Powerhouse River North Dance Celebrates Retiring Director Saturday

By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 1, 2015 2:43PM

After 23 years as the Artistic Director of River North Dance Chicago, Frank Chaves is retiring. Saturday’s Fall Engagement—their only Chicago performance of the season—will serve as a celebration of his 22-plus years of work with the company.

River North Dance is known for its bold athleticism and powerhouse contemporary style that Chaves helped curate over his many years with the company. “It has been the privilege of a lifetime to be at the helm of such an extraordinary company and to see the growth that RNDC has achieved during my tenure as Artistic Director,” he says.

Chaves, who suffers from a degenerative spinal disease, has been bound to a wheelchair since last year. While it’s no doubt tough for a career dancer to lose mobility, it’s chronic pain that contributed to his decision to step down as artistic director. He still plans to occasionally choreograph for the company, though.

Saturday’s bill will feature some of Chaves’ favorite works from their repertoire as well as a few of his own memorable pieces like “Love Will Follow” and “Habaneras, The Music of Cuba.”

Tickets are $28 to $68. Saturday's show begins at 7:30 p.m. at Auditorium Theatre. This show is also part of the Auditorium Theatre’s Made In Chicago series. There is also a pre-show lecture beginning at 6 p.m. that is free with a ticket to the performance.