The House on Mango Street
Ballet 5:8’s Second Company brings Sandra Cisneros’ classic novel The House on Mango Street to life in a poignant new ballet by Artistic Director Julianna Rubio Slager. Told through the eyes of Esperanza, a young Latina girl coming of age in a Chicago neighborhood, the ballet explores themes of identity, belonging, and the power of storytelling.
Performed by Ballet 5:8’s emerging all-female ensemble—35% of whom identify as ALAANA—the work centers underrepresented voices and invites audiences to see themselves reflected on stage. Through original choreography and powerful visual design, the ballet honors the spirit of Cisneros’ text while introducing a new generation to the transformative language of dance.
Presented in partnership with public libraries and community organizations, this tour includes performances, bilingual storytime events, and movement-based workshops that connect students and families to the themes of the book.
The House on Mango Street is more than a performance—it’s a bridge between literature, culture, and community.
The House on Mango Street
Ballet 5:8’s Second Company brings Sandra Cisneros’ classic novel The House on Mango Street to life in a poignant new ballet by Artistic Director Julianna Rubio Slager. Told through the eyes of Esperanza, a young Latina girl coming of age in a Chicago neighborhood, the ballet explores themes of identity, belonging, and the power of storytelling.
Performed by Ballet 5:8’s emerging all-female ensemble—35% of whom identify as ALAANA—the work centers underrepresented voices and invites audiences to see themselves reflected on stage. Through original choreography and powerful visual design, the ballet honors the spirit of Cisneros’ text while introducing a new generation to the transformative language of dance.
Presented in partnership with public libraries and community organizations, this tour includes performances, bilingual storytime events, and movement-based workshops that connect students and families to the themes of the book.
The House on Mango Street is more than a performance—it’s a bridge between literature, culture, and community.
The Shape of Joy - Presented by the School of Ballet 5:8 | Saturday 2p
School of Ballet 5:8 Mixed Repertoire Bill
One performance. Many worlds.
This year, our School of Ballet 5:8 performance is a mixed repertoire bill—which is a fancy way of saying you’ll see multiple short ballets in one show, each with its own music, style, and story. Instead of spending the entire performance in a single production, you’ll watch our students demonstrate range: classic storytelling, character work, musicality, ensemble precision, and contemporary expression—all in one afternoon.
Even better: every ballet will be performed at every show, but with different casts, so each performance has its own spark. (Translation: if you come back twice, you’ll see something new—same ballets, fresh interpretations.)
Repertoire
Peter Rabbit
Performed by the Preparatory Program
A charming, storybook favorite brought to life with youthful energy, imagination, and plenty of personality.
Little Women
Performed by Ensemble I & Jr. Ensemble
A beloved tale told through dance—rich in character, emotion, and the kind of ensemble storytelling that makes ballet feel like theater.
Caged Bird Sings & Shades of Refrain
Performed by Ensemble II
Two distinct works that highlight artistry and musical phrasing—one powerful and expressive, the other layered and nuanced.
Interplay & Gospel Impressions
Performed by the Studio Company
Dynamic, high-level repertoire showcasing versatility, attack, and polish—students stepping fully into their artistry as performers.
Come celebrate what our dancers have been building all year: technique, confidence, and the ability to shift styles with intention. It’s a performance that moves quickly, offers something for everyone, and puts our students’ growth front and center.
If a full-length ballet is a novel, this is a book of short stories—with a really impressive cast.
The Shape of Joy - Presented by the School of Ballet 5:8 | Saturday 7p
School of Ballet 5:8 Mixed Repertoire Bill
One performance. Many worlds.
This year, our School of Ballet 5:8 performance is a mixed repertoire bill—which is a fancy way of saying you’ll see multiple short ballets in one show, each with its own music, style, and story. Instead of spending the entire performance in a single production, you’ll watch our students demonstrate range: classic storytelling, character work, musicality, ensemble precision, and contemporary expression—all in one afternoon.
Even better: every ballet will be performed at every show, but with different casts, so each performance has its own spark. (Translation: if you come back twice, you’ll see something new—same ballets, fresh interpretations.)
Repertoire
Peter Rabbit
Performed by the Preparatory Program
A charming, storybook favorite brought to life with youthful energy, imagination, and plenty of personality.
Little Women
Performed by Ensemble I & Jr. Ensemble
A beloved tale told through dance—rich in character, emotion, and the kind of ensemble storytelling that makes ballet feel like theater.
Caged Bird Sings & Shades of Refrain
Performed by Ensemble II
Two distinct works that highlight artistry and musical phrasing—one powerful and expressive, the other layered and nuanced.
