1st.
Saturday, June 1st
Ruth Page Theater | 1016 N. Dearborn St. | Chicago, IL 60610
Prelude - 5:00 pm
Benefit Presentation & Performance - 5:30 pm
Newberry Library - Ruggles Hall | 60 W. Walton St. | Chicago, IL 60610
Ruth Page at Mister Kelly's - 7:00 pm
wine & cocktails | hors d'oeuvres | culinary stations | live music | silent auction

Only one week left and just 20 tickets remaining!

Join us on June 1st, 2024, for an electrifying evening celebrating our Guest of Honor, former Ruth Page Dancer and long-time RPSD teacher and ballet mistress, Birute Barodiçaite! And also help us raise money to upgrade the Ruth Page Theater.

You won't want to miss our incredible hosts, Peter Sagal and Bill Kurtis from NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! Their wit, humor, and charm will keep you entertained all night long.

Please get your tickets here bit.ly/RPLegacyGala24 and join us for a night of non-stop entertainment and memories.

Saturday, June 1st
Ruth Page Theater | 1016 N. Dearborn St. | Chicago, IL 60610
Prelude - 5:00 pm
Benefit Presentation & Performance - 5:30 pm
Newberry Library - Ruggles Hall | 60 W. Walton St. | Chicago, IL 60610
Ruth Page at Mister Kelly's - 7:00 pm
wine & cocktails | hors d'oeuvres | culinary stations | live music | silent auction

In honor of Memorial Day, Ruth Page Center for the Arts will be closed Sunday and Monday.

Enjoy the great weather! 🇺🇸

This Friday & Sasturday!

Winifred Haun & Dancers Persistent Spring

May 24 & 25, 2024 7:30pm

Ruth Page Center for the Arts Theater

The renowned Chicago Movement Collective (CMC), and the venerable Winifred Haun & Dancers (WH&D) will present the first annual PERSISTENT SPRING: a showcase of Chicago dance artists, on May 23 & 24 at the Ruth Page Center in Chicago. Persistent Spring will feature dances created by prestigious Chicago area choreographers, including Shannon Alvis, Sarita Smith Childs, Imani English, Crystal Gurrola, Winifred Haun, Mandy Milligan, and Regina Perry-Carr. The showcase will also feature works created by some program participants.

�The purpose of Persistent Spring is to showcase the pre-professional/early career dance artists from the two organizations’ educational programs. WH&D’s 3rd Coast Contemporary Dance program launched in the fall of 2023. CMC’s Claire Bataille Legacy Scholarship program began in the fall of 2020. Both programs offer affordable, professional training to qualified, experienced dancers ages 17-26.

CMC and WH&D have been collaborating to offer classes and workshops to young dance artists, established professional dancers, and the greater Chicago area dance community since March of 2021.

Join us at the Legacy Gala this year as we tribute our Guest of Honor Birute Barodiçaite!

Birute has taught for the Ruth Page School of Dance for over 40 years. She has made significant and extensive contributions as a performer, teacher, and mentor in the dance community. Birute has served as guest faculty, ballet mistress, and rehearsal director for notable dance organizations, including Ruth Page Center, Hubbard Street/Lou Conte Dance Studio, Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, and Escuela Nacional de Ballet de Cuba in Havana.

Over the years, her dedication, expertise, and passion have enriched her students' lives and played a vital role in nurturing and advancing the art of dance. Her commitment to dance and ability to connect with her students on a deep, artistic level sets her apart as a revered figure in the dance world. As we honor Birute Barodiçaite's invaluable service and dedication, we acknowledge her as a beacon of inspiration for current and future generations in the dance community.

Get your tickets now at bit.ly/RPLegacyGala24 and make sure you don't miss out on celebrating this wonderful woman who has touched so many people's lives at Ruth Page and beyond!

2024 Ruth Page Legacy Gala
Saturday, June 1
Hosted by Peter Sagal and Bill Kurtis of Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
Ruth Page Theater | 1016 N. Dearborn St. | Chicago, IL 60610
Prelude - 5:00 pm
Benefit Presentation & Performance - 5:30 pm
Newberry Library - Ruggles Hall | 60 W. Walton St. | Chicago, IL 60610
Ruth Page at Mister Kelly's - 7:00 pm
wine & cocktails | hors d'oeuvres | culinary stations | live music | silent auction

THIS WEEKEND IN OUR RUTH PAGE THEATER!

