Read about the supporters who make an impact at the Joffrey.
Arnold and Marina Tatar
We became ardent fans of the Joffrey years before the Company moved from New York to Chicago. The Joffrey toured regularly to The Auditorium Theatre, and we never missed a performance! We and the Chicago audiences fell in love with the Company and were overjoyed when Gerald Arpino made Chicago their permanent home in October 1995.
Our support of Live Music is our way of paying back for all the ways the Joffrey has enriched our lives and the lives of the people of Chicago.
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We created The Marina and Arnold Tatar Fund for Live Music in 2016 when we realized that live music is costly but essential to the continuing ascent of the Joffrey as a pre-eminent ballet company. Other ballet companies had been financially forced to use only recorded scores, and we were excited about preserving live music for our beloved Joffrey.
Yuri Possokhov’s Anna Karenina, is, without a doubt, our favorite ballet. Ashley Wheater’s vision made it happen. He gathered talented and creative minds who worked together to produce a masterpiece of original choreography and music, as well as heart-rending storytelling, staging, sets, and projections. Combined with our dancers’ compelling acting and dance performances (with Victoria Jaiani as Anna) and original live music (composed by Ilya Demutskiy and conducted by Scott Speck), Joffrey’s Anna Karenina won international prizes and acclaim. This outstanding achievement would not have been possible without devoted benefactors’ love, commitment, and financial support. Marina and I are gratified to know we played a part in this achievement.
Witnessing the Joffrey’s rise in the global ballet community is a source of immense pride for us. Each season, the Company takes on greater challenges and, in return, achieves remarkable artistic and financial success.
Sandi Hartstein
I have always been interested in anything related to dance. When I learned that my son, Adam DeWitt, was on the Board of Directors, and his wife, my daughter-in-law, Merritt, was on the Women’s Board of the Joffrey, I was ecstatic. Merritt asked if I would be interested in joining the Women’s Board in 2013, and I jumped at the chance!
The Joffrey Ballet is important to me for so many reasons. As a lover of dance, I am committed to helping the Company stay on the fantastic trajectory they have been on – constantly growing and doing more. And, as a born and raised Chicagoan, I know how important the Joffrey is to our city and the innovative arts, music, and cultural programs we have here.
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My favorite memory with the Joffrey was when I held the Presidency of the Women’s Board from 2020 – 2022. I loved being involved with not only my Executive Committee, the co-chairs of various committees, and members of the Women’s Board, but also with the Joffrey staff and Board of Directors. I have always said that The Joffrey Ballet is not a business, but a family. I cherish these special years and the wonderful friendships I have made through my service.
Of course, my favorite performance would have to be Romeo and Juliet! I participated in the performances as a supernumerary and played the part of Romeo’s Mother. What fun to be on the stage again in my later years, traveling with the Company to New York and Los Angeles and getting to know them so well.
I love knowing that my support helps the Joffrey continue to thrive, enabling the Joffrey’s Artistic team and dedicated teachers and rehearsal directors to make their visions a reality. I love knowing my donations are going toward a worthwhile cause I am passionate about. Today, I am also a member of the Star Society, and it is an inspiration to leave a legacy gift to the Company I love so dearly.
The Joffrey has top-drawer leadership, staff, and, of course, Company Artists. I am thrilled and honored to be a part of it.
Sarah Torri
Our family has been Joffrey subscribers for about 15 years, and when we saw personal testimonials from the artists asking for support, it felt so personal to us. We knew we had to get involved.
The first time we attended a performance, I brought my daughter to see Cinderella. She was three and a half years old and, of course, wore her tutu to the Auditorium Theatre. She loved it.
When we returned a year later to see The Merry Widow, my daughter, again in her tutu, recognized Christine Rocas dancing on stage and said so out loud! I apologized to the surrounding patrons during intermission, and one patron happened to be the sister of another Company Artist, Yumelia Garcia. She invited us backstage after the performance. What is not to love for a four-year-old girl, about being taken by the hand for a backstage tour of the costumes and the wigs, with lots of hugs from so many lovable people? It was an unforgettable day for us and the beginning of many Joffrey friendships.
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I have enjoyed seeing the performing arts all my life. The Joffrey Ballet inspires me in such a unique way. The caliber of the performances I have seen over the years is profoundly impressive. It has been wonderful to be part of the Joffrey community, getting to know artists, staff members, academy students, and more. We care for and support each other. It feels like family.
