Even though I knew this Nutcracker ballet version had been revised to occur in the 1930s Chicago world fair, I was unprepared for the lack of fantasy and beauty and elegance that is central to the theme of Nutcracker. The entire set was cheap card tables and chipped furniture, a nutcracker doll that was barely visible and with little explanation as to why it changed hands among the performers- who danced in raggedy clothing, maybe one actual tutu for five minutes(?). There was very little actual ballet that I could ascertain, leaving me with impression that a lot of the performers were on holiday. It's really unfortunate that something so beautiful could be made into a somewhat depressing and largely incoherent show. So many people who come to see this I'm sure would normally be inspired to come back for a different show, but this performance so much missed the mark for what should be an upbeat holiday, I'm not inclined to take the risk read more

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We saw Midsummer Night's Dream by the Joffrey Ballet at the Lyric Opera and, no, this is not a version of the William Shakespeare play, but choreographed by Alexander Ekman. We also saw this when it premiered in 2018. It is a celebration of the summer solstice and Scandinavian traditions. In my opinion it is a mashup of Midsommar and Cirque du Soleil if you substitute the acrobats and contortionists with dancers and Swedish elders being pushed off a cliff with lifelike mannequins thrown from a floating table. It opens with a man in bed being woken by his alarm on Friday, June 21 and a woman greets him with hay? straw? And they join into a crazy scene of people throwing hay? straw? with the hay soaring in graceful arcs across the stage. There are frenzied dances, a large dining table that soars into the sky, and comedic bits. After intermission things get wild, with fish falling from the sky, people falling from the sky, a naked chef and more frenzied dancing, with an echo back to the hay throwing. There is a beautiful singer, Anna von Hausswolff, with a soaring, haunting voice, is she dressed like Elsa from Frozen or hair like cousin It? The singer and the wonderful music by Mikael Karlsson and the wonderful musicians make this an otherworldly fable. And the clock fast forwards to June 21 of the next year and it begins again. Is this a dream? Unfortunately this was the final performance of this run. read more

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I love the Joffrey Ballet company! There are certain ballets I prefer over others. I love Arpino ballets. I wish they would revive Trinity!

We attended a Sunday matinee 12/14/25 . Sorry to say I agree with the 2 reviews of the Nutcracker from 2024 which discussed the current rendition of a family living in a cabin in meager circumstances as opposed to the lovely openings of the past. We haven't attended in many years and were expecting the traditional performance with lovely costumes and cheer, colorful backdrops, a beautiful tree, traditional choreography instead of a series of short dancer appearances that were in full length drab gowns and cowboys with barmaids in one scene. The male dancers were almost confined to twirling the female partners and carrying them without seeing much actual dancing with a few short exceptions .There were sketchy ads in the background for the 1893 Exposition, but no other real positive views of Chicago at the time. The dancers and orchestra were excellent, but choreography was just not in sync. The children with us and around all looked bored to death too. The lighting from the middle first balcony was non existent. I would not recommend this performance for anyone who is looking for the traditional presentation. read more

Worse experience ever!! Didn't realize we were going to take the elevator to the 6th floor. Eventually ending up with nose bleed. I could'nt see if they were little kids or little people on stage. Had to leave due to the dizziness of looking straight down. After almost $175 spent on ticket $50 on parking . NEVER AGAIN. read more

I did not know the Nutcracker was replaced with a new version. I wrongly assumed this ballet from the Joffrey Ballet would be the same as I have seen in the past. I couldn't have been more wrong. The dancing was amateurish and replacing the Russian dance with cowboys was ridiculous. Not to take anything away from the dancers, but the choreography for the other performances was less than what one would expect from the Joffrey. The costumes ranged from boring to tacky. I am disappointed I spent the amount of money I did for four tickets to this terrible adaptation of such a beautiful ballet. I will be very cautious of future performances. read more