Interplay & Gospel Impressions
Performed by the Studio Company
Dynamic, high-level repertoire showcasing versatility, attack, and polish—students stepping fully into their artistry as performers.
Come celebrate what our dancers have been building all year: technique, confidence, and the ability to shift styles with intention. It’s a performance that moves quickly, offers something for everyone, and puts our students’ growth front and center.
If a full-length ballet is a novel, this is a book of short stories—with a really impressive cast.
The Shape of Joy - Presented by the School of Ballet 5:8 | Sunday 3p
School of Ballet 5:8 Mixed Repertoire Bill
One performance. Many worlds.
This year, our School of Ballet 5:8 performance is a mixed repertoire bill—which is a fancy way of saying you’ll see multiple short ballets in one show, each with its own music, style, and story. Instead of spending the entire performance in a single production, you’ll watch our students demonstrate range: classic storytelling, character work, musicality, ensemble precision, and contemporary expression—all in one afternoon.
Even better: every ballet will be performed at every show, but with different casts, so each performance has its own spark. (Translation: if you come back twice, you’ll see something new—same ballets, fresh interpretations.)
Repertoire
Peter Rabbit
Performed by the Preparatory Program
A charming, storybook favorite brought to life with youthful energy, imagination, and plenty of personality.
Little Women
Performed by Ensemble I & Jr. Ensemble
A beloved tale told through dance—rich in character, emotion, and the kind of ensemble storytelling that makes ballet feel like theater.
Caged Bird Sings & Shades of Refrain
Performed by Ensemble II
Two distinct works that highlight artistry and musical phrasing—one powerful and expressive, the other layered and nuanced.
Interplay & Gospel Impressions
Performed by the Studio Company
Dynamic, high-level repertoire showcasing versatility, attack, and polish—students stepping fully into their artistry as performers.
Come celebrate what our dancers have been building all year: technique, confidence, and the ability to shift styles with intention. It’s a performance that moves quickly, offers something for everyone, and puts our students’ growth front and center.
If a full-length ballet is a novel, this is a book of short stories—with a really impressive cast.
Ballet 5:8 Essentials
Join Lead Artist Samuel Opsal for a Ballet 5:8 Essentials class where we work on technique, coordination, and building your dancer to the elite level!
Ballet 5:8 Essentials
Join Company Artist and Studio Company Assistant Director Emma Michaux for a Ballet 5:8 Essentials class where we work on technique, coordination, and building your dancer to the elite level!
Ballet 5:8 Essentials
Join Solo Artist Kayla Kowach for a Ballet 5:8 Essentials class where we work on technique, coordination, and building your dancer to the elite level!
The Curious Life Of Edgar Allan Poe
Obsession, grief, and passion—told through his tales.
The Curious Life of Edgar Allan Poe is a groundbreaking new ballet by Julianna Rubio Slager and Glorielle Niedfeldt, blending neo-classical ballet and African Diaspora movement. Supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of America 250, it reimagines Poe’s life through his stories as a redemptive exploration of grief, beauty, and moral awakening.
The House on Mango Street
Ballet 5:8 brings Sandra Cisneros’s classic novel to life through dance. The story follows Esperanza Cordero, a young Latina girl growing up in Chicago, as she searches for identity, belonging, and a home she can call her own. Choreographed by Julianna Rubio Slager, the ballet blends classical and contemporary movement with music to explore themes of culture, community, and hope.
Ballet 5:8 Essentials
Join Solo Artist and Second Company Director Libby Dennen for a Ballet 5:8 Essentials class where we work on technique, coordination, and building your dancer to the elite level!
Ballet 5:8 Essentials
Join Solo Artist and Second Company Director Libby Dennen for a Ballet 5:8 Essentials class where we work on technique, coordination, and building your dancer to the elite level!
No Ballet 5:8 Essentials
No Ballet 5:8 Essentials or Master Class this week! We’ll see you back Monday at 4:30p for our next class!
Ballet 5:8 Essentials
Join School Principal Miranda Rubio Opsal for a Ballet 5:8 Essentials class where we work on technique, coordination, and building your dancer to the elite level!
Ballet 5:8 Essentials
Join Solo Artist and Second Company Director Libby Dennen for a Ballet 5:8 Essentials class where we work on technique, coordination, and building your dancer to the elite level!
Emerging Artist Showcase
2026 Emerging Artist Showcase | March 21 at 2:00 PM
Nathan Manilow Theater,
Park Forest
See what happens when dancers become the entire production team.