My favorite memories revolve around the artists and the staff. Getting to know such talented people, who are authentic and appreciative, is an honor. I loved bringing my then 10-year-old son to The Green Table because he understood the story’s message. I also love (and usually cry) during the party scene of Chris Wheeldon’s Nutcracker.
During the pandemic, when we were in lockdown, and the artists were home, they were encouraged to call Joffrey supporters. Fernando Duarte was the one who called me. So, I asked, “How are you doing?”. We had such a sweet and open discussion about the difficulties of not dancing in the studio. I encouraged them to stay positive and stressed how much we need the arts. I don’t know if they’ll remember that, but I always will.
My family specifically supports the Academy of Dance because we believe in training young aspiring dancers. They will keep this art form alive. We enjoy getting to know the academy teachers and the students, many of whom have been at our home and are gracious, genuine, and funny!
Being part of Joffrey family has been an honor, and we look forward to many more delightful memories together.
Elliott Crigger
I first attended a Joffrey performance—Sacred Grove on Mt. Tamalpais—at the Auditorium Theatre in the mid-1970s, shortly before I graduated from the University of Chicago. When I returned to the city thirty-some years later, I began attending performances regularly, eventually as a season subscriber. Somewhere along the way, I finally attained the wherewithal to become a donor.
I’ve always found dance the most compelling art form. I wanted to celebrate that Joffrey had made Chicago its home. Every dance company that performs here, resident or touring, enriches the city and needs and deserves our support.
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Joffrey captured my respect with the artistry of every member of the Company and its “all-star, no-star” ethos. Beyond its dancers, the Joffrey’s great strength is the breadth of the Company’s engagement with programming beyond the traditional canon. Bayadere was the first piece I saw on returning to the city, but I was hooked when I saw Yuri Possokov’s RAkU. I returned for a matinee performance the following day to see it again.
The Company is distinctive in that it honors the work of its founders and regularly stages updated classics, like Wheeldon’s Swan Lake and Nutcracker, yet focuses on bringing exceptional works by contemporary choreographers to Chicago. It is a joy that the Joffrey actively commissions new work to challenge its dancers and audiences. I also commend the Company’s outreach to make ballet accessible across the city, and I especially thank them for the Adult Open Division classes!
My favorite memories with the Joffrey include specific mainstage productions like RAkU, Home, Vespertine, Swing Low, Of Mice and Men, Hungry Ghosts, and Frankenstein. The opportunity to take ballet classes through the Open Adult Division also stands out—many thanks to Emily Stein and Rich Grund for their patience and skill as instructors.
What I love most as a donor is that there is a Joffrey Ballet to donate to. I enjoy the Joffrey Circle Salon events and being able to attend the occasional technical rehearsal, as well as the donor dance class. I am also working on making The Joffrey Ballet part of my estate plans so that the great work of the Joffrey can continue far into the future.
What I want to say to Joffrey the most is… thank you!
Patti Eylar
I was a professional ballet dancer in Chicago before the Joffrey moved here. The local companies that preceded Joffrey’s arrival, Chicago City Ballet and Ballet Chicago, struggled to survive. Joffrey is a fantastic success story and a testament to strong leadership. I’ve been a supporter since 2003.
Especially considering my 18 years in struggling ballet companies, it’s a thrill to be involved in Joffrey’s success! It’s wonderful for Chicago to have a thriving ballet company. There are far too many outstanding performances to choose a favorite, but I danced many Balanchine ballets, so the Balanchine repertory is especially exciting to me.
The Joffrey family is a brilliant and inspiring group of dance enthusiasts, and I’ve made many new friends here – dancers, staff, and donors alike. I love seeing the Company up close in the studio and tech rehearsals.
I am also a Star Society member. Leaving a legacy through being a Star Society member is a relatively easy way to give. This includes commitments in estate plans, a gift in your will or trust, naming Joffrey as a beneficiary of a retirement account, a donor-advised fund, or a life insurance policy. These gifts ensure that the Joffrey will continue to thrive into the future, although, I hope the Joffrey doesn’t receive my legacy gift for a while! Jokes aside, being involved with the Joffrey has been a delight, and I look forward to being part of the Company’s continued success!
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