Disappointed with the version. Spent $350 on 2 Nutcracker tickets. The dancers were lovely and talented. However, this is not your classical nutcracker... had no idea there were other versions since I grew up going to Joffrey's classical version and loved it. The first act was very gray and drab vs a colorful spectacle you get excited to see around the holidays. Only two or three numbers had tutus, the rest were long skirts so you couldn't see the Ballerinas long, beautiful lines... which is another the thing you go to see at the ballet. The Russian dance is replaced with buffalo bills and cowboy boots. Hats off to the dancers and musicians! This version was not what we were expecting tho. read more

I am no spring chicken, I used to dance in my youth and found that a lot of dance companies have classes for adults. They have the usual professional level classes but they have community divisions that vary in name from place to place. At Joffrey it's called adult open division. When I say this class is amazing I know what I am talking about. Its drop in some ballet experience is good, mine was 20 years ago and that is serving me well. It's an hour and a half and it will work muscles you forgot how to use and I think you will love every minute of it! read more

Of course 5 stars. We decided to see Joffrey's Nutcracker this year. Approached expecting a traditional performance, of course with professionals. What we got was a treat! They fashioned the story around the Columbian Exposition, which set me thinking "what?". The story and music blended the traditional Nutcracker story and the imagination of the creators. Party music was a little different... enjoyed the play within a play, the special effects, and of course the dancing!!! Loved the puppetry, the mice. The rest of the story was pretty traditional. I liked that they delayed the snow a bit, but WOW what a snow performance!!! Second act we laughed at the nuts (Mother Ginger), and scratched our heads when Sugar Plum was out of order. Arabian (coffee) was absolutely the best I have ever seen. She had such definition and the choreography was mind blowing!! We all cheered so loud for them. My only complaint: seemed like the percussion was muted. The snare in battle is critical to providing emotion to the scene: it should be sharp and loud, with really big crescendos. Sounded like the snares were wrapped in tissue paper: kind of dull. Sorry I have seen and heard hundreds of different performances, and I know what I like. read more

Ruined the classic Nutcracker. Looked forward to nostalgia, turned into some sexual dancing numbers, missing several dance numbers, not very challenging dancing, dancers draped in long costumes, couldn't appreciate the actual art of dancing. Should have made a musical about 1893 worlds fair instead of ruining a Christmas classic. Very disappointed. Not everything needs to change, leave the classics alone. read more

Whoa... a lot of hatred on Yelp for the Joffrey Ballet because of the Nutcracker??? I haven't seen this company's version of the classic holiday ballet, but I can say I have loved the two shows I've traveled from Indianapolis to see. First off, I am a former ballet dancer of 15 years. The athleticism of this company is incredible. I felt the choreography of the two performances I have seen have been very unique and breathed new life into classical ballet (Anna Karenina and Jane Eyre). I do not know whom choreographed these ballets, but even after choreography the interpretation can be changed by the artistic director or dancer.... so I'm going to assume some credit given. The costumes added to the story, quite understated. As an adult I don't shiny need costumes distracting me from the dancing or storytelling. Five stars automatically for hiring Fabrice Calmels. If I lived in the Chicago land area I would be buying season tickets. read more

This review is only for The Nutcracker. I usually see it every year in other cities but this was my first time going to the ballet in Chicago. The dancing is great, no complaint there. I was unaware of the theme change, as were some of the people around me. I did not read the program before the show because I am very familiar with the story. The theme has been changed to incorporate the World's Fair. It was unexpected at first but did not bother me that much in the first act, different I guess. I draw the line at turning the Russian dance into Buffalo Bill's Wild West, complete with cowboy costumes. Not cool. I like the ballet not only for the music and the dancing but also for the costumes, which could have been better at this show. I would go to other Joffrey Ballet performances, but will stick with seeing The Nutcracker elsewhere. read more

