Dance Companies
Limanya Drum and Dance Ensemble, under the direction of Mandjou Mara and Maya Kadakia, performs traditional music and dance from Guinea and Mali, West Africa. By incorporating song, dance, drum and theatre, Limanya’s performances are high-energy entertainment for all audiences. Perfect for schools and community events, Limanya’s shows create cultural connections and provide engaging educational experiences. Limanya is composed of a diverse group of dancers and drummers who share a love of African tradition, celebration, and culture.
Lucky Plush Productions is an ensemble dance-theater company based in Chicago, led by founder and Artistic Director Julia Rhoads. The company is committed to provoking and supporting an immediacy of presence—a palpable live-ness—shared by performers in real time with audiences. A unique hybrid of high-level dance and theater, Lucky Plush’s work is recognized for its layered choreography, nuanced dialogue, surprising humor, and socially relevant content.
The Madison Bellydance Alliance is a loose confederation of fans and practitioners of Middle Eastern Dance in the Madison, Wisconsin area. Whether you are a professional dancer, an enthusiastic student, a musician, or simply someone who enjoys watching bellydance—from raqs sharqi to Tribal styles, from folkloric to gothic—you are welcome to join us. Our community shows offer performance opportunities to dancers of all levels in a relaxed atmosphere.
Madison Ballet is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit, professional performing arts organization which holds as its mission to promote appreciation and access to ballet by providing training and performing opportunities through professionally produced productions and educational initiatives.Originally founded in 1981 as The Wisconsin Dance Ensemble, the organization’s primary purpose was the production The Nutcracker, an annual community event. In 1999, the organization changed its name to Madison Ballet and embarked on an ambitious plan to become a professional performing arts organization, offering quality arts experiences for youth throughout South Central Wisconsin.
The company approaches movement as a process of investigation, rather than thinking of dance as a vocabulary of actions. While MamLuft&Co. Dance works to make Modern Dance accessible to the general population, ML&Co. also challenges pre-conceived notions of what dance is by searching for authentic, organic, and original movement. MamLuft&Co. Dance’s explorations are led by director Jeanne Sopanha Mam-Luft, whose personal history informs the company processes, as an immigrant and refugee of the Khmer Rouge genocide, as well as an interdisciplinarian of design, architecture, photography, and video.
Milwaukee Ballet creates a rich and diverse community through its inspiring dance performance, education and outreach.
Natyarpana’s mission is to present the rich cultural heritage of India through performances and workshops of Indian classical dance, music and theater. The Company also aims at providing a venue for Wisconsin residents to explore and experience classical Indian arts as a means to reflect upon their own cultural heritage. As part of its outreach mission, Natyarpana serves communities that do not usually have access to ethnic arts or are unable to afford such programs. Apart from a performing dance company, Natyarpana offers workshops, lecture demonstrations at Universities, schools, colleges and corporate organizations.
Critically acclaimed for their athletic, sensual and dynamic repertoire River North Dance Chicago presents dynamic works that combine athletic prowess and artistic perspective with bold, theatrical flair. Founded in 1989 and under the artistic leadership of Frank Chaves, RNDC demonstrates depth and sophistication with a commitment to creating an accessible, enriching experience for audiences. The company continues to make a name for themselves on the world stage traveling throughout the country and internationally. Core works by Chaves are augmented with an array of pieces by renowned choreographers including Mauro Astolfi, Adam Barruch, Robert Battle, Sidra Bell, Ashley Roland and Nejla Yatkin, among others.
Rockford Dance Company is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Its mission is to pursue excellence in the art of dance through performance, education and outreach.
The performance component of Rockford Dance Company includes a pre-professional company. The company offers several season performances each year and tours locally. Rockford Dance Company performs at various venues throughout the Rockford Community.
Additionally, Rockford Dance Company is devoted to sharing the many benefits of dance with the Rockford community. As part of its outreach program, Rockford Dance Company develops diverse dance programming in partnership with many area organizations, including Stepping Stones of Rockford, Rockford Park District, Rockford Area Arts Council, and Rockford Public Schools.
Same Planet Different World Dance Theatre is a contemporary-based repertory company that presents the work of its Artistic Director and other choreographers, both established and emerging. The Company strives to present choreography that can support a humanistic voice while remaining in the physical world where dance is the primary ingredient; using the full moving body for expression. The Company maintains an ever-evolving body of work that is driven by theatricality, athleticism, tenacity and accessibility for its audience.
Same Planet Different World Dance Theatre (SPDW), led by artistic director Joanna Rosenthal, is a Chicago-based contemporary dance ensemble that has built a strong reputation for work that is evocative, entertaining and engaging. SPDW has received critical acclaim for its varied repertory and powerful performers. SPDW presents the choreography of artists from across the country, both seasoned veterans as well as up-and-coming innovators, with styles that range from classical to post-modern dance. The diverse spectrum of work can range from humorous satire to high-octane virtuosity, but never ceases to delight audiences with performances that are dynamic and inspiring. Contributing artists include Peter Carpenter, Faye Driscoll, Jan Erkert, Carl Flink, Ashleigh Leite, Molly Shanahan, Jeff Hancock, Shirley Mordine, Sam Watson, Shapiro and Smith Dance and to name a few.