Our Studio Company artists (ages 14–22) have built this performance from the ground up—creating, choreographing, producing, directing, designing, marketing, and managing every detail themselves. The result is an original, student-driven showcase that’s as much about leadership and collaboration as it is about artistry.
Come experience their work in action and support these young artists as they develop vital skills both onstage and offstage.
No Ballet 5:8 Essentials
No Ballet 5:8 Essentials or Master Class this week! We’ll see you back Monday at 4:30p for our next class!
Ballet 5:8 Essentials
Join Pre-Professional Program Assistant Director Autumn Stull for a Ballet 5:8 Essentials class where we work on technique, coordination, and building your dancer to the elite level!
BareFace
A dance performance. A weekend of conversation. A story that won’t let you keep your mask on. BareFace is Ballet 5:8’s staged retelling of Cupid and Psyche (through the lens of C.S. Lewis’ Till We Have Faces)— a female-driven tale of love, jealousy, and the case against the gods.
How do the arts make the invisible visible? How can beauty, imagination, and craft awaken our understanding of truth? What is a baptized imagination—and what does C.S. Lewis reveal through Till We Have Faces?
The Thick & the Clear: C.S. Lewis and the Arts brings together artists, scholars, and audiences to explore an artistic vision that is both intellectually rich (thick) and spiritually transparent (clear). Hosted in collaboration with the Marion E. Wade Center, the weekend conference culminates in a performance of BareFace by Ballet 5:8.
No Ballet 5:8 Essentials
No Ballet 5:8 Essentials or Master Class this week! We’ll see you back Monday at 4:30p for our next class!
Ballet 5:8 Essentials
Join Lead Artist and Studio Company Director Sarah Clarke for a Ballet 5:8 Essentials class where we work on technique, coordination, and building your dancer to the elite level!
Ballet 5:8 Essentials
Join Guest Artist Patricio Di Stabile for a Ballet 5:8 Essentials class where we work on technique, coordination, and building your dancer to the elite level!
Ballet 5:8 Essentials
Join Lead Artist and Pre-Professional Director Valerie Linsner for a Ballet 5:8 Essentials class where we work on technique, coordination, and building your dancer to the elite level!
Ballerina Ball 2026
A Valentine’s Dance Children and Caregivers
This Valentine’s season, step into a world of music, movement, and magic.
The Ballet 5:8 Ballerina Ball is a joyful evening created for children and the grown-ups who love them—open to our entire neighborhood and community. No ballet experience required. Just come ready to dance, laugh, and make memories together.
✨ Ages 3 and up are welcome
✨ Fathers & daughters, mothers & sons, grandparents, caregivers, and all special pairings are invited
Every child dreams of dressing up, dancing freely, and feeling special.
But families don’t always have a place where they can slow down, connect, and share something truly magical together - that doesn’t break the bank.
Ballet 5:8 invites you to a Valentine’s evening where children are the stars, grown-ups are their partners, and the whole room becomes a dance floor.
💫 What to Expect
Your evening at the Ballerina Ball includes:
🩰 Learn to Waltz & Bachatta
A simple, joyful waltz lesson designed for all ages—no experience needed.
🎶 Open Dance Floor
Move, spin, and dance together in a welcoming, playful atmosphere.
🎭 Mini Ballet Performance
A short, enchanting performance to inspire little dancers and curious hearts.
🌷 A Flower for Every Child
Because every child deserves to feel special.
📸 Photo Booth Fun
Capture the moment!
• Printed photos available to take home for a small fee
• Or receive your photo by email for free
🖼 Create a Take-Home Photo Frame
Decorate a keepsake frame to display your favorite memory from the night.
💖 Why Families Love the Ballerina Ball
✔ Open to the entire community
✔ Perfect for first-time ballet families
✔ Screen-free, age-appropriate fun
✔ Affordable Valentine’s memory-making
🎟 Tickets
💗 Adults: $25
💗 Children: $5
Children must attend with a ticketed adult.
🌟 The Happily Ever After
You’ll leave with smiling faces, tired dancing feet, a flower in hand, and a photo that captures a Valentine’s memory you’ll treasure for years. Core memory created!
✨ Join Ballet 5:8 for the Ballerina Ball—where the whole community dances together. ✨
Leaning In
Leaning In is a playful, tender, and deeply human look at love in all its forms—the kind that makes you laugh, choose each other again, and believe in something bigger than yourselves.
Set to excerpts from Golden Sessions, the timeless wisdom of 1 Corinthians 13:13, and the sweet sincerity of I’d Pick You, this piece celebrates love as both sacred and fun. It’s about leaning closer, holding hands, and remembering why love—faith, hope, and all—is always worth showing up for.
