Artfully Crafted Narratives
The Trifecta Dance Collective is dedicated to building bridges within the community through the power of the arts. By fostering connections among community members and organizations, the collective aims to create a supportive and collaborative environment where creativity can flourish. Through various initiatives and programs, the collective seeks to initiate meaningful conversations from an artistic standpoint, sparking dialogue and exchange that can lead to a deeper understanding and appreciation of dance and the arts.One of the key objectives of the Trifecta Dance Collective is to establish programs that not only showcase artistic talent but also promote collaboration and creative inspiration. By bringing together dancers, choreographers, educators, and members of the community, the collective creates opportunities for individuals to connect, share ideas, and work together towards common goals. These programs often involve partnerships with local organizations, schools, and businesses, further strengthening ties within the community and fostering a sense of unity and togetherness through the arts.Through its collaborative efforts, the Trifecta Dance Collective serves as a catalyst for innovation, creativity, and artistic expression, enriching the cultural landscape of the community. By providing a platform for artists to come together, collaborate, and create, the collective seeks to inspire and empower individuals to explore their artistic potential and contribute to the vibrant tapestry of the local arts scene.The Only Way Is Through
March 20, 2025 McGrath Center for the Performing Arts Wilmette IL
In the 2025 In.Grained series, 5-year TDC company member Anna Wetoska shared a deeply personal journey through loss and healing. Her choreography, a poignant memorial to her mother's battle with breast cancer, illuminated the power of connection, hope, resilience, and love. Through her artfully curated movement, Anna navigated the darkness of grief, emerging into the light of her present adulthood. This work, interwoven with the technical artistry of the TDC company dancers, fostered awareness and destigmatized the emotional landscape of loss, offering a powerful testament to the human spirit's capacity for healing.Take Care
March 6, 2025 Prairie Center for the Performing Arts, Schaumburg IL
A veteran of the TDC company, Andi Learman, presented a deeply personal and artfully curated work in the 2025 In.Grained series. Her choreography courageously addressed mental health, drawing from her own journey to find solace in artistic expression. Through movement, Andi illustrated the transformative power of friendship and family, which provided vital support as she navigated her struggles. Her work aimed to destigmatize mental health, offering a testament to the healing potential of art and human connection.Take Care also featured a creative collaboration between composer Saurab Bhargava and choreographer Andi Learman has flourished over the past two seasons. Their shared artistic journey, marked by mutual inspiration, has resulted in a series of unique music and dance works, demonstrating the power of true collaborative creation.
"It was easy to step into the world Andi envisioned: to feel the journey from struggle to peace. It is vital that we see one another in all of these moments, to hold compassion and empathy for those who are struggling as much as we celebrate life's highlights. Ultimately, it is our love for each other that supports all our humanity. We hope this piece, and this program, help shine a light on the importance of taking care - of ourselves and each other." Saurab Bhargava
“Working with Saurab has been an incredible experience. He takes the essence of a concept and translates its emotion into sound. “Day Arising” began as a simple phone conversation and evolved into a stunning seven-minute song. His music inspired the movement, and collaborating with him was an absolute joy.”-Andi Learman
Tulips
June 10, 2024 Daley Plaza, Chicago, IL
Amanda Beedle's daughters, Annabelle and Abigail, were diagnosed with Batten disease, a rare and progressive genetic disorder. To amplify their story and raise awareness, Trifecta Dance Collective, in partnership with Beedles Braving Batten and Kathy Romanski, a nurse from Lurie Children's Hospital, embarked on a unique artistic endeavor. Choreographer Ava Wichser-Foerster of TDC translated Amanda's deeply personal journey into a poignant dance performance. Ava's choreography focused on conveying the emotional weight of the diagnosis, the daily challenges of care, and the unwavering strength of the Beedle family. In addition to the performance, Trifecta Dance Collective participated in the Beedles Braving Batten 5k walk, where they walked with the family and performed excerpts of the piece, further connecting the artistic expression to the community event and amplifying the message of support.The Power of Beauty