This review is for The Nutcracker (2018)- The story: "Journey to Chicago's 1893 World's Fair with Wheeldon's holiday masterpiece. Magic is on the horizon for young Marie and her mother, a sculptress creating the iconic Statue of the Republic. As they prepare for their annual holiday celebration, a visit from the charming but mysterious Grand Impresario sets off a Christmas Eve dream of whirlwind romance and adventure. Wheeldon's Nutcracker is a must-see tradition boldly reimagined for a new generation." Source: http://joffrey.org/1819season My experience viewing the performance: Part 1- The fact that the entire backdrop and scenes were set in Chicago at that time (1893) and that the main character "Marie" was a local girl who was given the Nutcracker at her familiy's holiday house party in a lower-middle-class setting where neighborhood families came together wearing clothing from that era and featuring a glimpse of what an average home looked like during that time period. Part 2- During the opening of the Second Part of the Ballet, Marie and her Nutcracker arrive in a Venetian Gondola aka Boat from Venice, Italy to watch individual and group performances. During the Chicago World's Fair of 1893 actual Venetian Gondolas were featured on-site at the Fair and rides were available for people on the lagoon at the Fair! Upon arrival Marie and the Nutcracker disembark from the Venetian Gondola and they are welcomed to attend various performers from different backgrounds perform for them in the context of the Chicago World's Fair of 1893. Examples included- Instead of the Sugar Plum Fairy a huge house with a woman on top hosted dancing Walnuts that opened and closed with the dancers making funny expressions who were dancing ballet and-were later chased by boys dressed as fighting Nutcrackers with swords who emerged from the house with the lady on top to "crack" the nuts! Buffalo Bill Cody who danced ballet with his cowboy hat, leather chaps, and lasso accompanied by three ladies of questionable status in glittery leotards and feather hats. FYI-The performance received a packed theater STANDING OVATION! Truly a spectacular performance. read more

The Joffrey Ballet - 1893 World's Fair Adaptation-2018 - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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2021 Nutcracker - a warning before buying tickets. This is not the traditional opulent story we all know. The first act opens in a dark rat filled alley with an industrial park in the back. There are no fairies (aside from the winter fairies shown on their promo). This is what confuses everyone because you're deceived into thinking it's the traditional "nutcracker," but the reality is that winter fairy scene is the only magical scene. The rest is dark or a comedy. There's one scene where a clown/cowboy is drunk on top of a large house/balloon thing while dancers dressed as strippers dance around him. To prove I was not the only one incredibly disappointed, there was no standing ovation and a very low applause at the end. Save your money and go to a different company for the nutcracker. *This is not a reflection on the dancer's performances, this is purely a poorly written production. We just bought tickets to the Skokie nutcracker and will be indefinitely attending the Nutcracker there. The Joffrey has lost our business. read more

This was my first time seeing a Joffrey Ballet and it was magical! I saw Anna Karenina and the lead ballerina was so talented! The costumes were GORGEOUS and the lighting effects were very impressive! My friend and I had a great time! read more

The Joffrey Ballet - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I absolutely hated this Nutcracker. I don't think words can express how disappointed I am; I'll give it a shot, however. I took my adult step daughter and daughter-in-law. They have never been to the ballet, but having seen the Nutcracker myself at least two dozen times in Boston and elsewhere, I explained the story to them beforehand. Thus, we were ALL confused and dismayed by the depression era/Midwestern/Wild West travesty that unfolded before us. They now believe the ballet to be a kind of cirque du soleil/slapstick hybrid -- talented acrobats pulling off silly stunts in stupid costumes. You ruined that particular ballet for me, and the girls for ballet, all in one fell swoop. I begrudge the time, and the trampling of my fond memories and their expectations even more than the exorbitant cost. Last, but not least, the inclusion of GUNFIRE in the midst of the Buffalo bill debacle was the most jarring and truly horrific moment of all. You should be ashamed of yourselves at the Joffrey. No one with such a deaf ear to current events, and just plain poor taste, should be entrusted with a gem like the Nutcracker. read more

I took a class here last weekend for the first time (musical theater dance master class - amazing) and it's a fabulous studio (but really, would you expect anything less from the Joffrey?) - The locker rooms and bathrooms (women's at least) are nice and clean, and ample sized - The studios are fabulous and overlook downtown Chicago. I could get used to taking barre and looking out at the Chicago Theater or ABC studios - There are lots of benches in the halls to relax on before/after/between classes - The hallways are lined with gorgeous photos of dancers - Everyone is really friendly - Professional and college student discounts ($10 and $13, respectively, I believe) - A variety of classes offered at different times to fit into your schedule. I will be back, but probably not for awhile...I bought two groupons for Visceral and Lou Conte, so I should use those up before I pay for more classes. read more