Whether you’re coming with a partner, a friend, or your favorite third wheel, this Valentine’s Day performance is your perfect excuse for a night out that’s heartfelt, joyful, and just a little
romantic.
February 14 | 7:00 PM
Park Church – River North | 1001 N Crosby St, Chicago, IL 60610
The Poe Masquerade | A Spring Repertoire Celebration
The Poe Masquerade
A Spring Repertoire Celebration & Sneak Peek
Step into an evening shaped by Edgar Allan Poe—where dance, music, and story meet.
The Poe Masquerade reimagines Ballet 5:8’s annual spring repertoire preview as a shared experience. Instead of sitting back and watching, guests move through the space, encounter the work up close, and get an early look at what’s ahead.
Masquerade attire is welcome, not required.
Curiosity is the only requirement of the evening.
Tickets are $35 and include light bites, dancing and beverages.
What to Expect
This is not a formal presentation.
And it’s not a traditional performance.
It’s an evening built for movement, conversation, and discovery.
Guests explore The House of Poe, moving from room to room and encountering short excerpts from Ballet 5:8’s upcoming spring repertoire—each one offering a glimpse into the themes, ideas, and physical worlds taking shape this season.
Come for part of the evening or stay for all of it. The night unfolds at your pace.
Ballet 5:8 Auditions | Summer & Year Round
One audition. Multiple pathways. Join a professional, joyful environment that prizes clean classical technique, musical sensitivity, and expressive performance.
Register today!
Ballet 5:8 Essentials
Join Lead Artist Samuel Opsal for a Ballet 5:8 Essentials class where we work on technique, coordination, and building your dancer to the elite level!
3PM December 14th | Beyond the Nutcracker
A classic holiday tradition with a Ballet 5:8 twist comes to Chicago this season. Join young Emma and the mysterious Uncle Abrahms as they embark on a miraculous journey through time—encountering soldiers, shepherds, and cultural celebrations from around the world—and discover what Christmas is truly about.
This year, we’re thrilled to announce a special collaboration with the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, performing Tchaikovsky’s iconic score live at select performances:
December 6 & 7
Saturday 2p and 7p | Recorded Score at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
Sunday 3p | Recorded Score at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
December 13 & 14
Saturday 2p and 7p | Live Orchestra at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
Sunday 3p | Live Orchestra at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
This year marks a historic milestone: for the first time ever, Ballet 5:8’s professional company and school will share the stage, uniting students and seasoned artists in a powerful display of community and collaboration. Audiences can also experience the wonder of live music at select performances, bringing Julianna Rubio Slager’s vibrant choreography to life in a whole new way.
Whether you’re continuing a beloved tradition or discovering it anew, Beyond the Nutcracker offers a joyful, hope-filled celebration for all ages.
7PM December 13th | Beyond the Nutcracker
A classic holiday tradition with a Ballet 5:8 twist comes to Chicago this season. Join young Emma and the mysterious Uncle Abrahms as they embark on a miraculous journey through time—encountering soldiers, shepherds, and cultural celebrations from around the world—and discover what Christmas is truly about.
This year, we’re thrilled to announce a special collaboration with the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, performing Tchaikovsky’s iconic score live at select performances:
December 6 & 7
Saturday 2p and 7p | Recorded Score at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
Sunday 3p | Recorded Score at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
December 13 & 14
Saturday 2p and 7p | Live Orchestra at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
Sunday 3p | Live Orchestra at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
This year marks a historic milestone: for the first time ever, Ballet 5:8’s professional company and school will share the stage, uniting students and seasoned artists in a powerful display of community and collaboration. Audiences can also experience the wonder of live music at select performances, bringing Julianna Rubio Slager’s vibrant choreography to life in a whole new way.
Whether you’re continuing a beloved tradition or discovering it anew, Beyond the Nutcracker offers a joyful, hope-filled celebration for all ages.
2PM December 13th | Beyond the Nutcracker
A classic holiday tradition with a Ballet 5:8 twist comes to Chicago this season. Join young Emma and the mysterious Uncle Abrahms as they embark on a miraculous journey through time—encountering soldiers, shepherds, and cultural celebrations from around the world—and discover what Christmas is truly about.
