Did you go to the Chicago Dancing Festival last year? Are you a professional dancer, an avid audience member or is this the first time you’ve ever heard of the Chicago Dancing Festival?

Artist: Adam Barruch Photo: Christopher Duggan

2011 brings the 5th anniversary of the Chicago Dancing Festival and we are excited and honored to bring the Chicagoland community 5 nights of performances highlighting a wide variety of excellent dance from Chicago and around the country - FOR FREE!

We know that not everyone knows about the Chicago Dancing Festival, or all that we are offering until it has already passed, so we’re changing that - right now - with the launch of our…

2011 Blog Partnership Program and Foursquare Cinq-Up

We have partnered with five Chicago-area bloggers who write for varying audiences, to educate and excite people on what the Festival is all about and how they can take advantage of our festivities! Starting this month, you will have access to regular content from our bloggers including Festival interviews, behind-the-scenes access and of course, event coverage.  Stay tuned here as we will be posting excerpts of each of the blogs under the blog category “Chicago Dancing Festival 2011.”  We also invite you to follow along with them on their site or on Twitter using the hashtag #CDF11!

Company: Ballet West Photo: Todd Rosenberg

Meet our Bloggers!

Rogue Ballerina: Vicki Crain (the voice behind this Chicago-based dance blog) brings to you highlights of Chicago-based dancers, choreographers, directors and “all-around artsy performance folk”. Vicki will be providing those of you familiar with dance an ‘insider’s look’ into the Festival.

Contrapuntist: Dance isn’t just about the dancers - it’s also about the music. Miguel Cano is a classically trained guitarist and an all-round music lover. His wife, Erin Cano, is a classically trained violist and Suzuki certified music instructor. During the Festival, Miguel and Erin are going to feature the sounds behind the Festival.

Chicago Photo Blog: Araceli Arroyo has taken gorgeous photographs depicting Chicago and its wonders. Now she’s going to capture the Chicago Dancing Festival purely through photographs. The dancers, the patrons, the venues…and you can see them all on her blog and her Flickr account.

Traci D. Mitchell: Traci is a Chicago blogger who writes on fitness, food, family and fun! She is both a writer and speaker on fitness, nutrition and health. Before and during the Festival, she will showcase the athletics of the Festival. Learn how these world famous dancers prepare for a performance, and find out how they stay healthy and fit to succeed in some of those jaw-dropping moves.

Straight From The Arts: Written by Scott Silberstein - multi-Emmy-Award winning producer and composer for HMS Media and a company member of the Tony Award-winning Lookingglass Theatre Company - is an avid fan of the arts. His blog is a collection of his thoughts from a ‘regular guy’s’ perspective. It’s his way of getting away from behind the stage and into the audience. Read along with him during the Festival to watch, listen, and enjoy the show!

Company: Ballet West Photo: Luke Isley

When the Festival is underway (August 22-27, 2011), don’t forget to let your friends know which event you are attending by checking-in on Foursquare through our Foursquare Cinq-Up* program! Each venue will have its own Festival check-in (i.e. Chicago Dancing Festival at Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park, etc.) where you can access insider tips and user-generated photos. There will also be some fun specials offered if you check-in to two or more Festival events! You can see all the updates from our Foursquare page!

*Cinq - French for five and a play on sync, a harmonious relationship - that’s us, with all of you.  Thank you for your continued support and patronage.

We can’t wait to see you at the Festival!

Questions? Comment below and we’ll try to help!