Joffrey Ballet: Music of Ramsey Lewis and More at The Pavilion at Ravinia

Friday, September 13th, is going to be a special day in Highland Park, Illinois, for a variety of reasons. The Joffrey Ballet company is going to be at the Pavilion at Ravinia, putting on different performances this season. In most of the other shows, they’ll be doing more traditional ballet numbers. However, if the legend Ramsey Lewis is going to be the inspiration for this occasion, even the outfits will change. A few years back, the company put on a show called “Hive” where they deviated quite a bit from their traditional ballet style to feature a more modern “urban” type of dance. That’s arguably part of what’s going to be on display within the Pavilion on this Friday. Jazz music paves the way for much more energetic dancing and potentially some freestyling by a group of the country’s top dancers. If you’re at the Ravinia when this takes place, you may come across a diamond in the rough of a performance.

Although the theme may have been more permissive in the sense that it would appeal to perhaps a broader audience, the organizers have decided to keep the lawn area closed for this event. That can be a big blessing in disguise for those within the main theater. It’s going to ensure that the focus remains on the dancers and the musicians who will be performing live. This gives everyone involved an opportunity to truly sit back and enjoy the show without some of the typical “rowdiness” that tends to go on in the lawn area on most nights. It allows the performance to maintain a sense of formality that is often lost in more open settings.

Speaking of where to sit within the Pavilion at Ravinia, there are going to be plenty of decent options. Naturally, the closer you are to the stage, the better you’ll be able to appreciate the performance. There may be a benefit, though, to finding a spot further back. It may allow you to have a better command of the entire stage so you do not miss out on the grander scale of the performance. Regardless of where you want to see the show from, it would be wise to click the get tickets button soon. Keep in mind that seating is limited for this event; tickets could sell out much quicker.