American Icons

Choreography: Gerald Arpino | Music: Johann Strauss Sr., Johann Mayer

Inspired by classical Viennese balls and gardens, Kettentanz is highly regarded as one of Arpino's signature works. Described in the New York Post as a "youthful zest that belongs to all time" and as "his loveliest ballet…a suite of tender miniatures" by Dance Magazine, Kettentanz showcases the diversity of this Joffrey legend’s technique in nine sections.

Choreography: Martha Graham | Music: Robert Starer

Secular Games presents a playful exploration of human nature and the lengths to which we go to impress one another. Hailed as the "Dancer of the Century" by Time, Graham's choreography pushed the boundaries of technique, challenging dancers with bold, powerful movements. Premiered in 1962, Secular Games is a testament to Graham’s ingenuity, forever transforming the athleticism and endurance of the art form.

Choreography: Robert Joffrey | Music: Richard Wagner

In this intimate duet by Robert Joffrey, visionary founder of The Joffrey Ballet, a woman sings of past love, while another overlooks the memory in a dance re-enactment. Inspired by love and loss, Remembrances reflects Joffrey’s childhood, his parents, and the women who shaped his life. Poignant and timeless, Joffrey's window into the past is a display of the founder's artistic genius for turning lived experiences into universal art.

Choreography: Glen Tetley | Music: Francis Poulenc

Voluntaries invites audiences to experience dance that transcends the stage, embodying the beauty of flight, rebirth, freedom, and desire. A masterpiece of emotional depth and soaring movement set to Poulenc's Concerto in G Minor for Organ, Strings, and Timpani, Tetley's Voluntaries, created in 1973 as a heartfelt tribute to the late John Cranko, celebrates the resilience of the human spirit.

Gerald Arpino (1923-2008) was an American dancer, choreographer, and co-founder of The Joffrey Ballet. He served as Artistic Director of the Joffrey from 1988-2007 and is responsible for bringing the company to Chicago.

Martha Graham (1894-1991) was an influential American dancer, teacher, and choreographer of modern dance who created more than 180 works, from solos to large-scale, in which she danced most. She gave modern dance new depth as a vehicle for the intense and forceful expression of primal emotions.

Robert Joffrey (1930-1988) was an American dancer, teacher, choreographer, and co-founder of The Joffrey Ballet, known for his highly imaginative modern ballets.

Glen Tetley (1926-2007) was an American ballet and modern dancer and choreographer who mixed ballet and modern dance to create a new way of looking at the art form. He was one of the original members of The Joffrey Ballet.