Displaying items by tag: Comedy Dance Chicago

Comedy Dance Chicago is bringing their family-friendly show to The Second City! (Fun fact: this group was born out of a Second City Training Center class back in 2014). The show is a high-energy laugh-riot for ages 5 to 95. Comedy Dance Chicago's joyful mashup of sketch comedy, physical humor, music, and dance is sure to have you (and your kids and their grandparents) smiling, laughing, and bopping in your seats! These dancin' fools bring relatable situations to life... anything from the importance of hugs to a good old-fashioned staring contest. And who knows, you might even find yourself on stage! Don't miss this joy-filled experience, perfect for anyone in need of a laughter boost.

People often ask "What is Comedy Dance?" Here's what audiences say:

     "It's one of the funniest, most enjoyable hours you'll spend on a Friday night."
-Chicago Reader

     "My face hurts from smiling!" & "That was so joyful!"

     ""We had SO much fun and Olivia giggled her little head off the whole time."
            -Blair (parent)

Comedy Dance Chicago presents HAPPY DANCE, Saturdays March 21, April 4, April 18, May 2, May 16, May 30 at 2:00pm at The Second City in the e.t.c Theater (230 W. North Ave., Piper's Alley, Chicago, IL). Show runs 60 minutes with no intermission. Tickets are $35 for adults and $29 for kids.

Notable credits include: "8-BITS" and "Oh, the Mundanity!" at The iO Theater; Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival, Charlotte's Queen City Comedy Experience; San Francisco Sketchfest; Laugh Out Loud Schaumburg; I AM Fest at House of Blues; Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival; Chicago Women's Funny Fest, Stevenson High School Odyssey Festival; among others. 

About Comedy Dance Chicago

Comedy Dance Chicago. A different kind of comedy show. A different kind of dance show. Unique entertainment for Chicago and beyond. But... what is comedy dance?! In Layman's terms: they dance, you laugh. Still confused? You'll just have to see it.

Comedy Dance Chicago has been delighting and entertaining audiences for over 10 years.  They are a turnkey option for performing arts venues, K-12 schools, colleges and universities, and corporate events looking to add joy to their next event. Company members bring a range of comedy and dance styles to the show and have trained with the Second City Training Center, iO Chicago, American Theatre Conservatory, Accademia dell'Arte, among others. Having performed at the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival (Stage 773), iO Chicago, Dance Chicago (The Athenaeum Theatre), Woodstock Opera House, the Association of Applied and Therapeutic Humor Conference, and (that one time) at the House of Blues, Comedy Dance Chicago is thrilled to share laughs and spread the love of comedy dance to the rest of the US. 

I thoroughly adored Dance Chicago’s Dances from the Heart curated by Artistic Director John Schmitz, the highlight of the show, which featured Canadian guest artist Azalea Kaviani and Jordan Faye, was the premiere of “Of the Sun” from the program; Fish of the Sun. Fish of the Sun tells the story of a little fish who has lost her father and goes on a long, challenging journey to find him again. Children have an innate need to be near their parents or caregivers; their lives revolve around them much like the planets revolve around the sun. As the lost fish struggles to find her father, she recalls the importance of the physical connection. This dance shows the benefit of creating space for work that is for by and about the nuanced experiences and artistic expression of people with disabilities.

Azalea Kaviani, who is also one of the artistic directors, dressed in a blue and white unitard with lighting that appeared to make her and her partner appear underwater was a delight to behold. She danced with grace and sensitivity. They conveyed the inner experience of the delicate, lost fish looking for her father. Jordan Faye was a wonderful supportive and strong dancer and partner. When Faye carried his daughter, the little fish, off of the stage it was the most touching and meaningful moment of this wonderful evening of dance. 

Having had two members of my immediate family, paralyzed by genetic ataxia, I sincerely hope that more artistic directors like Kaviani will get the support they need to utilize dancers in various stages of disability showing the world that beautiful interpretive dance is not limited.

Comedy Dance Chicago, with their opening number and titled “L – O – V – E,” brought out the light moments of comic relief and showed that anyone with any level of dance experience can still express themselves and the joy of dancing.

The two largest international dance troops, TRINITY Irish Dance ensemble with twenty-three dancers and Hromovytsia Ukrainian Dance Ensemble with fifty-one dancers, filled the stage with joy and tradition. These group dances, complete with wonderful, colorful costumes from each country, although completely different in style, conveyed how marvelous it is that young boys and girls together can dance together in freedom and safety, while in many parts of the world, this type of performance is either forbidden or impossible.

Gus Giordano Dance Company was fantastic with their numbers entitled “So Hot” and “Issa Vibe”. 

Soloist Sophia DeLeon Sanchez with the premiere of the dance, entitled “Letting Go“ was a stand out with her sensual, hypnotic and mature grace.

I was also impressed by tap dancer and soloist Trey Dumas. The first portion of his solo was an improvography in silence, which allowed the audience to hear the intricate beats that this long time tap dance teacher was able to create on the spot. But the second half of his program, which was set to the song autumn leaves with the original French lyrics by Jacques Peurye and performed by Leslie Odom Junior, really brought the light of his tap genius into the romantic program that fit perfectly with Dances from the Heart.

Hip Hop ConnXion family with eleven dancers took over the stage with great energy and verve in their dance entitled “I miss you”. Other wonderful contributions were made by Visceral Studio Company, Christine Rich Dance Theatre, Flamenco, Ramya Ravi, Kalakriti bharatanatyam, Culture Shock Chicago, Tap Icon Tre Dumas, Footprints Tap Ensemble, Forum Dance Theatre, Elevation Studio Company, and Wheatland Dance Theater.

Dances from the Heart at the lovely North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie was a full-length program with a complete variety of highest quality dance troops curated from all over Chicago and the country was two hours of enchantment with a 15 minute intermission. I highly recommend this program in the future for audiences of all ages.