Riverdance brings 25th anniversary show to Chicago stop on US tour
By Michaela Schirra and Sally Ehrmann Medill Reports Legendary Irish themes with brisk contemporary footwork and dreamscape staging grace theaters across the country this year as Riverdance celebrates its 25th anniversary. The Riverdance show is in Chicago through Feb. 9 to present audiences with the new show highlighting traditional Irish dance, music and elaborate costumes. […]
Life on the road for a Riverdance pro is hectic but ‘happy’
By Sally Ehrmann and Michaela Schirra Medill Reports Riverdance has dazzled fans onstage with sparkling costumes, rhythmic beats and lightning-fast footwork for 25 years. The dancers behind the showcase blend artistry and athleticism that is nothing short of spectacular. Patrick O’Mahony, 33, began Irish dancing at the age of two in his hometown of Rusheen, […]
Eternal Light exhibit features many of Tiffany’s stained glass windows and other masterpieces
By Michaela Schirra Medill Reports The Eternal Light exhibition at the Driehaus Museum showcases works by Louis Comfort Tiffany, son of Tiffany & Co. founder, Charles Lewis Tiffany. From stained glass to sketches, the exhibit highlights the creative process and the artisans involved in creating Tiffany’s reputation. Catherine Shotick, curator of the Eternal Light exhibition, […]
Chicago curling clubs embrace the ice
By Leah Vann Medill Reports During an otherwise miserable Chicago winter, local curling clubs are hosting classes to teach people about the ancient sport. Curling is like life-sized shuffleboard on ice, where players slide large stones and melt the path ahead to drive them toward a target, accumulating points. Its origins date back as far […]
Chicagoans make a splash in Lake Michigan, raising over $35,000 for families in need
By Sally Ehrmann Medill Reports More than 300 brave souls took a dip in freezing-cold Lake Michigan on Jan. 25 to raise money for three Chicago families in need, part of the shivering tradition of the annual Chicago Polar Bear Plunge. The event raised over $35,000 for families, to be split evenly. Jumpers paid a […]
Chicago youth unemployment hits African Americans hardest, driving population declines
By Alison Saldanha Medill Reports More African Americans are out of school and out of work than among any other racial group in Chicago, according to a new report released recently by the Great Cities Institute of the University of Illinois at Chicago. Professor Teresa Cordova, director of the Great Cities Institute, linked this disparity […]
Middle Eastern and North African residents in Chicago feel excluded by upcoming census
By Whitney Tesi Medill Reports Middle Eastern and North African communities have been lobbying for their own category on the census for decades, even though they have been classified as “white” since the government first started conducting the survey in 1790. Although the idea for a Middle Eastern and North African category for this year’s […]
A critical take: Film reviewer talks Oscars, underrepresentation of women and people of color
By Gurjit Kaur Medill Reports Allison Shoemaker will be live tweeting her Oscar reactions from her home this Sunday with two close friends. The 35-year-old film and television critic, who studied theater arts and English at Western Michigan University, writes for The A.V. Club, Consequence of Sound and RogerEbert.com. A lifelong fan of stories, Shoemaker […]
