Joffrey Academy of Dance announces national artist call for Winning Works competition

JOFFREY ACADEMY OF DANCE, OFFICIAL SCHOOL OF THE JOFFREY BALLET,

LAUNCHES A NATIONAL CALL FOR ALAANA ARTISTS FOR THE

NINTH ANNUAL WINNING WORKS CHOREOGRAPHIC COMPETITION

Ninth Annual Winning Works program to be presented at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago

CHICAGO – June 28, 2018 – The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, announces a national call for ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab and Native American) artists to submit applications for The Joffrey Academy’s Ninth Annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition. The goal of the award is to recognize talented and emerging ALAANA choreographers whose unique perspective will ignite creativity in the form of original works of dance. The deadline for application is September 1, 2018.

The winning choreographers will be awarded a $5,000 stipend and given a minimum of 30 rehearsal hours. Choreographers will also be provided with travel and accommodations for the duration of their residency. The choreographic work must be original and developed by the applicant. The finished piece must be at least 10 minutes long (maximum of 12 minutes), and include a cast of at least 10 dancers. They will set their piece on the members of the Joffrey Studio Company and the Joffrey Academy Trainees, with the opportunity to seek guidance from Joffrey Artistic Director Ashley Wheater and Head of Studio Company and Trainee Program Raymond Rodriguez. The Joffrey Academy of Dance’s Winning Works program will be presented at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the Joffrey’s hosting partner, at MCA’s Edlis Neeson Theater, 220 E. Chicago Avenue.

To apply, interested choreographers must submit an online application form, including:

·        Video clip containing 2 or more choreography excerpts, along with a brief written description. Each choreography excerpt should not exceed 5 minutes. Submitted excerpts must include a work containing at least 8 dancers in the piece. In-studio rehearsal footage is also encouraged. Excerpts may be combined into one video or submitted in separate video clips;

·        A letter of intent (500-1,000 words) describing interest in the competition and the kind of work that will be created;

·        Headshot and curriculum vitae;

·        A completed application form available online at joffrey.org/winningworks;

·        Three references

There is no submission fee. The online application form is available at joffrey.org/winningworks. Questions can be emailed to winningworks@joffrey.org.

The Joffrey Ballet’s 2018-2019 season

Swan Lake

October 17-28, 2018

Christopher Wheeldon’s stunning re-telling of this classic tale returns for the first time since its Chicago Premiere with the Joffrey in 2014. A ballet in four acts, Wheeldon transports one of ballet’s most famous works to the studios of the Paris Opera during the 19^th century, the same era Tchaikovsky composed Swan Lake in Moscow and when a young impressionist named Edgar Degas was on the rise in Paris. 

Swan Lake is presented in 10 performances, October 17-28, 2018.

The Nutcracker

December 1-30, 2018

The Joffrey Ballet will once again present its reimagined holiday classic The Nutcracker by Christopher Wheeldon. Set during Chicago’s 1893 World’s Fair, Wheeldon’s turn-of-the-century tale opens as young Marie and her mother, a sculptress creating the Fair’s iconic Statue of the Republic, host a festive Christmas Eve celebration. After a surprise visit from the creator of the Chicago Columbian Exposition, the mysterious Grand Impresario, Marie embarks on a whirlwind of adventure and romance with the Nutcracker Prince through a dreamlike World’s Fair.

The Nutcracker is presented in 29 performances, December 1-30, 2018.

Anna Karenina

February 13-24, 2019

Created by visionary choreographer Yuri Possokhov, this world premiere collaboration between The Joffrey Ballet and The Australian Ballet brings Leo Tolstoy’s epic 19^th century story of forbidden love, passion and self-destruction to life on the stage.

