A performer from Giordano Dance Chicago
A delegation of dance lovers, artistic directors and patrons of the arts from Miami are in Chicago this week for the 25th anniversary performance of Dance for Life Chicago.
The annual benefit dance concert presents and showcases Chicago's unique diversity of talent, dance traditions, and styles.
Funds raised assist The Dancers' Fund and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
This year, Dance for Life, held on Saturday, Aug. 20, included performances by Giordano Dance Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Visceral Dance Chicago, Chicago Dance Crash, and the Joffrey Ballet.
World premieres were created especially for the event by choreographers Harrison McEldowney, Jeremy Plummer and Randy Duncan.
Harvey J. Burstein, chair of the Miami Beach Arts Trust and founder and publisher of miamiartzine.com, led the group. In addition to Burstein, other South Floridians in attendance were Fran Gordon, Ray Breslin, Tony Pierre, Hannah Bumgarten, Cameron Basden, Larry Colin, and Laura Colin. Chicagoans Peter Mark and Leora Baumgarten joined the group.
Giordano Dance Chicago has performed at Dance for Life since it began. The troupe performed two pieces, including Gus Giordano’s signature piece “Sing, Sing, Sing.”
Joffrey Ballet dancers were featured in Gerald Arpino’s “Round of Angels,” set to music from Mahler’s “Fifth Symphony. Hubbard Street Dance Chicago perform an excerpt from “Solo Echo,” while Visceral Dance Chicago's excerpt was "Vital," created by the troupe's artistic director Nick Pupillo.
Harvey J. Burstein, chair of the Miami Beach Arts Trust and founder and publisher of miamiartzine.com and Zachary Gonger, a student at the Juilliard School, originally from Chicago, who performed in Dance for Life's grand finale.
Chicago Dance Crash blended hip-hop with traditional dance techniques in a piece titled "Heard That."
"This was a fantastic evening shared with guests from Miami to celebrate 25 years of DFL," said Burstein.
The evening began with a gala reception at the Hilton Chicago with the performance at the Auditorium Theater at 7:30 p.m.
