It is a time of firsts for Ballet 5:8.
July 28’s The Future Is Now, which celebrates International Friendship Day, marks the debut of Ballet 5:8’s professional company at Lincoln-Way East Performing Arts Center in Frankfort.
“We typically perform at the Harris Theater, so this is a really cool opportunity for us to be here in our home community and to perform right here in our backyard,” said Julianna Rubio Slager, who co-founded Ballet 5:8 in 2012 with Amy Kozol Sanderson.
“People who come to this show will leave so uplifted.”
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Slager recalled Lori Dimun, president and CEO of Harris Theater in Chicago, extending an invitation to become a resident company in 2021 after Ballet 5:8’s professional company rented the venue and performed 10FOLD there.
“That was a huge honor for us,” said Slager, who is also Ballet 5:8’s artistic director.
In addition to its main Orland Park campus, School of Ballet 5:8 has two Chicago campuses: one in the Beverly community at St. Paul’s Bible Church and a new one in the Lakeview community at Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture, where ballet classes begin Aug. 29.
“We’re not just teaching kids to be great dancers. We’re teaching dance to make great kids,” said Slager of Tinley Park.
“In terms of our education program, it’s really good at teaching character and teamwork.”
The Future Is Now includes performers from Aurora, Bourbonnais, Chicago, Frankfort, Naperville, New Lenox, Orland Park, Tinley Park and Northwest Indiana as well as California, Florida and Virginia.
“One of our big passions at Ballet 5:8 is not only to see the professional company thrive but to continue to mentor the next generation of artists,” Slager said.
“We have a summer program that has about 135 students from across the United States that come here and stay at Trinity Christian College in the dorms and dance at Ballet 5:8 for five weeks. Those students are involved in The Future Is Now performance.”
World premieres of “As My Soul Chases Eagles” choreographed by Courtney Moody of Florida and “Heavenward” choreographed by Virginia Harding of Mississippi are part of The Future Is Now.
“This is their first time working with us,” Slager said.
“For the students that are local it’s such an awesome opportunity for them to have these choreographers come in and have this diverse set of ideas.”
Slager noted that The Future Is Now marks the first time “Transcendence” choregraphed by Tobin James, director of The Pendleton Dance Project, and “Solace” choreographed by Matthew Rushing, associate artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater of New York, will be performed in the Southland.
The Future Is Now also features “Look to the East,” “Mi Familia” and “Día de los Vivos,” which were choreographed by Slager.
“‘Día de los Vivos’ is one that is based on Día de los Muertos, which is a holiday that we celebrate in Mexico that honors friends and loved ones who are not here,” Slager said.
“Every time I watch it, it evokes a lot of emotion because it reminds you of why life is so precious.”
The Future Is Now
When: 7-8:30 p.m. July 28
Where: Lincoln-Way East Performing Arts Center, 201 Colorado Ave., Frankfort
Tickets: $30 adults; $27 for seniors or students; $20 for ages 12 and younger
Information: 708-329-8773; school.ballet58.org
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Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.