Image courtesy of Andrew Weeks Photography

We are in the midst of our first collaboration with a music ensemble during live performance!! In a previous blog, I mentioned our partnership with Music of the Baroque and our upcoming performances with them. As previously stated, we began pre-season with an intensive week of choreography from Kia and have been perfecting, changing, and enhancing the work since then. It all has come together in the past week and we are 2/3 of the way through our performances with the music ensemble.

This past Saturday, the eight of us dancers traveled to Hamilton Park as a part of a free outreach show that the ensemble put together. We performed Wade Schaaf’s “Coeurs Separes” as well as “Dances From Terpsichore” by Kia S. Smith. It was our first go-around after a tedious technical rehearsal at the Harris Theater this past Monday. Trying the piece in real time with the musicians and performing for our first audience was exhilarating. There’s nothing quite like blending the talents of musicians and dancers. As a dancer, hearing the live music vibrating the floor and having to adjust to the tempo and passion being put forth is much more rewarding than performing with a pre-recorded track. The appreciation we have for the musicians and that they have for us is gratifying and humbling.

Following the outreach show, we performed on Sunday for a much larger crowd at the North Shore Performing Arts Center in Skokie, IL. Our dance floor was at the very edge of this beautiful stage. It was slippery and small, so adjustments were made to the choreography accordingly. Having to work on our toes like that and being adaptable is one of the many skills I’ve acquired and am thrilled to possess as a dancer. We know how to pivot quickly and work with what we have sans-stress.

Rounding out our weekend of performing, you can still catch us with Music of the Baroque at the gorgeous Harris Theater this Tuesday, October 11 at 7:30pm. Tickets are available at the Harris Theater website and…hint hint…use code SCDT25 for a discounted ticket!! We hope you’ll join us to see Kia’s beautiful new work and to appreciate the wonderful Music of the Baroque ensemble.