February 17, 2024 the Edge Theatre, Chicago, IL
The Grace Network supports Chicago students facing hygiene insecurity, a challenge affecting nearly 15% of Chicago Public School students. In 2023, Trifecta Dance Collective partnered with the network, using performance to share the students' stories. Additionally, through audience donations tied to ticket sales, Trifecta Dance Collective provided thousands of dollars' worth of hygiene supplies and assembled hundreds of care kits, directly supporting the Grace Network's mission and demonstrating the power of art to positively impact community needs. Building on this successful partnership, a deeper collaboration between Trifecta Dance Collective and the Grace Network is currently in development for 2025.Also a part of this performance was a collaboration with Lo Atelier. The collaboration between Lauren Lichtenstein and choreographer Bridget Donovan aimed to break down traditional artistic boundaries, forging new avenues of expression across multiple disciplines. Their endeavor explored the intrinsic connection between visual and performance art, treating both as conduits for soulful expression. Lichtenstein's contribution extended beyond traditional visual art, as she hand-painted costumes for the piece. Furthermore, the music selection was directly inspired by the auditory landscape that accompanied her painting process. This interwoven approach created a cohesive and unique artistic experience, demonstrating how the interplay of visual art, choreography, and music can open up new dimensions of creative expression. The collaborative process emphasized intuitive experimentation and a shared artistic vision, demonstrating how diverse artistic outlets can be unified to create a singular, impactful work.
Nothing More
July 14, 2023 at Park Ridge Community Church, Park Ridge IL
A significant collaboration between Trifecta Dance Collective (TDC) and Park Ridge Community Church addressed the complex relationship between God, religion, and the LGBTQ+ community. The church's creation of a pamphlet, featuring authentic stories of members grappling with their sexual identity within a religious context, provided the source material for TDC's work. TDC engaged deeply with these narratives, translating them into a cohesive and impactful dance performance. This collaborative effort, designed to promote inclusivity and understanding, was shared across three locations, amplifying the project's message.
Heal
November 12, 2022 at The Rooted Space, Chicago IL
This performance was in partnership with Emerald Place Memory Care Facility, where TDC facilitated a special dance residency that fostered human connection in the face of memory loss. Weekly dance classes brought residents and their spouses together, providing a rare opportunity for shared experience. For many couples, separated by the progression of Alzheimer's/Dementia, these classes were a cherished time to reconnect. The power of music often sparked moments of clarity, enabling residents to recognize familiar songs and share meaningful dances with their partners. Being part of these moments of shared joy and connection was an incredibly moving experience for everyone involved
Finding Home
November 6, 2021 On Your Feet Foundation Fundraiser, Evanston IL
A remarkable partnership took center stage at the On Your Feet Foundation's 2021 Gala, as Trifecta Dance Collective (TDC) brought their artistic talents to the forefront. This collaboration wasn't just a performance; it was a genuine exchange. TDC worked closely with the Foundation and directly with birthparents, drawing inspiration from their personal narratives. The resulting dance piece served as a powerful testament to the synergy between artistic expression and social advocacy, demonstrating how art can deepen understanding and amplify the voices of those served by the Foundation. This performance was part of a year long collaboration with Erasing the Distance, a Chicago-based non-profit, uses performance to combat mental health stigma and promote dialogue. TDC translated Erasing the Distance's interview-based monologues into dance performances, aiming to raise awareness and spark conversations about mental health. The collaboration's impact was significant, leading to numerous side projects. These included a residency at Emerald Place Memory Facility, a salon performance with the On Your Feet Foundation, a partnership to adapt a children's book on coping strategies into a performance for elementary students, and the launch of the TDC Library of Humanity Initiative. This initiative allows audience members to record their own stories for a community archive, ensuring these narratives are preserved for future generations.Sign Off
April 6, 2019 Sign Off Foundation Fundraiser, Chicago IL
