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Aug. 12 dance film to explore gender, queerness in South Asian arts
Ashwaty Chennat, a Chicago Dancemakers 2021 Digital Dance grantee, has continued her collaboration with Abhijeet Rane to explore gender, queerness and the body in South Asian arts and traditions. An excerpt of Chennai and Rane's ...
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CDC: Some vaccinated people should wear masks indoors
To prevent further spread of the Delta variant, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its mask guidance on July 27 to recommend that fully vaccinated people wear masks indoors when in areas with ...
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Winifred Haun & Dancers announces 2021-22 season, return to live performances
--From a press release
Chicago & Oak Park, IL — Winifred Haun & Dancers will return to in person theater events and live programming for the upcoming 2021|22 Season. The Company will be presented at the Pritzker Pavilion, Ruth Page ...
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DANCE Deeply Rooted named to INFLUENCERS Cohort
Chicago's Deeply Rooted Dance Theater is one of five dance companies (and the only Midwestern one) named to the International Association of Blacks in Dance's (IABD's) INFLUENCERS Cohort for the 2021 COHI/MOVE program. The five ...
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Lightfoot announces 27 Neighborhood Opportunity Fund Grant finalists
--From a press release
CHICAGO — Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot today announced 27 new Neighborhood Opportunity Fund (NOF) grant finalists. A Greater Grand Crossing shared kitchen, a Calumet Heights dance studio, and a Humboldt Park juice bar are among the ...
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Dance for Life to present 10 companies, world-premiere finale
Chicago Dancers United (CDU), which supports the health and wellness of Chicago's professional dance community, announced an expanded lineup and program for the 30th anniversary of its annual fundraiser, Dance for Life, which takes place in ...
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AIDS ballet movie coming to Chicago on July 16
The movie Can You Bring It: Bill T. Jones and D-Man in the Waters will open Friday, July 16, in virtual cinemas in Chicago at Gene Siskel Film Center and Music Box Theatre. "Can You Bring It"—co-directed by Rosalynde LeBlanc and ...
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Taste of Chicago To-Go" starts Wednesday
--From a press release
Taste of Chicago To-Go" starts Wednesday with food vendors and food trucks; Chicago City Market vendors; Chicago SummerDance instructors; House City DJs; author Marisel Vera; Taste of Chicago favorites Eli's Cheesecake, Robinson's No. 1 Ribs and ...
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Billy Masters
"like the song is literally about gay sex what y'all want me to do play the piano while baking a cake?"—Lil Nas X tweets a response to criticism of kissing one of his male dancers on the BET Awards. Call me ...
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Move your body! "House City" music series starts Sunday
"House City" (kicking off July 4) is a new, 10-part series of free events popping up throughout the summer in the neighborhoods that helped create the House music genre over 35 years ago. DJ Jes, El ...
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DANCE Deeply Rooted to perform in person July 16-17
Deeply Rooted Dance Theater's Summer Dance Intensive (SDI)—which takes place in a hybrid format combining in-person and virtual instruction this year—will culminate with in-person performances of new works Friday and ...
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VISIT Shedd Aquarium has many attractions, one distraction
Nature lovers can rejoice. Shedd Aquarium (1200 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr., in accordance with State of Illinois and City of Chicago guidelines, has fully reopened. (Guests are still ...
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Billy Masters
"Ballet dancers and hairdressers and drag queens made it safe for football players to come out and not the other way around."—Dan Savage puts Carl Nassib's coming out into the context of those who came before ...
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ARC Music Festival to take place Sept. 4-5 in Union Park
ARC Music Festival has announced the complete lineup for its Labor Day Weekend 2021 debut at Union Park, 1501 W. Randolph St. The dance event will feature acts such as Channel Tres, Derrick Carter, DJ Heather, ...
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Hubbard Street Dance Chicago's Season 43: A Virtual Homecoming June 24
--From a press release
CHICAGO CHICAGO — Hubbard Street Dance Chicago's (HSDC) Season 43: A Virtual Homecoming will conclude with the world premiere of Greener Grass, a full-company work choreographed and directed by former HSDC company dancer Jie-Hung Connie S ...
