After two years of economic downturn from America’s “great recession” and two more years of economic uncertainty 2012 was not the ideal climate in which to start a ballet company. What about the investors? What about the budget? What about sustainability?
But what about the passion? But what about the art?
These were the questions on Wade Schaaf’s mind. After ending an 11 year professional performing career that took them from Europe, to ballet companies around the country and back to Chicago Wade was ready for the next artistic step in their life. Economics aside Wade knew that if they were to do something big, the first step was to focus on the art.
And so it was. Challenge and circumstance aside, Chicago Repertory Ballet was born.
This Spring marks the ten year anniversary of Chicago’s homegrown contemporary ballet company touting the tagline ‘dance that defies labels’. Since 2012 CRB has produced an immense breadth of work from their well known one act ballets like “The Four Seasons” and “The Rite of Spring” to Schaaf’s critically acclaimed evening length work “Macbeth” all of which have been performed in Chicago and around the country.
We caught up with Wade and asked about this decade long journey: “As trite as it may sound running a company has truly been a rollercoaster. There have been mountain top experiences and those performance moments of sublime perfection as well as experiences that made me question everything. Running this company has been not only one of the most challenging experiences of my life, full of immense learning, but also one of the most rewarding. To see this little peanut of an idea grow into a highly successful organization that employs dancers, choreographers and designers from around the country has meant so much to me. I can’t wait for the next ten years!”.
In celebration of this milestone, Schaaf has engineered a Spring performance series chalk full of exciting works for both CRB fans and people who will experience the company for the first time. Dance lovers will be in for a real treat with three world premiere works on the program: a neo-classical ballet from Schaaf, a new Pas de Deux from Kia Smith of South Chicago Dance Theater and a new work from LA choreographer Mike Tyus. “The audience will be taken on a real journey with a concert which will range in style and emotional content.” said Schaaf. In celebration of CRB’s past, the company will reprise favorite dances “The Four Seasons” (in an excerpted format) and “Grand Pianola Music”.
“Mostly I’m just excited to have folks who have performed with the company and fans who have been on this journey with us in attendance in April.” said Schaaf.
Chicago Repertory Ballet will perform “TEN: celebrating 10 years of CRB” at the Atheneum Center for Thought and Culture April 1, 2, and 3 at 7:30pm on Friday and Saturday and 2:00pm on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased on CRB’s site at www.crb.dance or you can contact the Athenaeum box office. Group rates and senior discounts available.