Explore what’s coming up in our most innovative season yet. Get a sneak peek of the 2025/26 repertoire, guest choreographers and collaborators. Tickets on sale now!
Lynn Colburn Shapiro, See Chicago Dance
“Often, when an artistic entity is in service of an ideology, the art suffers. With Ballet 5:8, both seem to nourish and enhance each other. The dancing was polished and delightful, and came across as a breath of fresh air.”
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![A person dressed in a gray suit and top hat is performing a dance move, balancing on one foot with the other leg extended and bent, against a colorful, abstract background. The text reads "The Curious Life of Edwyn A. Poe."]()
The Curious Life of Edgar Allan Poe
Featuring choreography by Glorielle Niedfeldt and Julianna Rubio Slager, Ballet 5:8 will tell a little known perspective on Poe. The Curious Life of Edgar Allan Poe offers a breathtaking portrayal of a man wrestling with darkness and redemption. His story takes place in the midst of rising tensions, as Americans wrestle with slavery and the brink of war.
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BareFace
Step into the mesmerizing world of BareFace, a fresh and enthralling dance production that delves deep into thought-provoking themes and evocative storytelling. Inspired by the ancient myth of Cupid and Psyche, choreographer Julianna Rubio Slager tells a female-driven, utterly compelling story of love, jealousy, and a case against the gods.
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![A woman in a black shirt gesturing with her hands in front of a colorful illustrated background of houses, with text reading 'The House on Mango Street' at the top.]()
The House on Mango Street
Ballet 5:8’s Second Company brings Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street to life in an evocative ballet that follows young Esperanza Cordero’s coming-of-age journey in a vibrant yet restrictive Chicago neighborhood. This production highlights themes of cultural identity, resilience, and the strength of women’s voices.
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![A promotional poster for 'Beyond the Nutcracker' featuring two ballet dancers, a full moon, clouds, a hot air balloon, and a night sky with stars.]()
Beyond the Nutcracker 2025
This season, Beyond the Nutcracker will take on a new life, performed as a collaboration between our professional company and school. Featuring live music by the Illinois Philharmonic at select shows, and a larger community cast, this production celebrates the joy of the holiday season while continuing to inspire audiences with its unique storytelling and cultural depth.
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The Thick and the Clear
Building on BareFace’s momentum, The Thick & the Clear is a conference on C.S. Lewis and the Arts. We invite you into a weekend of exploration—where art is thick with meaning and clear with grace. We’ll have discussion, lectures and deep exploration, culminating in the performance of BareFace.
BareFace & The Thick & the Clear
A myth retold in movement. A weekend exploring C.S. Lewis’s Till We Have Faces—ideas that are thick with meaning and clear with grace. Join us for the conference and the performance of BareFace.
Ballet 5:8 is a female- and minority-led professional ballet company recognized for artistic excellence, innovation, and beauty.
Under the direction of Mexican American choreographer Julianna Rubio Slager—who has created an astonishing 60 ballets in her career and was named a 2023 National Visiting Fellow with the School of American Ballet—the company produces bold, story-driven works rooted in life, faith, and diverse perspectives.
A Resident Company at the Harris Theater, Ballet 5:8 has been featured in Dance Magazine, Modern Luxury, Newcity, and Third Coast Review, with coverage on PBS, WGN, NBC, ABC, and FOX.
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