The Joffrey Ballet - View from one of the studios - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

"Across the Pond" was absolutely spectacular and breathtakingly beautiful. My husband and I had a blast last night watching 3 performances including 2 pieces that had their World Premieres just 4 days ago. My All-time favorite ballet dancer is Fabrice Calmels. I was lucky enough to have box seats so I could fully appreciate every detail of his two performances as well as the incredible artistry and talents of all the other dancers. Yonder Blue was my favorite, Home was my husband's favorite. We are so lucky to have the Joffrey in Chicago! I'm posting a photo from the website. I did not take this photo as no photography is permitted in the theatre during a performance but I wanted to share it since this piece was so exquisite and everyone who is able to should see it in person!! If this is not permitted, Joffrey, please let me know and I'll remove the photo. "Across the Pond" runs thru May 7th, I believe. I scored my tickets for just $44 each, a great deal. read more

The Joffrey Ballet - I did not take this photo. It's from Instagram, I think. Extraordinary performance!! Across the Pond's Yonder Blue. Get tickets, go see!! - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

At significant expense I took my girlfriend to The Nutcracker at the Auditorium Theater this Christmas Season. I've seen the traditional Nutcracker in other cities over the years and have a strong appreciation for the choreography, dance and especially Tchaikovsky's "Nutckacker" masterpiece. What Joffrey has done to this annual pearl of magic is shameful, boring, indecipherable, and commercially dishonest. Shame on the franchise name of Joffrey. We left after Act 1, disgusted and ripped off. Scratch this one off your list for a lifetime. read more

Act One - Snoozefest. Act Two - Slightly more entertaining, but not impressive. Definitely don't mean to come off pretentious, or to discredit the talent of the dancers, but this show straight up sucks. This is our 2nd year of seeing the new version of the Nutcracker, and holy crap we both hated it once again. The choreography was mediocre, and felt almost amateur. For being considered one of the most prestigious companies, I was expecting some of the most over the top performances, but was incredibly let down. And the most awaited part of the play - the Pas de Deux - was disappointing. There was such a disconnect between the highs and lows of the music to the actual dancers performance. Big moments in the song was paired with lackluster "lifts". And dancing walnuts, and Buffalo Bill?! Just wrong... Unless this show goes back to the original, we're definitely going elsewhere next time. There's too much talent in this city to continue throwing tons of money to this show. read more

The Joffrey Ballet performance of The Nutcracker at Auditorium Theater in December was absolutely outstanding. I'm so glad I attended the production. This particular rendition was a twist on the traditional Nutcracker, being set in Chicago during the World's Fair of 1893. It truly was a feast for the eyes. The talent was amazing. I highly recommend seeing this production if it returns to the Chicagoland area. read more

Love taking dance classes at the Joffrey! Taken quite a few of the adult classes and they're always very inclusive and fun. i've also seen multiple of their performances and they truly have some of the most talented dancers in the country! It's worth going to see anything they put on. read more

The "re-imagined" version of the Nutcracker that debuted in 2016 is fantastic, and of course the location in the Auditorium Theater is exquisite. We've all seen the Nutcracker many times, and it's pretty mainstream and not exciting for the theater company but it pays the bills. The Joffrey has now spent many years coming up with a new show which still includes the same traditional music, excellent dancing, and a more theatrical approach to the performance which we found to be very entertaining. A number of other reviews make it clear that if you're a suburban Trump voter who abhors change & immigrants and hates political correctness (except of course when people use the term neo-nazi instead of the politically correct term "alt-right") then you'll absolutely hate this new show. And Hamilton too. But for most people who live in this century the new Nutcracker is a wonderful breath of fresh air into a staid holiday tradition. Bravo to the Joffrey for taking a risk and succeeding, it's been in the works for many years and isn't rooted in current events but it's amazingly prescient. Nicely done! read more

