[il-talk] Fw: Upcoming Performances

Wed Feb 5 19:52:21 UTC 2014

I have been asked to share the following announcement about access at performances of the Thodos Dance Company, Chicago.
_____________
We are trying to reach out to as many organizations who serve the blind and visually impaired as possible this year in connection with our upcoming performances at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie and the Harris Theater in Chicago.  

FYI, Thodos Dance Chicago (TDC) is a 22-year old nonprofit, contemporary professional dance company.  Our mission is to inspire expression through dance education, dance creation and dance performance.

Last year, TDC partnered with the Chicago Lighthouse and the Blind Services Association of Chicago to build awareness within Chicago's disabled community in connection with TDC's performances of A Light in the Dark, the story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan both pre- and post- performances.  A Light in the Dark was co-choreographed by Broadway legend Ann Reinking and TDC Artistic Director Melissa Thodos.  Special initiatives, developed in consultation with Sandy Shinner, well known in Chicago's arts and access communities for advocating barrier-free arts for persons with disabilities included pre-show touch tours, audio description (first time in Chicago for a dance performance), Braille and large print programs, and the development of an educational assembly program Connections which teaches elementary students (through dance) about living with disabilities and the accomplishments of the disabled and their contributions to society as well as the story of Helen Keller.  Connections had its debut on November 22, 2013 at Ogden School in Chicago to rave reviews by students, teachers and parents.

See NBC clip from last year below:

https://vimeo.com/61109138

Also, links to clips of Shine, the documentary about the making of A Light in the Dark and A Light in the Dark.

http://vimeo.com/72098942

https://vimeo.com/80312554

TDC is presenting an encore performance of A Light in the Dark at our home engagements--February 22 at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts (8pm) and March 8 (7:30pm) & March 9 (2pm) at the Harris Theater in Chicago.     

We plan to again offer touch tours and audio description at the North Shore concert (2/22) and at the Sunday Harris performance (3/9). Our experience last year was so extremely meaningful for us and for those who participated.  Therefore, we are offering complimentary tickets to any blind or visually impaired patrons (and anyone assisting them) and the opportunity to enjoy this performance.  This will be on a first come, first served basis (due to the limited number of headsets) but we are hopeful to serve an even greater number this year especially at the Harris Theater where the potential capacity is larger.  

The second act of our performance will be equally amazing as we will have two world premieres...one a collaboration with Studio Gang Architects (Jeanne Gang) which is going to be something that dance audiences have never seen in Chicago before, a new work called Tsuru by choreographer Lucas Crandall from Hubbard Street Dance and the third work is an equally thrilling piece from our New Dances 2013, Panem Nostrum Quoditianum (Latin for "our daily bread") by River North Dance Chicago's Ahmad Simmons.  

We are also excited to host a pre-show "Meet the Artists" reception at our North Shore concert and patrons participating in the touch tour are cordially invited to attend the reception at the conclusion of the touch tour.  They will have the opportunity to meet all of the artists who created the work being presented at our Winter Concert 2014--Melissa Thodos, Broadway Legend Ann Reinking, Renowned Chicago Architect Jeanne Gang, Lucas and Ahmad.  This event is by invitation only, so it will be a small group of patrons.  We can only accommodate up to 100 at the pre-show reception.  Our North Shore touch tour will begin at 5:45pm and end at approximately 6:45pm.  Melissa will help lead the group to the reception which ends at 7:30pm.  

The touch tour and audio description at the Harris Theater will be offered at the Sunday (3/9) performance only.  The touch tour will begin at 12:15pm and the performance is at 2pm.

Please feel free to get this information out to those who might be interested in this opportunity.  

And, feel free to let me know if you need any additional information.

We will need to have names (and those assisting the patrons) and which performance they plan to attend.  We will have tickets available for them at the beginning of each touch tour. 

Thanks!

Gail

Gail Ford
Executive Director
Thodos Dance Chicago
(312) 266-6255 | Fax:  (312) 266-6457
www.thodosdancechicago.org

Administrative Offices: 860 W. Blackhawk, Ste. 305, Chicago, IL  60642
Dance Studio:  1535 N. Dayton Ave., Chicago, IL   60642

Winter Concert 2014
February 22 @ 8pm|North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie 
March 8 @ 7:30pm & March 9 @ 2pm|Harris Theater, Chicago