Home: a Celebration presented by The Joffrey Ballet at Lyric Opera

Chicago Tribune - Recommended

"...Joffrey insiders complete the program. Dancer Yoshihisa Arai makes his mainstage choreographic debut with “Bolero,” set to Maurice Ravel’s cyclical anthem of the same name. Anais Bueno is the tortured one in this case. In lieu of angels, she is surrounded at first by a chorus of stoic, almost militaristic acolytes who devolve into feral, flailing near-desperation by the end. Bueno, too, follows Ravel’s 20-minute crescendo as wails from the orchestra pit become increasingly unfettered from the rigid tempo compelled by a snare drum the whole time."

Chicago Sun Times - Highly Recommended

"...This well-chosen, often high-voltage program seemed to be just the thing for an audience hungry for live dance. There was an appealing diversity of styles and moods among the four works as well as a smart intermingling of solos, duos and larger ensembles — a mix that kept the evening fresh and engaging."

WTTW - Highly Recommended

"...This feeling of home was immediately evident in the choice of the evening's opening work, "Birthday Variations," which served as a reverent yet at the same time wonderfully exuberant homage to Gerald Arpino, the company's late co-founder, who oversaw its life-saving move from New York to Chicago in 1995. The Arpino work was then followed by recently created ballets that not only celebrated the talent of three different contemporary choreographers, but that were also all performed in the Joffrey's studio space during the pandemic and received their world premieres in digital form. Seeing them performed live was a totally different experience - one that captured the full grandeur of each work and also powerfully magnified the sense of entrapment (and release) that has marked the past 19 months. In addition, all four of the performances were a reminder of how, from quite early on in the pandemic, the supremely disciplined Joffrey dancers kept themselves in peak form, and then, following the strictest of protocols, engaged in what they do best."

NewCity Chicago - Highly Recommended

"...“Home” is a multi-sensory delight that pulses and glows with bodily grace and spiritual fire. It serves as a joyfully reassuring homecoming for this world-class company, a crown jewel of Chicago’s cultural scene. My only quibble is the lack of a printed program to serve as souvenir of a memorable night. But what matters is that, after a prolonged layoff, dance on the highest level is back in Chicago, providing artistic pleasure and inspiration to a public in need of both."