Celebrating 25 years in 2023-2024, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre’s award-winning art – called “blended magic” by See Chicago Dance and “immersive alchemy” by New City Stage – explores authentic personal stories at the crossroads of heritage, culture, and identity.

This unique hometown company is “movers and shakers who dazzled audiences” (Chicago Tribune). Come experience “outstanding choreography deftly executed by this technically superb troupe.” (Splash Magazine)!
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Program:

- AMERICAN CATRACHO - Founder and Artistic Director Wilfredo Rivera's epic semi-autobiographical piece exploring immigration, from displacement & trauma to resilience & hope

- FROM HERE TO HOME by Katlin Bourgeois and James Sanders - honoring Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood

- LÁGRIMAS NEGRAS by Wilfredo Rivera - a celebration of Wilfredo's childhood among the Latino disapora, to the classic bolero-son

World premieres inspired by real-life stories from Chicago's west side
Original music by James Sanders (Conjunto, Chicago Sinfonietta)
- TETHER by Katlin Bourgeois (Joffrey Ballet)
- THE SEA by Shannon Alvis (Hubbard Street Chicago)
- THE ISLAND by Michelle Manzanales (Ballet Hispanico)
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All concerts approximately 90 minutes with a 15-minute intermission. Tickets $40-60

FOR MORE INFOR PLEASE VISIT CRDT'S FACEBOOK PAGE

The wait is over - we are thrilled to announce that our Annual Ruth Page Legacy Gala is back, and it's going to be bigger and better than ever before.

Join us on June 1st, 2024 for an electrifying evening of dance, music, and celebration of the legendary Ruth Page as we raise funds for the Ruth Page Theater. And that's not all - we have two amazing hosts for the evening: Peter Sagal and Bill Kurtis of NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! With their wit, humor, and charm, they will keep you entertained all night long.

Get your tickets here bit.ly/RPLegacyGala24 and join us for a night of non-stop entertainment and memories.

Ruth Page Theater | 1016 N. Dearborn St. | Chicago, IL 60610
Prelude - 5:00 pm
Benefit Presentation & Performance - 5:30 pm
Newberry Library - Ruggles Hall | 60 W. Walton St. | Chicago, IL 60610
Ruth Page at Mister Kelly's - 7:00 pm
wine & cocktails | hors d'oeuvres | culinary stations | live music | silent auction

This weekend, join us at the Ruth Page Theater as Repertory Ballet presents Modern Motions!

This exciting mixed repertoire program will feature world premiere works alongside revivals of favorite CRB dances. Modern Motions will feature the Chicago premiere of Brian Enos’ Blue Roses Falling. First created on the artists of The Big Muddy Dance Company, this spectacular dance work makes its way to Chicago this May! This program also features Shannon Alvis’ Trees, Melody. This sumptuous dance takes the audience to a landscape of wind whipped trees which bend to the music of Ezio Bosso. Modern Motions offers two world premiere works: Lúa Descolorida by founding artistic director Wade Schaaf and a world premiere by the choreographic duo of Braeden Barnes and Michelle Meltzer. Rounding out the program are Birthday Fête, a Neo-classical romp to the music of Mendelssohn choreographed for CRB’s 10 year anniversary, and the company premiere of Spring Waters pas de deux!

May 10 & 11, 2024 7:30pm | May 12, 2024 3pm

Check out their website to purchase tickets!

Make sure you sign up for class this Friday! We have the wonderful Marc Macaranas teaching Advanced Contemporary/Modern!

In this class, dancers will explore ease, fluidity, and efficiency in energetic pathways into and out of the floor. Utilizing principles from both classical and contemporary dance vocabularies, dancers will engage in a series of choreographic phrases that challenge their relationship to space, momentum and velocity.
Marc Macaranas (he/him) is a choreographer, media designer, and dance futurist. His creative practice includes choreography for proscenium stages and digital screens, projection and installation design, and Spotify canvases. His work has been seen in Chicago, Iowa City, St. Louis and the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. Marc is an Assistant Professor at NIU School of Theatre and Dance and serves as Dance Program Coordinator. He is an ensemble member of Lucky Plush Productions and Big Boy Dance. He holds a BA in Dance from the University of California, Irvine and an MFA in Dance from the University of Iowa.

