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Review and Interviews, 2017/18 Season Ballet 5:8 Review and Interviews, 2017/18 Season Ballet 5:8

Ballet 5:8’s Emotion-Filled ‘Compass’ Opens Season Of Modern Dance Options

60-second Review

This weekend’s visit of the Chicago-based Ballet 5:8 dance company, and its original modern ballet/dance program “Compass”, choreographed by Julianna Rubio Slager, offered a welcome addition to what is a quality if not-so-plentiful spectrum of modern dance opportunities in the Grand Rapids area.

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2017/18 Season, Performance Ballet 5:8 2017/18 Season, Performance Ballet 5:8

Ballet 5:8 in Grand Rapids on Navigating Cultural Tension with Compassion

CHICAGO – Celebrating its sixth performance season, Ballet 5:8 will make a debut in Grand Rapids this October after performing in Jackson for the past four seasons. Ballet 5:8’s Compass features four one-act ballets inspired by the challenges of navigating cultural tension in the present day. From an alien society to 1970’s Chicago, Compass stretches across time and space to explore some of our country’s most pressing topics. At times witty and satirical, and at times deeply emotional, Compass is full of athleticism, power and poetry. A single performance will be held on Saturday, October 28 at 7:00pm at the Devos Center for Arts and Worship, 2300 Plymouth Avenue Southeast, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for students and seniors, and $15 for children.

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2017/18 Season, Performance Ballet 5:8 2017/18 Season, Performance Ballet 5:8

Ballet 5:8 Presents Four New Ballets on Navigating Cultural Tension with Compassion

CHICAGO – This October, Ballet 5:8 returns to the Quad Cities, hometown of Ballet 5:8 Co-founder & Executive Director, Amy Kozol Sanderson, for the third time since the company’s founding in 2012. Ballet 5:8’s Compass features four one-act ballets inspired by the challenges of navigating cultural tension in the present day. From an alien society to 1970’s Chicago, Compass stretches across time and space to explore some of our country’s most pressing topics. At times witty and satirical, and at times deeply emotional, Compass is full of athleticism, power and poetry. A single performance will be held on Saturday, October 7 at 7:00pm at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, 1800 7th Ave, Moline, Illinois. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for students and seniors, and $15 for children. 

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Ballet 5:8's Julianna Slager On Why New Works Are The Life Force Of Dance

Chicago's Ballet 5:8 performed in Denver last season for the first time, and will enchant audiences here again this month with The Stor(ies) of You and Me.

Showcasing five pieces choreographed by Ballet 5:8 Artistic Director Julianna Slager and former Houston Ballet dancer Caleb Mitchell, the performance will explore various perspectives on love. Of the twelve dancers in the company, two hail from Colorado and will perform in the piece on Saturday, March 25, at Cleo Parker Robinson Theatre.

Westword recently caught up with Slager to talk about her work and creative process.

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