The Grainger Academy of the Joffrey Ballet celebrates the 15th anniversary of Winning Works, with five world premieres. Winning Works is taking place over two weekends, with nine performances, March 14-16 and 20-23, at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago’s Edlis Neeson Theater.
This year’s competition winners, Karley Childress, Roderick George (Recipient of the Zach Lazar Winning Works Fellowship), Shota Miyoshi, Alejandro Perez, and Keelan Whitmore, each present an original work created for the Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet Conservatory, Trainees, and Joffrey Studio Company.
The 2025 world premieres mark the culmination of Joffrey’s national call for ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, and Native American) artists to submit applications for the competition.
“Winning Works has always been about propelling artists into the next phase of their professional dance journeys,” says Abbott Academy Director Suzanne Lopez. “For this special anniversary, we selected artists who exemplify the innovative spirit of the Winning Works program.
Karley, Roderick, Shota, Alejandro, and Keelan offer fresh perspectives and boundless creativity. Their world premieres, crafted in collaboration with the Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet Conservatory, Trainees, and Joffrey Studio Company, promise to captivate audiences with exceptional artistry in this landmark year.”
The 90 minute program consists of five refreshing, new dance performances:
Lusi by Alejandro Perez’s to the: This contemporary, yet organic piece is beautifully choreographed, complete with the sounds of rain. The dance is loosely based on Perez’s childhood memories of playing in the rain with his friend, Lusi, who passed away a few years back. The dance is a tribute to her memory, as well as the perception of a child’s understanding of friendship, life, and life lost. This is one of my favorite pieces in the program, as it reminds you of your childhood friendships, and the bonds that form between one another.
Jive Five by Shota Miyoshi: This is another one of my favorite dance numbers of the program, being a singer myself, as well as a jazz and classical music and ballet lover. Miyoshi is brilliant with his creative fusion of combining such two different types of dance and music.
Bereshit by Karley Childress: I especially enjoy this piece’s playful, humorous, and yet modern take on Adam and Eve. The dancers and music showcase the greed and fall of humanity, desire, destruction, and forgiveness.
Soulcry by Roderick George: This dance piece is a bit more far out there, with strange, yet fascinating themes of being controlled by government systems, and the emotions that come along with it. The number focuses on humanity’s yearning for freedom and making our own choices.
Sea Change by Keelan Whitmore: Any true Frank Kafka fan, including literature lovers, will appreciate this unique dance interpretation of family dynamics and societal transformations. Sea Change is inspired by Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, where the main character is transformed into an insect, and his family refuses to accept his change and shuns him. The music, choreography, costumes, and unusual imagery are all emotionally impressive.
Winning Works is a worthwhile show to see, while leaving you inspired when you walk out the MCA door. The choreography and the thematic events will have you looking at dance, music, humanity, and culture with a very different perspective.
Photos: The Joffrey Ballet
Featured Image: The Joffrey Academy of Dance in ‘The Return Studies II. Photo by Katie Miller
Tickets for Winning Works are $35 and are currently on sale at joffrey.org/winningworks.
For more information on the Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet and its programs, please visit the website.
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The name of the choreographer from Sea Change is misspelled. It’s Keelan Whitmore.