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DANCE Joffrey Academy seeking submissions from minority applicants for competition
The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, has announced a national call for ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab and Native American) artists to submit applications for The Joffrey Academy's Twelfth Annual Winning ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Red Hot' album, 'Drag Race,' 'L Word,' Qveen Herby, Lee Daniels
The Red Hot organization, which raises funds to fight HIV/AIDS, announced Red Hot + Free—a mixtape of dance beats, electro grooves and global anthems, a press release noted. Out July 2 and helmed by producer-provocateur Bill ...
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Gov. Pritzker aligns Illinois with CDC guidance for fully vaccinated people
--From a press release
SPRINGFIELD — Following guidance from the CDC that fully vaccinated people can stop wearing a mask and practicing social distancing in most indoor and outdoor settings, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public ...
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DANCE Joffrey Ballet expands to South Loop
The Joffrey Ballet announced the establishment of new studio space and training facilities at 1920 S.Wabash Ave. (formerly the Chicago Dance Academy studios)—expanding the Joffrey's reach to the South Loop and beyond, and marking a major ...
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Dance for Life to take place in person (and for free) Aug. 26
Chicago Dancers United (CDU)—which supports the health and wellness of Chicago's professional dance community—announced that its primary annual fundraiser, Dance for Life, will take place live and in person Thursday ...
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DANCE Hubbard Street's 'Half of Us' debuting May 20
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago's (HSDC) 43rd season will be completed with the virtual world premiere of new work by choreographer/director Robyn Mineko Williams entitled "Half of Us," on Thursday, May 20, at 7:30 p.m. The 16-minute ...
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CDC updates mask-wearing guidelines
On April 27, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidance on outdoor mask use for fully vaccinated Americans, CNN.com noted. Fully vaccinated people can now unmask at small outdoor gatherings, or ...
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Joffrey Ballet presents world premiere of Nicolas Blanc's "Under the Trees' Voices"
--From a press release
THE JOFFREY BALLET PRESENTS WORLD PREMIERE OF NICOLAS BLANC'S UNDER THE TREES' VOICES World Premiere streamed online: April 30 at 7:00 PM CST Audiences are invited to experience a rehearsal via livestream TODAY: April 7 at ...
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See Chicago Dance Open Call: Dance For Life 2021
--From a press release
Chicago Dancers United is a nonprofit organization with a mission to improve the lives of Chicago-area dance professionals by cultivating pathways to holistic wellness of the body, mind, and spirit. Our primary annual fundraiser, Dance for ...
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Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre announces revised 2020-2021 season
--From a press release
Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre is a multicultural company that creates new dance and music to explore strong personal narratives. We build partnerships across Chicagoland to engage a diverse audience: sparking ...
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k.d. lang to release dance-remix album 'makeover' on May 28
In celebration of Pride Month, Nonesuch Records is releasing k.d. lang's makeover—a new collection of classic dance remixes of some of her best-loved songs—on May 28. The album brings these remixes, made between 1992 and 2000, ...
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DANCE Hubbard Street season to resume with 'In Any Event'
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago's (HSDC's) 43rd season will resume Thursday, March 25, at 7:30 p.m. with a virtual world premiere of new work by choreographer and former HSDC dancer Penny Saunders. The piece will also be ...
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New dance film features 46 dancers from 20 countries
Films.Dance—a global film series produced by and under the creative direction of LA-based Jacob Jonas The Company—continues with Match, the single most expansive collaboration in the 15-film series. Match features ...
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Queer musician Ari Gold dies at 47
New York City-based dance artist Ari Gold has died at age 47 after a long battle with cancer, according to out.com. Gold—who was also known as Sir Ari and GoldNation— released seven albums as a part ...