The boyfriend surprised me with tickets to The Nutcracker for Christmas-- my first ballet! The Joffrey was classy and the performance was stunning. Such skill, precision, grace! It was a fun experience for sure. The ushers could have been nicer, but I guess they probably deal with difficult people... The space was gorgeous and historical. Would recommend a visit at some point if you're in Chicago for awhile, especially if it's winter and you're looking for indoor activities! read more

The Joffrey Ballet - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The Joffrey symbolizes what's great about Chicago, the accessibility of world class cultural, fine and performing arts, in amazing, architecturally spectacular venues at prices that make our accessible for most budgets. Consistently elegant and innovative, the Joffrey has come to symbolize the top tier of Chicago dance. Tonight's performance can be best described as graceful, humorous, contemporary, unique and captivating, but through a rhythm and style versus power and energy. Some parts were risky, but they worked and were well appreciated by the audience. The final performance was also quite insightful and educational both from the perspective of the dancer and artform. I particularly noticed how pleasant and helpful Auditorium Theater house staff were so I applaud them for that. read more

The Joffrey Ballet - Class personified. - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We have been going to the Joffrey Ballet for years. Their performances are amazing. Costumes, technical skill, grace. It's just perfect. The ballet is expensive - upwards of $100 for a night at the ballet for my husband and myself. However, we only do it once a year and are honored to support a Chicago institution like the Joffrey. Their performances are exciting and beautiful. Do take some time to visit the ballet! read more

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This review is for the new Nutcracker. You have really really talented dancers dancing to horrible choreography, mismatched music, and really lousy costumes. But the thing that struck my group the most was how the dancing and the music didn't go together. I'm not saying the dancers didn't dance on beat... they were. My point is, if the music is getting more excited, so should the dancing. If the music is beating bam, badda, bam, the steps should also be something close to bam, badda, bam! If you want your heart to engage with the music and dance, you will be disappointed. The music will get to an apex, and the dancer will be facing the back, and the move will be at a low? What? So really bad choreography. Also, if you thought you'll see beautiful ballerinas in beautiful costumes and wonderful toe shoes, you will be disappointed. They are dressed in very dull dresses and boots... Yes, watching ballerinas in boots is not at all nice. It's more like a musical without singing and lines than a ballet. Finally, when you hear the beautiful, famous music, the dancing will not be the picture you would expect. Can you believe, wild wild west dancing to Tchaikovsky? Not even ballet type dancing.... It isn't the dancers. It's the production that is poor. The music is good and the dancers are good, but together? It was so sad to watch the audience cheer for the adorable kids and the arabian dancers (who stole the show because they were the only ones that actually danced with the music), but when the main people came out for their bows, people stood up, put on their coats, all the while politely clapping.. the sound of the clapping no louder for the stars of the show. This was my first ballet, so it's not like I had something to compare this to. I just left thinking this is bad and not at all impressive. Is all ballet like this? This is probably my first or second review on yelp, cause I really don't review... but in this case, somebody needs to hear this and fix it. All you need is a tiny tiny tweak cause the talent is there. read more

This world class ballet company could have chosen a dozen cities for its residency, and it chose Chicago. Lucky us. I've enjoyed many programs here, but my favorite is The Nutcracker, their holiday masterpiece. My sister and I see it every year. Those who criticize it because it isn't the traditional interpretation are welcome to travel to Cleveland or St. Louis and buy tickets to local productions. Those of us who appreciate this evolution will continue to be amazed each December. Thank you, Joffrey, for another fantastic evening. read more

Just went to the Joffrey's Russian Masters performance. Incredible. Such a range of pieces, and the historical background behind the Rite du Printemps dance added so much to the experience. A night at the ballet: beautiful, emotional, elegant, sophisticated... and intellectual! The standout performance was the second piece-- Adaggio by Khachaturian, choreographed by Yuri Possokhov. It. Was. Amazing. Received a standing ovation, even though it was only halfway through the night. Both dancers were phenomenal, truly physics-defying. And the choreography was so creative-- sexy but highbrow, natural and ethereal but weighty and strong. Just can't get it out of my head. read more