The world premiere of Anna Karenina will be presented first in Chicago in 10 performances with The Joffrey Ballet, February 13-24, 2019, and then in Melbourne with The Australian Ballet in May 2020.                                                                                                                                        

Across the Pond

April 24-May 5, 2019

The Joffrey’s spring engagement, a mixed repertory program entitled Across the Pond, features the United Kingdom’s most influential artists, including a world premiere by London-based choreographer Andrea Walker, the Chicago Premiere of Kairos by Wayne McGregor and the Joffrey Premiere of Symphonic Variations by the iconic Sir Frederick Ashton.

Across the Pond is presented in 10 performances only, April 24-May 5, 2019

Joffrey Gala Performance

April 12, 2019

For the fourth year in a row, The Joffrey Ballet will open its special, one-hour gala performance exclusively to Joffrey subscribers and gala attendees. For the first time, the gala will be held at the Lyric Opera House and will celebrate the artists who make the Joffrey one of the world’s leading international dance companies. This one-night-only performance features a specially-curated program by Artistic Director Ashley Wheater.

The Joffrey in Performance with Chicago Symphony Orchestra

May 30-June 1, 2019

A special appearance in 2019, The Joffrey Ballet makes its Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) debut in performances that feature a world premiere work (choreographer to be announced at a later date) set to the music of Stravinsky’s Dumbarton Oaks Concerto. This program also features Christopher Wheeldon’s ballet Commedia, set to the music of Stravinsky’s Suite from Pulcinella.

Note: The Joffrey’s collaboration with CSO is not part of the Joffrey season and tickets are not available through The Joffrey Ballet. Performances take place at Symphony Center (220 S. Michigan Ave.). More information can be found at CSO.org.

About the Joffrey Studio Company

The Joffrey Studio Company is a scholarship program of the Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet. The Joffrey Studio Company consists of outstanding students selected by Joffrey Artistic Director Ashley Wheater and Head of Studio Company and Trainee Program Raymond Rodriguez. The Joffrey Studio Company and Trainees have performed on some of the most prestigious stages, including Lincoln Center in NY, the Auditorium Theatre, Harris Theater for Music and Dance, Cadillac Palace Theatre and MCA Stage in Chicago, Music Hall in LA, The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and more. The individualized training and performance opportunities provided by the Joffrey Studio Company offers students unique insight into the life of a professional dancer, assisting students in preparation for a professional career in dance and helping them expand their technique and artistry.

About the Joffrey Academy Trainees

The Joffrey Academy Trainee Program is a one to two-year program for students ages 17 and older who are preparing for a professional dance career. Students are selected to participate in the Trainee Program by invitation from Artistic Director Ashley Wheater and the Head of Studio Company and Trainee Program Raymond Rodriguez. This esteemed and rigorous program gives students a unique and well-rounded experience to prepare them for the next step in their careers. Trainees rehearse and perform classical and contemporary works from The Joffrey Ballet’s extensive repertoire and have the opportunity to work with guest choreographers throughout the year. Graduates of the Academy have gone on to dance professionally with companies throughout the world including The Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Staatsballett Berlin, Dresden Semperoper, Complexions, Milwaukee Ballet, Memphis Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, BalletMet, Polish National Ballet, Slovak National Ballet, Netherlands Dans Theater and more.

For more information on the Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet and its programs please visit joffrey.org/academy. Connect with the Joffrey on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About The Joffrey Ballet

Classically trained to the highest standards, The Joffrey Ballet expresses a unique, inclusive perspective on dance, proudly reflecting the diversity of America with its Company, audiences, and repertoire, which includes major story ballets, reconstructions of masterpieces and contemporary works.

The Company’s commitment to accessibility is met through an extensive touring schedule, an innovative and highly effective education program, including the much-lauded Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, Community Engagement programs and collaborations with myriad other visual and performing arts organizations.

Founded by visionary teacher Robert Joffrey in 1956, guided by celebrated choreographer Gerald Arpino from 1988 until 2007, The Joffrey Ballet continues to thrive under internationally renowned Artistic Director Ashley Wheater and Executive Director Greg Cameron.

For more information on The Joffrey Ballet and its programs, visit joffrey.org. Connect with the Joffrey on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.