The Joffrey Ballet: Engaging a Wider Audience

The Joffrey Ballet and Lar Lubovitch's Othello premiered Wednesday! I blogged earlier about the rehearsal, yet still can't wait to see the full performance.



Lar Lubovitch's staging of Othello is dramatic, passionate and anything but typical. It seems like a strange ballet to perform given the current climate -which is exactly what I love about it. Instead of performing an uplifting, lightearted, escapist work, The Joffrey Ballet chose a piece that mirrors the turmoil in society and in many of our personal lives (though not too closely, I'd hope). It is artistic choices like these that truly make The Joffrey Ballet "America's Ballet Company of Firsts." Othello is the sort of ballet that, as cliche as it sounds, has something for everyone - from those who have never experienced professional ballet to those who think they know the extent of The Joffrey Ballet's artistic capabilities.

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My earliest memory concerning dance is watching a ballet at my aunt's house on the tiny TV in her bedroom. More likely than not it was The Joffrey Ballet that I was watchig on WTTW years ago. Still, it boggles my mind that Chicago did not have its own ballet company until 1995. Before then, The Joffrey Ballet split its time between New York and LA.

From the beginning, Joffrey and Arpino wanted a company that came out of their
roots, out of America.

It's fitting, then, that the company made the Midwest its permanent home. It was a defining moment for Chicago in establishingthe city's reputation as more than a wannabe New York. Despite its ties to the city, the company that began touring out of a station wagon continues to tour extensively. Making stops that other companies might pass up, the company recently performed in Des Moines, Iowa. Fabrice Calmels describes the crowd:

They were a wonderfully responsive audience, even giving us a long standing
ovation at the end of the evening.

The Hancher Theater in Des Moines, Iowa. Photo courtesy of Fabrice Calmels.

Perhaps outreach is such an integral part of the company itself because The Joffrey Ballet originally began as a touring company. They educate the next generation of dancers through school programs and through the Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet. To me, the most important aspect of the company's outreach program might not officially be considered outrech. The Joffrey Ballet literally goes where many other companies do not (artistically, emotionally and geographically). In my mind, this is what sets them apart from other companies and what makes them a true representation of a Midwestern city. From nomadic beginnings to their current state as artistic missionaries, the company has stayed true to its goal: innovation, offstage as well as on.

Othello runs through Oct. 25. Tickets are available here.

Rehearsal at the Joffrey, with a Special Guest

This afternoon, Farrah, the Account Supervisor for The Joffrey Ballet, was running down to Joffrey Tower to meet with a writer. When she asked me to come along, I agreed. She had just received a call and heard that Mikhail Baryshnikov would be attending a rehearsal for Othello, and that I could sit in.

We were seated in a small balcony overlooking the studio space. The room was dark and quiet, with all eyes focused on the activity below. After seeing so many performances over the years, and after taking dance classes myself, I saw firsthand the effort, dedication, and passion that goes into a professional performance. But what really struck me was that I had never seen so many Joffrey dancers offstage at one time: laughing, joking, practicing in between segments. Watching Lar Lubovitch interact with the dancers and bring his vision to life was eye-opening. I've always been fascinated by how the slightest change in tone, wording, etc. can profoundly impact communication. The same is true of non-verbal communication.

Photo courtesy of The Joffrey Ballet

Of course, watching Baryshnikov watch The Joffrey Ballet rehearse was like watching a tennis match. I'm not sure if I watched the dancers or him more. He has as commanding a presence offstage as he does on.

It was an amazing opportunity and an amazing afternoon, and would have been for any intern. Yet the experience reaffirmed why I'm glad to be working with a small group of people who truly know and love what they do. So many of my classmates work for large agencies. While I'm glad that Chicago affords us that luxury, I've never been able to see myself at a large, impersonal company. My father owns a small business, and I simply feel comfortable at a place where everyone knows all of their client's employees by their first name. Baryshnikov said the following about dance, but it's uncanny how well the metaphor applies to public relations:

It doesn't matter how high you lift your leg. The technique is about transparency, simplicity and making an earnest attempt.

Baryshnikov will be performing Three Solos and a Duet at the Harris Theater this Friday-Sunday, Sept. 25-27.

The Joffrey will be performing Lar Lubovitch's Othello for the first time Oct. 14-25 at the Auditorium Theatre. Tickets are on sale now.