The Dance Center Announces Season 51 With an Eye Toward Intergenerational and Diverse Dancemaking

PhotoPictured left to right: Isabel Bastardo, Carissa Bracken, Bella Shea, Mia Garza, Aly Owens from ”Mosaic in Motion” by Se'Niyah Tribble in May 2024. Photo by William Frederking.
The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago unveils Season 51, marking its debut as part of the new School of Theatre and Dance.

The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago unveils Season 51, “Fuse. Converge. Connect. — Spotlighting Intergenerational Dancemaking and Performance,” marking its debut as part of the new School of Theatre and Dance. Running from September 2024 to May 2025, this season emphasizes the rich spectrum of dance through performances and participatory events involving seasoned artists and emerging talents.  

Season Highlights: 

  • Experiencing Time/Embodying Rhythm Symposium (September 19-20, 2024): A two-day exploration of rhythm curated by Lisa Gonzales and Darrell Jones featuring performances and sessions by prominent and emerging artists from California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Texas, and Italy. 
  • She’s Auspicious by Mythili Prakash (September 26-27, 2024): A Chicago premiere of a Bharatanatyam work examining femininity and cultural identity in partnership with Kalapriya Center for Indian Arts and the National Dance Project. 
  • Mural Dances (October 11-12, 2024): Synapse Arts’ Rachel Damon directs site-specific performances by students inspired by Columbia’s new and existing murals. 
  • FREE FALL: Student Performance Night (November 14-15, 2024): A showcase of original student choreography. 
  • PAMOJA: Repertory Performance Works (December 12-13, 2024): Students perform new works by South Chicago Dance Theatre’s Kia Smith, faculty and alumni choreographers. 
  • MARAÑA’s Organismo (January 23-25, 2025): An innovative performance from Berlin combining dance, circus arts, and textiles in partnership with Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival 
  • B-yond Borders B-Series Festival (February 27 - Mar 1, 2025): A celebration of global Afrodiasporic street and social dancing. 
  • Chicago Solo Spotlight Festival (March 13-15, 2025): World premieres by award-winning Chicago-based dance artists Po’ Chop | Jenn Freeman and Nora Sharp. 
  • Spring Forward: Student Performance Night (April 10-11, 2025): Additional student works with fresh perspectives. 
  • 16 by Red Clay Dance Company (April 17-19, 2025): Featuring a world premiere by legendary choreographer/dancer Bebe Miller and a re-imagined work by inaugural Platform Awardee Vershawn Sanders-Ward. 
  • With Incandescence: BFA Capstone Concert (May 15-16, 2025): Featuring original works by graduating BFA Dance candidates. 

The Dance Center hopes that this season connects audiences with dance created and performed by established artists, student dancemakers, and elders to understand why dance is a ubiquitous phenomenon across all societies and cultures.” Says Dance Center Artistic Director Meredith Sutton, "Season 51 is an opportunity for all of us to come together through dance to connect, witness, research, experiment, practice, imagine, and grow.”  

Season passes are available now at Eventbrite and at the Dance Center box office. Single tickets go on sale on September 3. 

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