Luna Negra Dance Theater
Encyclopedia
Luna Negra Dance Theater is a dance ensemble that integrates traditional Latin dances, rich musical heritage, folkloric traditions of Latino cultures as well as contemporary movements without using traditional folkloric dress nor dancing strictly traditional dance styles such as Flamenco
, Tango
or Salsa
. It is based in Chicago, Illinois and was founded by Eduardo Vilaro in 1999 after he graduated from a Master's Degree
program at Columbia College
. It focuses on the work of Latin choreographers. Ron DeJesus, Vicente Nebrada, Gustavo Ramirez Sansano, and Pedro Ruiz are among the choreographers presented by Luna Negra. The company has performed in Chicago at Ravinia Festival, The Harris Theater for Music and Dance
, Symphony Center
, The Dance Center of Columbia College, Dance Chicago, the Ruth Page Dance Series locally and had toured nationally and internationally to places such as Panama
and Mexico
. The dance ensemble made its New York City
debut at the New Victory Theater in January 2008.
When the Harris Theater opened in 2003, it provided an aspiration for small dance companies such as Luna Negra. Luna Negra quickly achieved its goal of performing there, and it will even celebrate the start of its tenth season with a performance at the Harris Theater on September 26 and 27, 2008. In past seasons, it has co-habitated with the Joffrey Ballet
, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
and Concert Dance Inc. at Ravinia Festival. The company has also performed on the schedule at Ravinia without these other Chicago dance companies. In its summer 2008 season, Luna Negra was the opening performance for Ravinia Festival.
Flamenco
Flamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
, Tango
Tango (dance)
Tango dance originated in the area of the Rio de la Plata , and spread to the rest of the world soon after....
or Salsa
Salsa (dance)
Salsa is a syncretic dance form with origins in Cuba as the meeting point of Spanish and African cultures.Salsa is normally a partner dance, although there are recognized solo forms such as solo dancing "suelta" and "Rueda de Casino" where multiple couples exchange partners in a circle...
. It is based in Chicago, Illinois and was founded by Eduardo Vilaro in 1999 after he graduated from a Master's Degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
program at Columbia College
Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago is one of the largest art colleges in the United States with nearly 12,000 students pursuing degrees within 120 undergraduate and graduate programs...
. It focuses on the work of Latin choreographers. Ron DeJesus, Vicente Nebrada, Gustavo Ramirez Sansano, and Pedro Ruiz are among the choreographers presented by Luna Negra. The company has performed in Chicago at Ravinia Festival, The Harris Theater for Music and Dance
Harris Theater (Chicago)
The Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance is a 1,525-seat theater for the performing arts located along the northern edge of Millennium Park on Randolph Street in the Loop community area of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, US...
, Symphony Center
Symphony Center
Symphony Center is a music complex located at 220 South Michigan Avenue in the Loop area of Chicago, Illinois. Home to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Sinfonietta, Symphony Center includes the 2,522-seat Orchestra Hall, which dates from 1904; Buntrock Hall, a rehearsal and...
, The Dance Center of Columbia College, Dance Chicago, the Ruth Page Dance Series locally and had toured nationally and internationally to places such as Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. The dance ensemble made its New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
debut at the New Victory Theater in January 2008.
When the Harris Theater opened in 2003, it provided an aspiration for small dance companies such as Luna Negra. Luna Negra quickly achieved its goal of performing there, and it will even celebrate the start of its tenth season with a performance at the Harris Theater on September 26 and 27, 2008. In past seasons, it has co-habitated with the Joffrey Ballet
Joffrey Ballet
The Joffrey Ballet is a dance company in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1956. From 1995 to 2004, the company was known as The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. The company regularly performs classical ballets including Romeo & Juliet and The Nutcracker, while balancing those classics with pioneering modern...
, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago is an American dance company based in Chicago. HSDC performs in downtown Chicago and its metropolitan area and tours nationally and internationally throughout the year....
and Concert Dance Inc. at Ravinia Festival. The company has also performed on the schedule at Ravinia without these other Chicago dance companies. In its summer 2008 season, Luna Negra was the opening performance for Ravinia Festival.