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Wizard World Chicago moved from June to August
Wizard Brands, Inc. announced that its scheduled 2021 live event in Chicago has been postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions and in continued accordance with federal, state and local guidelines. Instead of the original dates of June ...
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Hubbard Street Dance Chicago names new artistic director
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (HSDC) announced that former company member Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell has been named artistic director of the contemporary dance company, effective March 1. A native of Baltimore, Fisher-Harrell ...
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Joffrey Ballet artists create video installation
The Joffrey Ballet announced that a dynamic video installation featuring members of the company will animate the acclaimed 150 Media Stream public art exhibition at 150 N. Riverside Plaza as the inaugural output of Action Lines. ...
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Chicago Dancemakers Forum announces the 2021 Digital Dance Grantees
--From a press release
CHICAGO, IL, 2/1/2021 — To support the growth of local Chicago dancemakers in the era of COVID-19, Chicago Dancemakers Forum is pleased to grant $10,000 each to ten dance creators and their collaborators for the development ...
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LGBTQ+ Americans greet the Biden-Harris era with hope, hesitancy
Kate Sosin, 19thnews.org
To many, the moment marks a new dawn, the end of deeply distressing four years. Others are simply exhausted. A lot of kids spend their teenage years worrying about dates and dances. Eli Bundy has spent ...
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Joffrey Ballet announces Feb. 12 world premiere of 'Bolero'
The Joffrey Ballet announced the world premiere of Bolero—named after the acclaimed orchestral piece by composer Maurice Ravel and choreographed by Joffrey company artist Yoshihisa Arai—on Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. Bolero, to be performed by ...
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Chicago Dance History Project's Interview Marathon on Jan. 31
Chicago Dance History Project (CDHP) has confirmed the lineup and schedule for its Interview Marathon on Sunday, Jan. 31, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Interviewees will appear live from international locations and ...
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New Joffrey Studio Series offers interactive virtual season
--From a press release
The Joffrey Ballet is pleased to introduce the Joffrey Studio Series, a comprehensive roster of virtual programming — from livestream performances and company rehearsals to ...
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Hubbard Street Dance presents surrealist film online Dec. 3, 5 and 6
--From a press release
CHICAGO — Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (HSDC) continues its 2020/21 43rd season with a virtual premiere presentation of new work from former Hubbard Street dancer and acclaimed choreographer Jonathan Fredrickson ...
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Theater community to offer online plays, musicals, dance, comedy for holidays
--From a press release
Chicago, IL (November 10, 2020)— The Chicago theater community will produce a wide variety of online festive plays, musicals, dance and comedy offerings this Holiday season. Theatre venues in Chicago and across the world remain closed ...
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Joffrey Ballet to offer virtual Nutcracker
--From a press release
CHICAGO — With the cancellation of The Joffrey Ballet's annual engagement of Christopher Wheeldon's critically acclaimed version of The Nutcracker in 2020, the Joffrey is pleased to announce a myriad ...
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Hubbard Street piece to examine Chicago's racial disparities
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago's (HSDC) 43rd season (2020-21) will begin Thursday, Oct. 22, at 6 p.m. with a virtual premiere presentation of new work from former Hubbard Street dancer and acclaimed choreographer Rena Butler. The piece ...
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Joffrey Ballet halts season, launches digital series, '25 FOR 25' initiative
--From a press release
The Joffrey Ballet announced the cancellation of all remaining performances for the 2020-21 season, including the world premiere of Cathy Marston's Of Mice and Men and the Joffrey premiere of George Balanchine's ...
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Cerqua Rivera revises 2020 schedule
Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre has unveiled a restructured performance schedule for 2020. A livestreamed benefit performance honoring longtime friend of the company Sandra McNaughton will take place Sunday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m. The show will ...
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NATIONAL Lambda Litfest, #BiWeek, whistleblower, Equality Awards, Blade
The 4th annual Lambda Litfest (Oct. 5-9) has been transformed into a specially curated, virtual event celebrating Black LGBTQIA+ excellence and abundance, a press release noted. The opening night will set the stage by bringing panelists ...
