Chicago Survival Tips - Brief Article - Directory

Dance Magazine, August, 2001

YOU'VE HEARD THAT winters in Chicago are rugged? Believe it. We're talking multiple-inch snowfalls, temperatures well south of zero, and winds that will numb your jaws while they're knocking you flat. Conversely, the summers can be blistering and humid. If you're staying over the course of a year, bring clothes suited for a polar expedition, a weekend in Jamaica, and everything in between.

Rents for a studio apartment on the North Side start around $500 a month. Occasionally, cheaper rents can be found in some neighborhoods, but there is often a trade-off between safety and savings. Many dancers live together, sometimes four or five in a three-bedroom apartment, saving significant money.

A teaching job is a great way to make a living, but almost no studios offer health insurance, leading many dancers to work at flexible jobs for benefits, with minimal requirements such as Starbucks. Bear in mind that the higher-paying teaching jobs tend to be in the suburbs, making a car almost a necessity.

For classes and work in the city, however, Chicago has a fantastic public transportation system, including buses and the elevated train network, known as the el. The el is generally safe, but after dark it is advisable to sit in one of the front cars, with more people.

To find out about auditions for any of the companies listed here, call the contact numbers. Chicago is known as one of the friendliest cities of its size in America and the dance community is a great example of this. You can learn a lot from dancers who most likely have braved the difficulties of finding work performing and teaching.

Colleges &
Universities

Dance Center of
 Columbia College
 Chicago
1306 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60605
312/344-8300
www.dancecenter.org
B.A. and B.F.A. in
Dance

Northern Illinois
 University
Evans Field House,
Room 110
DeKalb, IL 60115
815/753-5505
www.vpa.niu.edu/
theater/
B.F.A. and B.S.Ed.
for dance students

Northwestern
 University
Dance Program
1979 S. Campus Dr.
Evanston, IL 60208
847/491-3147
www.northwestem.edu
/dance/
B.S. in dance; M.A.
in theater with dance
emphasis

Dance Companies

Anatomical Theatre
1148 N. Milwaukee
Chicago, IL 60622
773/227-7358
http://www.geocities.
com/
Broadway/Stage/132
1/index.html

Deeply Rooted Dance
 Theater Ensemble
3712 N. Broadway,
#148
Chicago, IL 60613
312/913-9773
www.deeplyrooted.
org
email: DeeplyRooted
Prod@aol.com

E.T.C.
847/296-9438
email: familyjules59@
hotmail.com

Gus Giordano Jazz
 Dance Chicago
www.giordanojazz
dance.com
See Giordano listing
under Dance Classes

Joel Hall Dancers
 See Hall listing
 under Dance Classes
Hubbard Street Dance
 Chicago
www.hubbardstreet
dance.com
email:
hubbardmkt@aol.com
See Lou Conte listing
under Dance Classes

Joffrey Ballet of
 Chicago
70 E. Lake St.
Chicago, IL 60601-5907
312/739-0120
www.joffrey.com
email:
thejoffrey@aol.com

Jump Rhythm Jazz
 Project
836 Hinman Ave.
Evanston, IL 60202
847/869-2263
www.jrjp.org
email: info@jrjp.org

M.A.D.D. Rhythms
 c/o South Shore
 Cultural Center
7059 S. Shore Dr.
Chicago, IL 60649
773/604-1899
email: maddrhythms@
yahoo.com

Mordine & Company
 Dance Theatre
1016 N. Dearborn
 Pkwy.
Chicago, IL 60610
312-344-8316
www.mordine.org
email:
smordine@aol.com

Natya Dance Theatre
2936 N. Southport,
Suite 210
Chicago, IL 60657
www.natya.com

Perfect Timing
7927 S. Perry St.
Chicago, IL 60620
773/671-2291
email:
jimitaps@aol.com

Rhythm ISS ...
4914 N. Wolcott Ave.,
Apt. 1-N
Chicago, IL 60640
773/392-5637
email:
brooksb1@aol.com

River North Chicago
 Dance Company
1016 N. Dearborn
 Pkwy.
Chicago, IL 60610
312/944-2888
www.rivernorth
chicago.com
email:
rivnodance@aol.com

Melissa Thodos and
 Dancers
1430 W. George St.
Chicago, IL 60657
773/404-6871
www.thodosdancers.
org

Dance Classes

Academy of
 Dance Arts
1524 Centre Circle
Downers Grove, IL
60515
630/495-4940
www.TheAcademy-IBT.com
email:
moray@TheAcademy-IBT.com

Chicago School
 of Ballet
2635 W. Grand Ave.
Chicago, IL 60612
312/243-1160
www.chicagoschool
ofballet.com
RAD exams,
certification

Lou Conte
 Dance Studio
1147 W. Jackson
Chicago, IL 60607
312/850-9766
www.hubbardstreet
dance.com

The Gus Giordano
 Dance Center
614 Davis St.
Evanston, IL 60201
847/866-6779
www.giordanojazz
dance.com
email:
ggjdc@giordanojazz
dance.com

Joel Hall Dance
 Center
1511 W. Berwyn Ave.
Chicago, IL 60640
773/293-0900
www.joelhall.org
email:
joelhall@joelhall.org

Joffrey Ballet School
 See Joffrey Ballet of
 Chicago under
 Dance Companies
Ruth Page Center
 for the Arts
1016 N. Dearborn
 Pkwy.
Chicago, IL 60610
312/337-6543
www.ruthpage.com

School of Ballet
 Chicago
218 S. Wabash, 3rd
 floor
Chicago, IL 60604
312/251-8838
www.balletchicago.
org/sbc/sbc.html
email:
info@balletchicago.
org

Festivals

Chicago Human
 Rhythm Project
773/296-0869
www.chicagotap.com

Dance Chicago
Athenaeum Theatre
2936 N. Southport
 Ave.
Chicago, IL 60657
773/935-6860

Dance for Life
4025 N. Sheridan Rd.
Chicago, IL 60613
773-388-8997
Keithe@howard
brown.org

Ravinia Festival
847-266-5100
Ticket orders:
P.O. Box 896
Highland Park, IL
60035
www.ravinia.org

Dancewear

Kay Clay International
 Inc.
245 N. Cass Ave.
Westmont, IL 60559
630/963-4252

Illinois Theatrical Co.
 Inc.
P.O. Box 34284
Chicago, IL 60634-0284
800/745-3777

Leo's Dancewear Inc.
1900 North
 Narragansett
Chicago, IL 60639
773/745-5600
www.leosdancewear.
com

www.windyrhythm.com
A Chicago-based
Internet tap shoe