Wow – what a great year for RB!  Tons of great dance performances, fun with family and friends, our one year anniversary and now, we’re in the running for Top Dance blog of 2010 (you can vote here)!  Say what?  It’s true…and I do mean “we”, because RB wouldn’t work or be worth it without you, the readers.

It’s difficult to pick highlights, because I’ve truly enjoyed listening, watching and talking with everyone.  It’s amazing to look back and see all of the talented artists that were kind enough to offer their time and insights to little ole me 🙂  Some of these include:  Nacho Duato (really!), Aszure Barton, Victor Quijada, HSDC resident choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo (sigh), tapper Lane Alexander, ABT’s Daniil Simkin, Wendy Ellis Sommes, Cheryl Mann, and Ashley Wheater and some of the Joffrey dancers (Matthew Adamczyk, Amber Neumann, Mauro Villanueva).

RB covered the Chicago Dancing Festival, Dance for Life, The Dance COLEctive, The Seldoms,  Thodos Dance Chicago and dabbled a bit with reviews/critiques for Joffrey, HSDC, River North and ABT (and more).  We also celebrated some milestone anniversaries including Zephyr Dance, discovered some baby ballerinas, paid reverance to some beautiful dancers who retired and continued my obsession with fouettes.

Some things lined up for the new year are:  a chat with artistic director Margi Cole on the DanceCOLEctive’s 15th anniversary, pick the brain of TimeOut Chicago dance editor Zac Whittenburg, more inside scoop on Joffrey and HSDC, and hoping to catch up with The Seldom’s artistic director Carrie Hanson  (who had a really busy and joyful year) and make some new friends and connections with other companies and artists in the Chicago dance community.  On my wish list:  Gail Kalver, Gustavo Ramirez Sansano, Ohad Naharin, Molly Shanahan, Valerie Robin, Meredith Dincolo, Ron DeJesus, Scott Silberstein, ABT’s Marcelo Gomez and Jose Manuel Carrena and anyone else that is willing to talk to me really.  Oh, did I mention that I will be interviewing…wait for it…ANN REINKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!  (Can you tell I’m totally geeked about this one?)

RB got a new logo designed by Yoolia Design.  Thanks to Julia who also surprised RB with an entire line of merchandise!!  Also thank you to Farrah Malik Williams, Glenn Edgerton and Taryn Kaschock Russell of HSDC; Eric Eatherly and Beth Silverman of The Silverman Group; Christopher Clinton Conway, Ashley Wheater and Sarah Scutchfield at the Joffrey Ballet and Jill Chuckerman of JAC Communications for their help and support.

This year RB also did some freelance work for Joffrey’s blog J Pointe, got her first assignment for Dance Magazine (!!!), took a writing class (verdict is still out…final paper is due on Sunday), and agreed to collaborate with Dance for Life founder Keith Elliot and lighting/production guru Margaret Nelson writing a book on the history of dance in Chicago.  Whew!

Happy Holidays and the best wishes to everyone for the new year!  Thank you for your support.

Gratefully,

RB (aka Vicki)