Parsons Dance Makes First Chicago Appearance In 30 Years This April

The Auditorium will present a special evening with Parsons Dance, the New York-based contemporary American dance company founded in 1985, and internationally renowned for its athletic ensemble work, boundary-pushing artistry and life-affirming joy.

This performance will mark the company's first in Chicago in thirty years. Parsons Dance performs at The Auditorium, 50 E Ida B. Wells Drive, one night only, Saturday, April 12 at 7:30 PM. Tickets start at $30.00 and are available at auditoriumtheatre.org or by calling The Auditorium's Ticket Service Center at 312.341.2300.

The mixed repertory program demonstrates the range and athleticism of the dancers featuring choreographic highlights from the company's deep canon. The program begins with Wolfgang (2005), a work for six dancers set to the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart followed by a solo work Balance of Power (2020) set to a commissioned percussive score by Giancarlo de Trizio. Closing out the first half is Nascimento (1990), a full company work honoring five-time Grammy-Award winning Brazilian musician Milton Nascimento. After seeing the company perform during a tour in Brazil, Nascimento gifted the work's musical score to the company and the resulting collaboration has become a fan-favorite of the Parsons repertory. Nascimento will be preceded by a new Milton Nascimento tribute video by videographer Joe Locorro.

The second half of the program begins with Juke (2024), the sole piece on the program not choreographed by Parsons Dance Founder and Artistic Director David Parsons. Juke, by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater alum Jamar Roberts, is a jazzy full company number set to a score by Miles Davis. Next on the program is Parsons' signature work Caught (1982), a solo featuring an extraordinary 150 jumps in five minutes! This iconic solo, a gravity-defying feat of strobe-light illusion, has remained a staple of modern dance for four decades.  The energetic finale, Shining Star (2004), is a full company number paying tribute to 1970's power group Earth, Wind & Fire.

“The last time Parsons Dance performed in Chicago was in 1995, and I'm incredibly excited about returning to this city whose great artistic legacy helped establish our company's position in the dance community during its early years,” said Parsons Dance Artistic Director David Parsons. “We are especially delighted to appear at the iconic Auditorium, where we will take the stage with some of our most favorite works.”

“We are thrilled to present Parsons Dance in its triumphant return to Chicago,” said The Auditorium CEO Rich Regan. “Parsons' unique blend of virtuosic, high-energy, and joyful dance creates such a fun atmosphere that must be experienced live.”

About Parsons Dance

Parsons Dance is a contemporary American dance company, internationally renowned for its energized, athletic ensemble work. Founded in 1985 by Artistic Director David Parsons and Tony Award-winning lighting designer Howell Binkley, the company has toured to more than 445 cities, 30 countries, and 5 continents and has performed at such notable venues as The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Sydney Opera House, Maison de la Danse, Teatro La Fenice, and Teatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro.  

Heralded by The New York Times as “one of the great movers of modern dance,” David Parsons has received many accolades throughout his career, including three Choreography Fellowship Grants from the National Endowment for the Arts; the American Choreography Award; the Dance Magazine Award; a Howard Gilman Fellowship; the Dance Masters of America Annual Award, and the Capezio ACE Award.  He has collaborated with iconic artists across all disciplines, including Dr. Billy Taylor, John Mackey, Kenji Bunch, Stephen Schwartz, Milton Nascimento, Allen Toussaint, Donna Karan, Annie Leibovitz, Ellsworth Kelly, and Alex Katz.  

About The Auditorium

The Auditorium, located at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive in Chicago, is an Illinois not-for-profit organization committed to presenting the finest in international, cultural, community, and educational programming to all of Chicago and beyond as The Theatre for the People. The organization also is committed to the continued restoration and preservation of this National Historic Landmark that originally opened in 1889.

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