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PASSAGES Computer programmer/Chi-Town Squares member Bill Klein passes away
Longtime Chi-Town Squares member and COBOL computer programmer William "Bill" Michael Klein died Sept. 5 due to health complications after he fell down in his home a few days prior. He was 70. Klein was born ...
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WORLD Vancouver protest, dating apps, Budapest Pride, N. Ireland marriages
In Canada, protesters held a beach dance party in Vancouver's West End night in a bid to disrupt an event by a Toronto preacher who has been accused of anti-LGBTQ hate speech, CBC.ca reported. David Lynn, ...
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SHOWBIZ #ReadOutProud, Mj Rodriguez, Kate Winslet, Jennifer Lopez
Non-profit organization Pride and Less Prejudice (PLP) has launched a #ReadOutProud fundraising campaign video with LGBTQ celebrities including Adam Rippon, Nicole Maines, Darryl Stephens, Patrik-Ian Polk, Theo Germaine, Nikki Blonsky ...
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Dance for Life exceeds fundraising goal
Chicago Dancers United (CDU) announced that "Dance for Life 2020: United as One," which took place Aug. 10—15, exceeded its financial goal, raising more than $170,000 in contributions from nearly 700 donors. Dance for Life 2020: ...
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Deeply Rooted launches 25th-anniversary season
Deeply Rooted Dance Theater which diversifies the aesthetics of contemporary dance by uniting modern, classical, U.S. and African-American traditions in dance and storytelling announced initial plans for Deeply 25: Beyond Dance ...
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Dining Out for Life Chicago on Sept. 24
Dining Out for Life Chicago will take place Thursday, Sept. 24. People can dine in, order takeout or delivery from your favorite restaurants to support TPAN's mission to serve people affected by HIV. This year's co-chairs ...
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Open House Chicago taking place Oct. 16-25
The Chicago Architecture Center (CAC) announced the return of Open House Chicago (OHC) for a 10th consecutive year. It will take place Oct. 16-25, and the festival has been reconfigured for both in-person and remote attendance. ...
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Cerqua Rivera Dance unveils new schedule
After some restructuring, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre has announced its plans to develop work in this time, about this time. Cerqua Rivera's 2020 new work creatively responds to and utilizes social distancing. Work will be created ...
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Five Worth Finding: Bill T. Jones book, Music Box thriller and more
—Story/Time: The Life of an Idea: This book came out in 2014, but this is an excellent time to appreciate this tome. In it, out gay African American dancer, choreographer and director Bill T. Jones reflects ...
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NUNN ON ONE MOVIES Queer filmmaker has 'Mucho Mucho Amor' for famed astrologer
For generations, Puerto Rican astrologer Walter Mercado has brought hope and the future for many families over the years. He grew up a dancer, an actor in theater and starred in many telenovelas before his unique ...
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Nondiscrimination guidelines affirmed after Trump rollback
Illinois state officials issued guidance June 26 affirming the state's existing nondiscrimination protections on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The guidance came two weeks after U.S. Department ...
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Cerqua Rivera Dance unveils new schedule
After some restructuring, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre has announced its plans to develop work in this time, about this time. Cerqua Rivera's 2020 new work creatively responds to and utilizes social distancing. Work will be created ...
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PASSAGES Nightlife figure Cody Laughlin dies at 26
Lucky Horseshoe Lounge dancer Cody Laughlin died June 15 at his home. The cause of death is currently unknown. He was 26. Laughlin was born Dec. 30, 1993, in Chicago and graduated early from Northside College ...
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COVID-19 Joffrey cancels shows through remainder of 2020
The Joffrey Ballet announced the cancellation of all performances for the remainder of 2020, a response to the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency. Cancelled productions include Sir Kenneth MacMillan's Manon ...
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Lollapalooza, Taste of Chicago among new or reimagined events
Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) announced a slate of new and reimagined summer events including at-home dance parties, drive-in movies, virtual concerts and community meals for frontline ...
