A New Season Begins...

It's such a comfort to know that the end of every Chicago summer brings the beginning of the Chicago arts season. And for me, it's a thrilling time of year.

Clef Notes has been assigning me some very exciting stories lately, involving interviews with some of the biggest names in Chicago's dance world. This month marks the start of the new performance season, and my schedule is a whirlwind of programs to review, rehearsals to observe, and interviews to give for both the magazine and for Gapers Block. Needless to say, my freelance work has been very fulfilling, though a little overwhelming at times.

Last week, I spoke with Luna Negra Artistic Director Gustavo Ramirez Sansano for a piece I'm writing for the Winter Issue. Before we spoke, I took in the silent studio where we would meet, and snapped a few photographs on my phone. There's always something comforting about being in a quiet dance studio. The empty space just seems to beg for dance to fill it up, and I have to contain myself from indulging in a few tor jetes and leaps. It's just a room, with a piano, a portable dance floor, and a barre. Yet, no matter where I am, the studio still feels like home, and takes me racing back to some of the happiest moments of my childhood and teenage years...