Wonder ballet for my first show that wasn't The Nutcraxker which I saw nearly Wo years ago. A Midsummers Night Dream, the current ballet, was a great experience for my first non Nutcraxker balled. Beautiful theater, dancers, orchestra and vocalist. Can't wait to see another performance. Was a bit disappointed they didn't have/see merchandise for people to purchase if they wanted some sort of souvenir from the show. I wasn't even able to order one online as all they had was T-shirts. That's my only complaint. read more

Sadly like all the other reviews it was lack luster and disappointing and I feel I have enjoyed high school and college performances of the nutcracker more. It did NOT feel like a ballet with its non traditional outfits that hid the appreciation for the dancers moves, to a cowboy and walnuts? WTF. There was defininetly less dancing and for me personally tons of boredom. Clearly dancers are talented, the production is highly disappointing. read more

Profile: I'm not your professional dancer and I'm not trying to be, which led me to the Adult Open Dance Classes here at Joffrey. I danced plenty when I was younger (and now I'm only in my mid-20's and in pretty good shape) so knew I could hold my own in a class that was designated for those at all levels. I took a few hip-hop classes here and overall had an "OK" experience but there was something "off" about this place. First of all, everyone there, both staffers and dancers, had kind of an almighty air about them. (I'm sorry your turnout lended you a beating by some too-tightly-wound hairpiece dance instructor but no need to act self-righteous!) The classes were overall pretty fun and the choreography was decent. Nothing to write home about though. Usually at the end of the class, we had the opportunity to run through it 4 or 5 times but here was my ultimate issue: the class ended with the instructor pulling out 5 or 6 "stars" of the class to perform for the rest of the participants and so he could video the dance. While the hour you just paid for should be spent having a good time, no matter your skill, this weird display of favoritism usually led to the "not-chosen" members feeling crappy. I've taken classes at Ailey and Broadway Dance Center in NYC and, even while the caliber of dancing is second to none, they would NEVER pull a snotty stint like that. *Finally, as a dedicated Yelper who writes for the greater good, it disturbs me that they are offering a Free Class for everyone who "writes a Yelp review" and then sends it in. Talk about stuffing the ballot box.... (minus one star) read more

It's difficult to express my level of disappointment in the "new" version of the Nutcracker by the Joffrey Ballet. My family has seen the Nutcracker many many times and was incredibly excited to see this show and we all, along with other guests I spoke with, left so disappointed. Many guests walked out before the show was over. Simply put, if you want to see the Nutcracker, do not see this version. It's depressing, drab and will leave you wondering why this was even called The Nutcracker. The orchestra was excellent but the "twist" on a holiday tradition is awful. Do not spend your money. read more

