Super surprised and happy.
That was the reaction from Alice Duncan, 16, of Plainfield, when she learned she would be playing the lead role in Ballet 5:8’s holiday production of “Beyond The Nutcracker.”

Just as “The Nutcracker” is a beloved holiday tradition around the world, “Beyond the Nutcracker” has been an annual favorite for Orland Park’s Ballet 5:8. But a unique year that has presented unique challenges is leading to a new spin on an old favorite.

Ballet 5:8 is just days into a run of its version of a Christmas classic that’s venturing into the online realm for the first time.

Ballet 5:8 presents Beyond the Nutcracker in-person and online this December, bringing the joy of the Christmas season to communities in the Chicago South Suburbs and around the world.

Christians are more in the news today than ever before. Faith is a more present factor in our national and global life than ever before. But Christians, and people of faith in general, are often portrayed in one-dimensional, reductionist terms. The rich ways that Christians take part in our shared life, contribute to the public good, and keep alive the best values and traditions of our country are often obscured today.

This week Ballet 5:8 embarks on a tour of Butterfly, its evening of one-act ballets.

Jordan Raynor sits down with Julianna Slager, Co-founder of Ballet 5:8, to talk about how her team uses ballet to engage people in conversations about faith, the remarkable parallels between her own story and the story of Beth Pearson, the fictional character from the hit show, This is Us on NBC, and why she’s all in on this concept of being a “master of one.” You can follow Julianna's work on Instagram at @JuliannaSlager.

Oct 27, 2018 | By Lauren Warnecke

Every so often, Ballet 5:8 ventures into Chicago, sharing what might be the suburbs’ best kept dance secret. But it won’t be long until Ballet 5:8 is a secret to no one. The seven-year-old, faith-based professional ballet company is a decidedly robust operation serving dance fans and students across the south suburbs of Frankfort, Palos Heights and Beverly, and in Valparaiso, IN.

Creating a masterpiece can take a lifetime. There is a certain process in crafting each detail that cannot be rushed, but in a world of limited time and tight funding, modern day artists have been forced to find creative ways to make the best of their resources. This is especially true in the world of dance, where choreographers are tasked not only with making movement to communicate their stories and ideas, but must also make considerations for the perfect musical score, costuming, and lighting and stage design. So how do dance makers begin to approach the task of bringing all of these elements to life on stage? Consider the masterpieces that Artistic Director Julianna Slager has created for her company, Ballet 5:8. Since the company’s founding in 2012, Julianna has worked to nurture her creative process to produce a number of works that had the dancers touring nationally just two years later. This is no small achievement for any body of performing artists – many spend five years or more in their home cities before the possibility of presenting work across the country is even on the table. It speaks volumes to the quality, originality, and artistic and technical prowess both choreographer and dancers bring into the theater.

Ballet 5:8, a Frankfort-based nonprofit arts organization, has been awarded a second grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency in the amount of $12,900 for general operating support. The grant will be partially supporting operations between September 2018 and August 2019. Ballet 5:8 is committed to investing in Illinois communities, artists and residents through high-quality, accessible dance education and performance and is thrilled to have this operating support for the 2018/19 season.