December 18–20, 2026 · Chicago's southwest suburbs

Beyond the Nutcracker

A Christmas tradition filled with wonder, hope, and the magic of storytelling.

Join Ballet Five Eight at Carl Sandburg High School for a holiday ballet the whole family can experience together. Make a day of it with photos with Santa and holiday vendors in the lobby before and after every show.

Four performances · Friday evening, Saturday afternoon & evening, Sunday afternoon

Beyond the Nutcracker official production artwork

Plan Your Holiday Outing

Choose your performance.

December 18–20 · Carl Sandburg High School · Orland Park, Illinois

Friday, Dec. 18

7:00 PM

Holiday market and photos with Santa before and after the show.

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Saturday, Dec. 19

2:00 PM

Holiday market and photos with Santa before and after the show.

Buy Tickets

Saturday, Dec. 19

7:00 PM

Holiday market and photos with Santa before and after the show.

Buy Tickets

Sunday, Dec. 20

3:00 PM

Holiday market and photos with Santa before and after the show.

Buy Tickets

Arrive early or stay afterward for festive shopping with holiday vendors, seasonal treats, and family photos with Santa.

Women on Fire season artwork

April 17, 2027 · 7:30 PM · Harris Theater, Chicago

Women on Fire

Four acclaimed women choreographers. Five powerful works. One extraordinary evening celebrating fifteen years of women shaping, sustaining, and reimagining ballet.

Join us for an evening of world premieres, compelling perspectives, and the expressive power of dance.

On Stage · Spring 2027

More stories to experience.

The Curious Life of Edgar Allan Poe artwork

March 6 · South Bend

The Curious Life of Edgar Allan Poe

A vivid journey into the life, imagination, and legacy of the celebrated American writer. Morris Performing Arts Center · 7:00 PM.

Show Details & Tickets
The Thick and the Clear artwork

March 19–20 · Wheaton

The Thick and the Clear

Faith, imagination, and what endures. An immersive weekend of conversation, art, community, and live performance.

Early bird registration: $225 through December 1.

Register on CueBox
Libby Dennen, Women on Fire

April 17 · Chicago

Women on Fire

Five works by four women choreographers at Harris Theater.

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Inside the Creative Process

From lived experience to the stage.

Discover two new works taking shape for Women on Fire, and the voices, questions, and creative choices behind them.

Women Who Carry Water creative artwork

New Work · Stories in Motion

Women Who Carry Water

What does it mean to carry a community? Built through oral histories and story circles, this new ballet begins by listening to women whose often-unseen work sustains families, institutions, and neighborhoods.

Follow the Creative Process
Chingonas creative artwork

New Work · Bold Female Voices

Chingonas

Five women. An unapologetic voice. Through music, movement, humor, and daring, this new work celebrates the vitality and courage of women taking up space.

Meet the Work

Learn with Ballet Five Eight

Find your place at the School of Ballet Five Eight.

Discover high-caliber classical training, artistic growth, and programs for dancers at every stage, from first steps through professional preparation.

Ballet Five Eight students in class

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Make the Work Possible

Powerful stories. Lasting impact.

Support professional artists, original choreography, training, and community programs that invite audiences into conversations about life, faith, and human dignity.

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In the Spotlight

Stories that resonate beyond the stage.

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Art that moves us forward.

From the rehearsal studio to the stage, every story begins with people—artists, students, and a community willing to imagine something more.

Ballet Five Eight artist Libby Dennen
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Women Who Carry Water creative artwork
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