“Modern Masters” is a must see!

The Joffrey Ballet continues a season of excellence with its latest show running through February 18. “Modern Masters” pleasantly surprises you with the dynamic dancing in The Four Temperaments, Body of Your Dreams, Beyond the Shore and Glass Pieces.

The Four Temperaments seems to explore the internal conflict humans deal with on a regular basis. From confusion to sheer happiness, you feel the emotions we all go through during the course of our lives. The George Balanchine choreographed dance, which originated in the 1940s, may have been based on ancient philosophy about personality types, but I think everyone can relate to the emotions the dancers express here.

Body of Your Dreams, which was choreographed by Myles Thatcher, tells the story of fitness fads brainwashing us. It truly opens your eyes to the meaningless outcome of only having the perfect exterior while ignoring your soul. The dancers did a great job getting the message across.

Beyond The Shore was a mix of thriller and fantasy. Dancers literally took us on a journey from the netherworld to outer-space. Each short story makes you think outside the box where you actually anticipate the next story, while being enthralled in the one unfolding before you.

Glass Pieces highlights the seemingly simplistic work of Philip Glass in the most exquistie way possible. The Jerome Robbins’ choreographed dance placed a spotlight on colors, the calming  flow of people walking and tribal dance. The dancers gave the finale their all as they worked hard expressing classic operas in the form of ballet.

Bravo to all of the dancers, choreographers and musicians! Everyone did a fantastic job and should be very proud of themselves. I feel this was the most impressive modern dance set I have seen in recent years. Yoshihisa Arai and Victoria Jaiani are the mesmerizing solo acts to look out for in The Four Temperaments and paired up in Beyond The Shore. I guarantee you will be completely blown away by their infinite energy and expertise.

“Modern Masters” runs thru February 18, 2018 at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago .

A Special Thanks to The Silverman Group for the press passes and Cheryl Mann for the photos.