CHICAGO – Ballet 5:8 is set to debut in Des Moines this April with The Space in Between. Known in part for its innovative adaptations of classic literature in the form of classical and contemporary ballet, Ballet 5:8 has been recently called “spectacular and mature” by Jeffrey Pierce of the Elgin Review, and “these are serious, talented dancers” by Lauren Warneke of See Chicago Dance. Artistic Director Julianna Rubio Slager’s newest work to go on tour draws inspiration from The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis, exploring the nature of eternity and the joy found on its shores. Also featured in the program is Ballet 5:8 audience favorite Four Seasons of the Soul, set to a re-orchestration of Vivaldi’s timeless The Four Seasons. The single Des Moines performance will be held on Saturday, April 13 at 7:00pm at the Hoyt Sherman Place, 1501 Woodland Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50309. Attendees are additionally invited to attend a post-performance Q&A. Tickets are $35 for adults, $25 for students and seniors, and $15 for children.

CHICAGO – After debuting in Anderson in 2018, Ballet 5:8 returns to Anderson’s Paramount Theatre with The Space in Between. Known in part for its innovative adaptations of classic literature in the form of classical and contemporary ballet, Ballet 5:8 has been recently called “spectacular and mature” by Jeffrey Pierce of the Elgin Review, and “these are serious, talented dancers” by Lauren Warneke of See Chicago Dance. Artistic Director Julianna Rubio Slager’s newest work to go on tour draws inspiration from The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis, exploring the nature of eternity and the joy found on its shores. Also featured in the program is Ballet 5:8 audience favorite Four Seasons of the Soul, set to a re-orchestration of Vivaldi’s timeless The Four Seasons. The single Anderson performance will be held on Saturday, April 6 at 7:00pm at the Paramount Theatre, 1124 Meridian Street, Anderson, IN, 46016. Attendees are additionally invited to attend a post-performance Q&A. Tickets are $30 for adults, $22 for students and seniors, and $15 for children.

CHICAGO – Now in its 7th performance season, Ballet 5:8 returns to the Hemmens Cultural Center with The Space in Between. What if heaven is nearer than we think? What if we carry inside of us the darkness of hell? Artistic Director Julianna Rubio Slager’s newest work draws inspiration from The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis, using Ballet 5:8’s signature blend of innovative storytelling and breathtaking dance to explore the nature of eternity and the joy found on its shores. The single Elgin performance will be held on Saturday, February 16 at 7:00pm at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin, IL 60120. Attendees are additionally invited to attend a post-performance Q&A. Tickets are $30 for adults, $22 for students and seniors, and $15 for children.

CHICAGO – Now in its 7th performance season, Ballet 5:8 returns to Fort Wayne this November with The Space in Between. What if heaven is nearer than we think? What if we carry inside of us the darkness of hell? Artistic Director Julianna Rubio Slager’s newest work draws inspiration from The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis, using Ballet 5:8’s signature blend of innovative storytelling and breathtaking dance to explore the nature of eternity and the joy found on its shores. A single Fort Wayne performance will be held on Saturday, November 3 at 7:00pm at First Presbyterian Theater, 300 W. Wayne St. Attendees are invited to attend a post-performance Q&A. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for students and seniors, and $12 for children. 

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.

CHICAGO – Now in its 7th performance season, Ballet 5:8 returns to The Athenaeum Theatre with The Space in Between. What if heaven is nearer than we think?  What if we carry inside of us the darkness of hell? Artistic Director Julianna Rubio Slager’s newest work draws inspiration from The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis, using Ballet 5:8’s signature blend of innovative storytelling and breathtaking dance to explore the nature of eternity and the joy found on its shores. The Chicago performances will be held on Saturday, October 20 at 7:30pm and Sunday, October 21 at 2:30pm at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N Southport Ave. Attendees are additionally invited to attend a post-performance Q&A. Tickets are $30 for adults, $22 for students and seniors, and $15 for children.

CHICAGO – Now in its 7th performance season, Ballet 5:8 debuts in Western Ohio this October with The Space in Between. What if heaven is nearer than we think? What if we carry inside of us the darkness of hell? Artistic Director Julianna Rubio Slager’s newest work draws inspiration from The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis, using Ballet 5:8’s signature blend of innovative storytelling and breathtaking dance to explore the nature of eternity and the joy found on its shores. A single Dayton performance will be held on Saturday, October 13 at 7:00pm at the Northridge High School Auditorium, 2251 Timber Ln. Attendees are invited to attend a post-performance Q&A. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for students and seniors, and $12 for children.

The return of the Chicago-based Ballet 5:8 to Grand Rapids Christian High School’s DeVos Center for the Arts and Worship not only reinforced the modern ballet troupe’s technical prowess but also artistic director/choreographer Julianna Rubio Slager and dancer/costumer designer Lorianne Barclay’s bold ability to create emotional stage production’s that also carry moral and religious meaning.

CHICAGO – Now in its 7th performance season, Ballet 5:8 returns to Grand Rapids this October with The Space in Between, after a debut performance of Compass: Navigating Cultural Tension with Compassion in 2017. What if heaven is nearer than we think?  What if we carry inside of us the darkness of hell? Artistic Director Julianna Rubio Slager’s newest work draws inspiration from The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis, using Ballet 5:8’s signature blend of innovative storytelling and breathtaking dance to explore the nature of eternity and the joy found on its shores. A single Grand Rapids performance will be held on Saturday, October 6 at 7:00pm at the Devos Center for Arts and Worship, 2300 Plymouth Avenue Southeast. Attendees are additionally invited to attend a post-performance Q&A. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for students and seniors, and $12 for children

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.