I have to say no. This trumps my awful experience at Academy of Dance in San Francisco because despite being deceitful jerks, at least they had quality classes. I couldn't find this place and ran up and down State Street for a good 30 minutes, thanks to the guy at Russian Pointe (review to follow...) who told me the school was on State Street. It's not, it's on Randolph. I arrived 7 minutes late for the Intermediate Open class. I was told the cut-off for tardiness was *SEVEN MINUTES* and that as such I would not be allowed into the class. I waited an hour and a half for the beginner class. Now, I wasn't looking forward to it being that I'm not a beginner whatsoever, but many an advanced dancer can work on basics and get a lot from it in beginner classes, so I figured I would still give it a go. What a waste of my 15 dollars. It would have done more good to my dancing if I'd taken that 15 bucks and bought a Mcdonalds' Big Mac meal with it instead! (note sarcasm). So I wait for the class along with a few other people- no one says hello or even looks at you. I don't like being bothered by chit chat too often, so that's fine. I listen to my iPod. Everyone looks snotty. We go into the studio- good god it is TINY. Walk 5 large steps and you have walked the entire span of the studio. That is not good for grand allegro, not good at all. I pick a spot at the barre. I notice that everyone is adequately dressed for a ballet class (unlike the San Francisco open classes crowd) and am pleased by that. That's about all I'm pleased by, though. There are 2 students from Joffrey's pre-professional programs, and the rest are a mix of young and old beginner dancers. A girl walks in late- I check the clock. The class started 10 minutes ago. Oh, I see. That "7 minute rule" is subjective. Thanks, ass at the reception desk with the big glasses. The class is an hour and a half. The teacher does not look at what *anyone* is doing. So much so that 2 women started with the wrong hand on the barre, facing the wrong way, and the teacher didn't notice it until the end of the exercise, meaning the 2 women had to do the same side twice and never got to do the second side. For a class of barely 15 people, the teacher not noticing something so glaringly obvious (that even I noticed AS I was dancing) is pathetic. She's there to teach and correct, not take a barre class with us. But that's what she was doing- her own exercises without looking at anyone else. Sad. The barre consisted for 4 exercises: plie, tendu, rond de jambe a terre, frappes. Then barre was over. Where were the degages? Fondues? Developes? Rond de jambe en l'air? No decent barre is 4 exercises long, but this teacher took so long to come up with a combination. then relay it to the students, then mess up and/or change her mind, then play the wrong music, then chit chat with the class (most of it was spent telling her our names and her repeating them ALL after each combination...) that these 4 exercises took a full hour. The center consisted of 2 combinations. She "decided" to skip adagio. WTF? No adagio=no class. We did 1 "pirouette preparation combination" twice, then 8 jumps once, and the center was done. No adagio, no petit allegro, no actual pirouettes, nothing, nothing, nothing. Then we had 1 exercise across the floor which consisted of pas de chats across the floor once (in a room so small 3 pas de chats got you across). She gave the 2 pre-professional kids a "harder" (lol) exercise and she hadn't looked at me a single time since class started so she didn't offer I try it despite my clearly being at a higher level than the 2 pre-professional 13 year olds. I asked if I could do it, and lo and behold I was the only one who actually got the combination right. Urgh. Then, class was over, and I stayed behind in the studio running through real combinations and double pirouettes. Saddest class I have ever had. The teacher didn't even thank me for coming or say goodbye. In fact she never acknowledged that I was there, and when she did, she called me by the wrong name. The 2 pre-professional kids (the girl was on pointe) had awful, sloppy technique and couldn't remember any combos. They had bad positions, no port de bras or epaulement, and no presence or joy of dance. Because of this, I doubt their pre-professional program is any better. It's a shame, because I love the company. But realistically, I don't think too many of their company dancers actually came from their school. I would skip this one despite the "prestige" of dancing at the Joffrey studios. Dancing here sort of feels like getting robbed, but instead of getting robed by a transient you got robbed by a celebrity. A funny story over cocktails, sure, but an awful class regardless. They don't even have a live pianist. The open classes feel like "the trash" of the school. Also, to those people who say the studios are nice- the new studios at Ballet Chicago are much better. read more

Dance and music. Two of my first loves in life and The Joffrey Ballet did not disappoint. I went to see the Nutcracker performance on 12/20. Being so close to Christmas I expected the theater to be packed, but it appeared to be about 2/3 full. We had excellent seats near the front of the balcony and was able to see everything. The choreography was beautiful and the dancing was breathtaking. I haven't been to a professional ballet since the mid '90's and I loved every minute of the Nutcracker performance. Just as good as the actual dancing was the music. I often forget how lovely stringed instruments are and the combination of the brass, woodwinds, percussion, and even a piece with a small group of singers. All of it was beautiful. And I would love to return to see another performance from the Joffrey Ballet. read more

We all know how beautiful the space is. We all love Fabrice Calmels leaping across the stage. The Children's Program leaves much to be desired. With a whole slew of professional dancers under their roof. None of them teach classes there. Why? My daughter has taken Saturday classes here while she participated in their Nutcracker program. Things like a teacher not showing up and the front desk person leaving with the kids unsupervised has happened. Things like having no class to make-up a missed class in except in a lower level happen. For the money that I paid out that is unacceptable. Give them another 4 years and their kids program may be something to scream about, but until than no thanks! read more