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Dance for Life going digital Aug. 10-15
Chicago Dancers United (CDU)—which works to improve the lives of dance professionals through holistic wellness programs and provide financial support to those diagnosed with critical health needs—announced that Dance for ...
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Chita: A Legendary Celebration to stream May 29
Chita: A Legendary Celebration , Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS' one-night-only evening of song and dance celebrating the legendary Chita Rivera , returns this Friday, May 29, 2020, in an exclusive stream benefiting Broadway Cares and its ...
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COVID-19 Pritzker announces 'Restore Illinois,' a five-phase plan
Relying on data, science and guidance from public-health experts and after consulting with stakeholders across the state, Gov. JB Pritzker announced Restore Illinois—a five-phase plan focused on saving lives, reimplementing ...
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Chicago dancer discusses battle with COVID-19
When Joseph Hutto—a Chicago dancer who performs locally under the stage name Ben D. Mann—got sick in late March, he assumed that he had somehow contracted food poisoning. "I couldn't figure out what this was, because ...
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Bolshoi cancels June performances
The Bolshoi Ballet's performances of Swan Lake at the Auditorium Theatre, originally scheduled for June 10-14, have been postponed as a result of COVID-19. The Auditorium Theatre is working closely with the company to schedule new ...
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36th annual Printers Row Lit Fest put off to
Labor Day weekend
CHICAGO (April 10, 2020) Out of an abundance of caution, and prioritizing the safety and well being of its guests, authors and vendors, the Near South Planning Board has postponed this year's Printers Row Lit Fest ...
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Bolshoi Ballet June performance at Auditorium Theatre postponed
The Bolshoi Ballet's performances of Swan Lake at the Auditorium Theatre, originally scheduled for June 10-14, have been postponed as a result of COVID-19. The Auditorium Theatre is working closely with the company to schedule new ...
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COVID-19 Quigley, Larsen urge FDA to allow healthy gay, bi men to donate blood
U.S. Reps. Mike Quigley (D-Illinois) and Rick Larsen (D-Washington) urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to overturn the FDA's guidance on blood donation by men who have sex with men. In a letter to FDA ...
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Chicago and state issue new coronavirus guidelines
Following CDC guidance and recommendations by local public health experts, the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago issued new guidance to residents to prevent further spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), as of March 15. Specifically, ...
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Chicago theatres suspend productions due to Coronavirus, guidance of Governor and Mayor
The following statement comes from Deb Clapp, Executive Director, League of Chicago Theatres: Mayor Lightfoot and Governor Pritzker held a press conference today asking and strongly recommending that public gatherings of more than 250 people be ...
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State of Illinois, City of Chicago issue guidance to minimize COVID-19 spread
CHICAGO — Following CDC guidance and recommendations by local public health experts, the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago are issuing new guidance to residents to prevent further spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). These new ...
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Black Ensemble Theater cancels performances
A statement from Black Ensemble Theater: Based upon the recent guidance from the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago, Black Ensemble Theatre will suspend performances of THE HEALING (formerly titled Legends: A Civil Rights ...
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Hyde Park's 'Amira' March 28-29
Hyde Park School of Dance (HPSD) celebrates its home base and its hometown of Chicago with the return of its original work Amira: A Chicago Cinderella Story. Performances are March 28-29 at Mandel Hall on the ...
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Chicago Dance Month March 30 through May 18
On March 30-May 18, See Chicago Dance (SCD), the dance industry's nonprofit service organization, will present the eighth annual Chicago Dance Month—which showcases the city's numerous and diverse opportunities to ...
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Cerqua Rivera Dance holding sneak preview April 16
Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre is building on the momentum from its 20th anniversary (in 2019) by launching three brand new art works and engaging with audiences across Chicago. The company will kick off its season at ...
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LAGBAC welcomes new board members
A number of prominent area judges, among them Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans, and legal professionals were in attendance when Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago (LAGBAC) swore its new board at a reception ...
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