The Flapper and the Quarterback, featuring Ruth Page and Paul Du Pont, photo by Eugene Hutchinson, 1926.

In honor of the Bears' likely choice of a quarterback tonight, here's a look back at Ruth Page's pioneering ballet, which premiered in December 1926 at Eighth Street Theatre in Chicago. With the Roaring Twenties as her backdrop, Page drew inspiration from novelty dances like the Charleston and the emerging “co-ed” attitude on college campuses to create one of the first ballets to revolve around American themes. The ballet was hailed by reviewer Ruth Peiter of the Toledo Times as “American as ice-water, toothpicks and slang.”

In addition to her active performance career, Ruth Page (1899-1991) founded Ruth Page Center for the Arts, the Chicago Opera Ballet, and served as ballet director for the Ravinia Opera and the Chicago Grand Opera. Items related to this ballet and many others can be found in the Ruth Page Papers, a processed collection in the Midwest Dance Collections at the Newberry. Call number: Dance MS Page, Box 131, Folder 1838

DON'T FORGET TO JOIN US THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 28, FOR OUR INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DANCE ADULT OPEN HOUSE!

Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, we've got a wide range of dance styles to choose from.

There will also be a special one-day-only class card sale! Purchase a 10-class card in person and receive a BOGO 50% discount. Please note that this offer is limited to one discount per customer. Don't miss out on this opportunity to save and join us for some invigorating classes!

Complete Schedule:
9:45am – 10:45am: Duncan Technique with Jennifer
10:00am – 10:45am: Pilates Mat with Julie
10:00am – 11:00am: Ballet Foundations with Vannessa
10:00am – 11:30am: Intermediate Ballet with Wade
11:15am – 12:15pm: Beginning Ballet with Vannessa
11:30am – 1:00pm: Intermediate Jazz with Ariane
12:30pm – 1:30pm: Jaz Foundations with Tracy
1:15pm – 2:15pm: Afro-Cuban with Heriberto
1:30pm – 2:30pm: Broadway Tap with Tracy*
2:00pm – 3:00pm: Hip Hop with Melissa

* Tap shoes are highly recommended for Broadway Tap with Tracy.
Please come prepared with fitted clothes you can move in.

Individuals who wish to attend may register online at the link in our bio, though pre-registration is not required.

Adult OPEN HOUSE 2023!
Come Celebrate International Dance Day with us!

Join the Ruth Page Center for the Arts for an Open House in honor of International Dance Day - complete with free classes and a class card sale.

The Ruth Page Center is excited to open our doors for a spring open house, Sunday, April 28 in honor of International Dance Day!

On Sunday, April 28, all adult classes will be FREE
In addition to our regularly scheduled Sunday adult classes, sample classes in ballet, jazz, modern, Pilates, Hip Hop, Afro-Cuban, and Broadway tap will be taught by our Ruth Page School of Dance adult faculty.

Individuals who wish to attend may register online at bit.ly/445nIkf , though pre-registration is not required.

Complete Schedule:
9:45am – 10:45am: Duncan Technique with Jennifer
10:00am – 10:45am: Pilates Mat with Julie
10:00am – 11:00am: Ballet Foundations with Vannessa
10:00am – 11:30am: Intermediate Ballet with Wade
11:15am – 12:15pm: Beginning Ballet with Vannessa
11:30am – 1:00pm: Intermediate Jazz with Ariane
12:30pm – 1:30pm: Jaz Foundations with Tracy
1:15pm – 2:15pm: Afro-Cuban with Heriberto
1:30pm – 2:30pm: Broadway Tap with Tracy*
2:00pm – 3:00pm: Hip Hop with Melissa

* Tap shoes are highly recommended for Broadway Tap with Tracy.
Please come prepared with fitted clothes you can move in.