I have been dreaming about watching the Nutcracker for Christmas for as long as I can remember, and I finally went to see it yesterday. Sadly I was so disappointed that the story of the Nutcracker is no longer there. It's been replaced by a Chicago storyline. The Nutcracker is a classic, and I'm sad to say watching it here ruined my first live experience of it. I sat through the whole thing and I was so taken aback at how unmagical the second act was (no sugar plum fairy), I actually teared up I was so disappointed. I came to see a magical performance, and what I saw was not even close to magical. The dances in the second act didn't match the music at all, it was very out of place. Please bring back the classic. read more

Whoa, nobody ever told me that The Nutcracker is even trippier than Alice in Wonderland. I had no idea what to expect, as I had never been to a ballet and was not familiar with the story. Um, was there a story? I was expecting leotards and tutus and a sort of abstract storytelling through the dance. But they started off with a big cast wearing elegant Victorian costumes, acting out a Christmas Eve narrative in pantomime. I really liked that whole sequence; there was a lot of whimsy and the little kids were really great. So at that point I was expecting something more straightforward. Then everybody went to bed and the next thing I know, it's down the rabbit hole we go. A bunch of mice scurried out of the fireplace and started harrassing the little girl. Out comes the Mad Hatter, er, Uncle Eyepatch, who took control of the action and did some magic. Then the scene morphed into a battle between the mice and an army of toy soldiers. Then I think that the little girl killed the Mouse King, and after that I was utterly lost. The scene shifted to a snowy forest and there was more "serious" dancing with a whole new set of characters. Then in the second act there was (apparently) some personified candy and flowers doing various dances basically for the entertainment of this little girl. Oh, and there was a giant dancer/puppet which shat out a bunch of other dancers from under her hoop skirt. Then there was a long dance with the Sugar Plum Fairy (at least her I have heard of) and the Nutcracker Prince in a new uniform. Then there was a big finale and the little girl and her uncle went up in a hot air balloon. The whole thing was weirder than The Wizard of Oz and Breakfast of Champions combined. I must sound like a total rube, but I definitely enjoyed it. The whole thing was fascinating and delightful, even if puzzling at times. The music from the sinfonietta was well done also. One thing that I found interesting was that the audience applauded each of the major dances. I'm used to regular theater, where you do not applaud individual performances but rather the entire show, and therefore wait until the end. I found it a little disconcerting but, when in Rome, I guess. At the end of the show, the company had their "take a bow" moment, and then made an extra "flourish," to more applause. Then the curtain went down...and came back up again. That's when I started rolling my eyes. The company went through another flourish, pausing for more applause, then one last "Please love us." It was kind of ridiculous. Maybe that's just what they do in ballet, but between the in-action applause and the four bows/flourishes at the end, apparently ballet dancers are even bigger adulation-whores than actors and musicians. Eh, job well done in any case. I didn't know what the hell was going on and I still loved the show. read more

Wow and wow again I haven't been to the ballet in years but I work (transparently and not often) in the theatre so often times i go to a show and find myself picking apart a performance, or the set. I did it to Wicked, and to smaller theatres - oh it's horrible! But i found myself absolutely transfixed by Cinderella last weekend. Just lost in the dancing and music. The scores of little girls with their parents dressed as the legendary girl couldn't have been cuter, but the dancing was just amazing - and to see it - wow. just breathtaking. I purchased $46 tickets ( I brought the daughter of a friend) and even from the balcony (tickets are in four levels at the Auditorium and you can see wonderfully from any seat) it was a magnificient performance. Honestly - I feel compelled to go again. Soon. Now. read more

i believe I can fly. Sometimes you have to sit still and watch the world turn into wonderlands where music, motion and poetry combine into something bigger and larger than the life before you. Here you can find people who work their tight asses off to bring a little something special to your day as they not only give to the privileged world, but inspire and educate those with lesser opportunities. Not only a show place, but a school and awesome state of the art studios to watch the bodies move to song and light. another Chicago asset worth bragging about. read more