This year, we’re thrilled to announce a special collaboration with the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, performing Tchaikovsky’s iconic score live at select performances:
December 6 & 7
Saturday 2p and 7p | Recorded Score at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
Sunday 3p | Recorded Score at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
December 13 & 14
Saturday 2p and 7p | Live Orchestra at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
Sunday 3p | Live Orchestra at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
This year marks a historic milestone: for the first time ever, Ballet 5:8’s professional company and school will share the stage, uniting students and seasoned artists in a powerful display of community and collaboration. Audiences can also experience the wonder of live music at select performances, bringing Julianna Rubio Slager’s vibrant choreography to life in a whole new way.
Whether you’re continuing a beloved tradition or discovering it anew, Beyond the Nutcracker offers a joyful, hope-filled celebration for all ages.
3PM December 7th | Beyond the Nutcracker
A classic holiday tradition with a Ballet 5:8 twist comes to Chicago this season. Join young Emma and the mysterious Uncle Abrahms as they embark on a miraculous journey through time—encountering soldiers, shepherds, and cultural celebrations from around the world—and discover what Christmas is truly about.
This year, we’re thrilled to announce a special collaboration with the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, performing Tchaikovsky’s iconic score live at select performances:
December 6 & 7
Saturday 2p and 7p | Recorded Score at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
Sunday 3p | Recorded Score at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
December 13 & 14
Saturday 2p and 7p | Live Orchestra at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
Sunday 3p | Live Orchestra at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
This year marks a historic milestone: for the first time ever, Ballet 5:8’s professional company and school will share the stage, uniting students and seasoned artists in a powerful display of community and collaboration. Audiences can also experience the wonder of live music at select performances, bringing Julianna Rubio Slager’s vibrant choreography to life in a whole new way.
Whether you’re continuing a beloved tradition or discovering it anew, Beyond the Nutcracker offers a joyful, hope-filled celebration for all ages.
7PM December 6th | Beyond the Nutcracker
A classic holiday tradition with a Ballet 5:8 twist comes to Chicago this season. Join young Emma and the mysterious Uncle Abrahms as they embark on a miraculous journey through time—encountering soldiers, shepherds, and cultural celebrations from around the world—and discover what Christmas is truly about.
This year, we’re thrilled to announce a special collaboration with the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, performing Tchaikovsky’s iconic score live at select performances:
December 6 & 7
Saturday 2p and 7p | Recorded Score at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
Sunday 3p | Recorded Score at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
December 13 & 14
Saturday 2p and 7p | Live Orchestra at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
Sunday 3p | Live Orchestra at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
This year marks a historic milestone: for the first time ever, Ballet 5:8’s professional company and school will share the stage, uniting students and seasoned artists in a powerful display of community and collaboration. Audiences can also experience the wonder of live music at select performances, bringing Julianna Rubio Slager’s vibrant choreography to life in a whole new way.
Whether you’re continuing a beloved tradition or discovering it anew, Beyond the Nutcracker offers a joyful, hope-filled celebration for all ages.
2PM December 6th | Beyond the Nutcracker
A classic holiday tradition with a Ballet 5:8 twist comes to Chicago this season. Join young Emma and the mysterious Uncle Abrahms as they embark on a miraculous journey through time—encountering soldiers, shepherds, and cultural celebrations from around the world—and discover what Christmas is truly about.
This year, we’re thrilled to announce a special collaboration with the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, performing Tchaikovsky’s iconic score live at select performances:
December 6 & 7
Saturday 2p and 7p | Recorded Score at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
Sunday 3p | Recorded Score at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
December 13 & 14
Saturday 2p and 7p | Live Orchestra at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
Sunday 3p | Live Orchestra at Lincoln Way North Performing Arts Center
This year marks a historic milestone: for the first time ever, Ballet 5:8’s professional company and school will share the stage, uniting students and seasoned artists in a powerful display of community and collaboration. Audiences can also experience the wonder of live music at select performances, bringing Julianna Rubio Slager’s vibrant choreography to life in a whole new way.
Whether you’re continuing a beloved tradition or discovering it anew, Beyond the Nutcracker offers a joyful, hope-filled celebration for all ages.
Giving Tuesday
Join us for Giving Tuesday!
Giving Tuesday is a global day dedicated to generosity, kindness, and impact. Mark your calendar for December 2, 2024, and be part of a worldwide movement supporting meaningful causes.
Your generosity fuels transformative storytelling, discipleship, and opportunities for dancers and audiences alike.
What to Expect on Giving Tuesday:
A simple reminder to give back
Opportunities to support Ballet 5:8’s mission
A chance to make an impact through your generosity
Updates and ways to spread the word
Thank you for choosing to make a difference.
Set your reminder today and get ready to join millions of people giving generously on this special day.