We will also be holding a ONE DAY ONLY class card sale (10-class cards) – come in person and get a buy-one-get-one 50% off discount. Limit one discount per customer.

All of us at Ruth Page Center as saddened by the loss of Maestra Ramona da Saa. All of our teachers and students feel blessed to have had the opportunity to get the know her, to have her presence in our school, and to learn from her wisdom and dedication to teaching ballet.

Rest in Peace Maestra de Saa.

Nuestro Centro Ruth Page siente mucho la pérdida de la
Maestra Ramona de Saa. Nuestros maestros y estudiantes se sienten bendecidos por haber tenido la oportunidad de conocerla de tener su presencia en nuestra escuela, aprender de su sabiduría y dedicación por la enseñanza del ballet.

Descansa en Paz Maestra de Saa.

Join us here at the Ruth Page Theater this Friday & Saturday to see Dalí: Surrealist Symphony of Dance! Choreographed by Kimberly Baker and Original Score by Joshua Loveland.

Dalí is an evening-length dance work inspired by the life and art of Salvador Dalí. Dancers explore surrealism through movement and bring visually stimulating worlds of depth to life on stage. This is truly a beautifully curated evening of music, dance, art, and performance!

Dalí promises to be an evening of inspiration, surrealism, and stunning visuals. The performance spans two acts with a 15-minute intermission between acts. Immerse yourself in a dreamlike world exploring themes of isolation, grief, loss, companionship, fear, intimacy, and even the bizarre.

Make sure to get your tickets soon, you won't want to miss out!

Ticket link here https://bit.ly/3VZ4EBR

Our final introductions for our Center Stage Birthday Celebration/Fundraising event, we would like to welcome back two In-residence companies, Congo Square Theatre Company and Pilates Practice Chicago! Both organizations have submitted video presentations in place of live performances/demonstrations, but both showcase the great work that the bring to the great city of Chicago!

Don't miss out! We will have mini bunt cakes and bubbly! It is a birthday celebration after all!

Tickets are $25 per show or save $10 with our Two-night bundle for only $40! Get your tickets here https://bit.ly/CenterStage24

4 days to go!
Last but certainly not least, our final guest performers for our founder's birthday celebration/ fundraising weekend, Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet Studio Company dancers who will be performing a pas de deux from the well-known ballet 'Le Corsaire'!

Make sure you don't miss out on bunt cake and bubbles!
Tickets are $25 per show or save $10 with our Two-night bundle for only $40! Get your tickets here https://bit.ly/CenterStage24 / from the link in our bio!
Dancers: Valeria Garcia Del Castillo & Lucas Lopez Garcia Leon

Don't miss out on the amazing opportunity to attend not one, but two masterclasses taught by the one and only Lauren Anderson!

Join us on Friday, March 22 at 11:00 and/or Saturday, March 23 at 1:00 It's going to be an incredible experience that you won't want to miss!

Each class is $20
Register here https://bit.ly/LAnderson24

See you there!
Lauren will also be joining us for the Center Stage pre-show reception on Friday, March 22, from 6:00 - 7:00 in our Second-floor conference room! Everyone in the dance community who is coming to Center Stage is welcome. This is a great opportunity to meet and network with others from the Chicago dance scene and beyond. You'll also enjoy light refreshments and engaging conversations that are sure to make your evening memorable.

Contact [email protected] with any questions.

Just 5 days out, and we are excited to announce that Moonwater Dance Project will be joining us as a guest company for our 2024 Center Stage birthday celebration and fundraiser! We can't wait to see them perform Hanna Brictson’s piece, 'Clarity'.

Tickets are $25 per show or save $10 with our Two-night bundle for only $40! Get your tickets here https://bit.ly/CenterStage24
Photo taken by: Michelle Reid
Dancers: Jade Hooper, Lucy Pierson, Rachel Spies, Celine Spinka, Abigail Stachnik
More about Moonwater Dance Project:
The goal of Moonwater Dance Project is to produce high-quality concert dance within an environment that values and compensates the dancers for their contributions to the artistic process and hard work they do. ​​The aesthetic of Moonwater Dance Project is similar to water and has a captivating duality. Both are soft yet strong, both nurturing and destructive; a force to be reckoned with and unpredictable.