A rare artistic alliance takes center stage in Chicago this fall as Harris Theater for Music and Dance, the Joffrey Ballet, and Chicago Philharmonic come together for Joffrey at the Harris: Matters of the Heart — a five-performance event uniting dance and live orchestral music in Chicago Nov. 6-9.
Though their paths have long been intertwined — the Joffrey was among the Harris Theater’s founding companies, the Philharmonic is a resident ensemble, and all three are cornerstones of the city’s cultural landscape — this marks the first time they’ve shared the same stage for a dedicated engagement. The timing, repertoire, and shared vision finally aligned to make this collaboration possible.
From Years of Talks to Landmark Partnership
Harris CEO Lori Dimun, Joffrey CEO and President Greg Cameron, and Joffrey Artistic Director Ashley Wheater have long been in talks about collaborating. The only question was when.
“Joffrey’s Winning Works program was at the Harris for a number of years, and they’ve made appearances at celebrations at festivals, but there hasn’t been a stand-alone Joffrey program,” says Dimun. “We always said if it ever worked out, both the timing and a repertoire that made sense, we would do it.”
Lucky for us, the dates for Joffrey’s season shifted, and they had an unprecedented opening to fill. This opportunity proved to be just the right fit for a weekend at the Harris.
“The timing is right,” Wheater says. “The Joffrey has never had an engagement of performances at the Harris as our own identity. On our 30th anniversary of being in Chicago, it feels like the perfect time to do this.”
As one of the Harris’s resident companies, the Chicago Philharmonic is used to using the space as home and to accompany visiting artists, including dance companies. They were the orchestra for the Joffrey for many years.
“There are so many throughlines, it seems so natural for them to happen,” says Executive Director of the Chicago Philharmonic, Terell Johnson, who also serves as co-chair on the Committee on Resident Companies for the Harris. “These partnerships are so vital to the arts community, so it’s great we’re all working together to bring this project to life. I can’t believe this is the first time. It’s great to see these worlds collide.”
Frida, Funk, and the Women Behind Matters of the Heart
Matters of the Heart features works by choreographers Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Chanel DaSilva and is a co-commission between the Joffrey and the Harris. “We’re going Dutch on this,” Dimun says.
“The title of the program, Matters of the Heart, is something we all understand,” says Wheater. “We have two female choreographers creating work about other females. It’s beautiful to see that perspective. It’s going to be an intimate evening with fantastic music, Inspiring, uplifting, unexpected.”
The Harris had been exploring presenting Lopez Ochoa’s Broken Wings with the English National Ballet, for whom it was created in 2024, but the timing never worked. (Local audiences may remember the international choreographer’s name bursting onto the Chicago dance scene when she created the electric Mammatus for the Joffrey in 2015.)
Now, her one-act ballet based on the life of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo makes its Midwest debut. Also, look for lobby activations featuring another Harris partner, the National Museum of Mexican Art.
DaSilva, a former winner of Joffrey’s Winning Works choreographic competition, is creating her third work for the main company. Wabash & You is a world premiere set on one of downtown’s iconic streets and tells a personal love story through dance.
“Greg (Cameron) and I joke about the fact that we’re neighbors, we live on the same street,” says Dimun. Both institutions have addresses on Randolph Street, with Wabash Avenue running in between. “Chanel’s piece is like a love story to Chicago, so it feels like a charming connection point.”
Both pieces will also have live music. The Philharmonic will accompany Lopez Ochoa’s Broken Wings with a score by U.K. composer Peter Salem, and DaSliva’s Wabash & You features music by funk band The Main Squeeze, who will perform on stage with the dancers.
“We’re no strangers to using that space to the fullest terms of bringing it to life musically,” says Johnson. “The Harris has a beautiful live sound, and the theater just feels very intimate. This is a really special way to see the Joffrey.”
Chicago’s Collaborative Arts Culture Offers a Model for Long-Term Vitality
What stands out from all sides is an earnest appreciation for each other and an honest pursuit of collaboration. “These collaborations are vital to the future of the ecosystem in Chicago,” Johnson says. “It’s important that we all find ways to partner and share our respective talents because we’re all stronger than the sum of our individual parts.”
Dimun agrees. “In that spirit of true collaboration, we’re seeing this as a shared opportunity to uplift how powerful the arts are in Chicago. I hope this is the beginning of many partnerships with the Joffrey, and bringing in the Chicago Philharmonic as a resident company is special. It’s a way for us all to think about the sustainability of our organizations.”
Wheater adds, “Ever since I first came here in 2007, I’ve felt that Chicago is a truly collaborative, supportive city. Chicago collectively knows how important the arts are and knows when there is an opportunity to build partnerships and ideas, and how to put them into action. In that way, there is no better city than Chicago. That is reflected in this program.”
How to Help
Joffrey at the Harris: Matters of the Heart presented November 6-9 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St. Tickets starting at $46 available at harristheaterchicago.org or call 312.334.777. ASL interpretation and Audio Description will be available at the matinee on November 8.
Can’t attend the performances? You can still help sustain Chicago’s performing arts community by supporting each of the collaborators behind Joffrey at the Harris: Matters of the Heart.
Donations to the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, Chicago Philharmonic, and the Joffrey Ballet help ensure these institutions continue to collaborate, innovate, and bring world-class music and dance to audiences for generations to come
Vicki Crain is a Chicago-based freelance arts and culture writer and children’s book author. Her second book in The Furry Princess series was released late in 2024. For more information, visit quapublishing.com. She proudly supports NoStigmas, a global peer-led movement raising awareness and providing support for mental illness and suicide prevention.