The collaboration between Trifecta Dance Collective and Sign Off transcended a mere performance; it became a catalyst for genuine human connection. By mandating the surrender of phones, the event immediately fostered a shared vulnerability among attendees, a collective acknowledgment of our dependence on technology as a social shield. This initial discomfort, however, paved the way for deeper engagement. The absence of recording devices allowed the audience to fully immerse themselves in Trifecta's performance, fostering a heightened emotional connection with the dancers and the art itself. Conversations flowed freely before and after the show, sparked by the unique setting of the artifact-filled mansion and the shared experience of being truly present. Beyond the immediate impact, the event likely prompted introspection, encouraging participants to reconsider their relationship with technology and prioritize real-life interactions. This ripple effect could translate to strengthened community bonds, a shift towards more mindful technology use, and the inspiration for future initiatives that champion authentic, in-the-moment experiences. Ultimately, the partnership proved that by removing the digital barrier, we can rediscover the power of unfiltered, human connection.Take Flight
February 10, 2019 Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Deerfield IL
Takeda Pharmaceuticals commissioned Trifecta Dance Collective to create a performance honoring the company's veteran employees. To achieve this, Trifecta members engaged in deeply personal interviews with the veterans, gathering their stories and experiences. These narratives were then transformed into an original dance piece, performed for hundreds of Takeda employees at a corporate event. The resulting show proved to be a profoundly impactful experience, particularly for those employees who had previously held preconceived notions about contemporary dance. The veterans' stories, brought to life through movement, resonated deeply, shattering the perception of dance as abstract and inaccessible, and instead revealing its power to connect and illuminate personal narratives.Displaced
December 7, 2018 DePaul University, Chicago IL
Trifecta Dance Collective and DePaul University's Dax Program forged a powerful artistic partnership, resulting in a performance that humanized the statistics of student homelessness. By collaborating, learning, and artfully depicting the stories of Dax Program students, they brought awareness to a critical issue. Founded in 2015, the Dax Program provides support to students facing housing insecurity, a challenge affecting tens of thousands nationwide. The performance's profound impact was evident in the generous donations received from audience members, directly benefiting the Dax Program.The partnership between DePaul University's Dax Program and Trifecta Dance Collective culminated in a powerful performance at the World's Big Sleep Out on December 7, 2018. This global event, which saw over 60,000 people, including celebrities like Will Smith and Dame Helen Mirren, sleep out in solidarity with those experiencing homelessness and displacement, aimed to raise awareness and funds for this critical issue. The campaign successfully raised millions of dollars for charities worldwide, fostering global compassion and driving efforts towards systemic change. Trifecta Dance Collective's performance, which artistically portrayed the experiences of Dax Program students facing housing insecurity, was a significant part of this event. Locally televised in Chicago and globally photographed and publicized, the performance served as a compelling and artistic means to deepen understanding of the challenges faced by housing-insecure students.Legacy
June 2, 2018 Vittum Theater, Chicago IL
The Our Lady of Perpetual Help Widowed Support Group's partnership with Trifecta Dance Collective in 2018 was a deeply moving testament to the power of shared stories and artistic collaboration. The women of the support group, in an act of profound vulnerability, opened their hearts and shared deeply personal narratives, spanning their entire life journeys. From cherished childhood memories to the joys and challenges of marriage, and ultimately, the profound grief of widowhood, their stories formed the foundation for the dance performance. This exploration of grief, resilience, and legacy provided a rich tapestry of human experience for the choreographers to translate into movement. Trifecta Dance Collective masterfully transformed these personal stories into physical expression, embodying the emotions and experiences shared by the women. The collaboration extended beyond the choreographers, as the support group members themselves bravely stepped onto the stage, sharing their wisdom and strength alongside the professional dancers. The final performance served as a powerful celebration of the women's resilience, community dedication, and the transformative power of art to connect, heal, and honor the enduring strength of the human spirit.
