Behind the Joffrey Ballet: Women’s Board celebrates 25 years of philanthropy in Chicago
Behind the Joffrey Ballet: Women’s Board celebrates 25 years of philanthropy in Chicago
The Joffrey Women's Board is celebrating its 25th anniversary, marking a quarter-century of philanthropy, advocacy, and support for the arts.
CHICAGO - The Joffrey Ballet has long been a celebrated part of Chicago's vibrant arts and culture scene.
But behind the world-renowned dance company is a group of women helping support its mission, extend its reach, and shape its future.
This season, the Joffrey Women's Board is celebrating 25 years of philanthropy, advocacy and a shared passion for advancing the arts.
Joffrey Women's Board celebrates 25 years
The backstory:
Inside Joffrey Tower in Chicago's Loop, every step, every turn, and every count come together to create elegance, artistry, and stories on stage.
But behind the scenes, there's another ensemble helping to make it possible.
The Joffrey Women's Board is marking its quarter-century milestone on the heels of the Joffrey Ballet's 70th anniversary.
"It's just an honor to be part of such a legacy organization," said Farissa Knox, president of the Joffrey Women's Board.
"I got a front row seat to see this meteoric rise of the Joffrey here in Chicago since the founding of the Women's Board," said Liz Sharp, a current member and former president of the Joffrey Women's Board.
The dance company, however, didn't always call Chicago home.
"It was in New York for many years and by that point in time, Robert Joffrey had passed away. Gerald Arpino was the artistic director, and he had a big group of fans here in Chicago and they convinced him that Chicago would not be a Second City — but the first city for the Joffrey," Sharp said.
As the Joffrey put down roots in Chicago, a network of support grew around it.
By 2002, Maureen Dwyer Smith's vision for a women's board had taken shape. Among its founding members was Sharp, who would later serve as president.
"The Women's Board, actually, in Chicago, is sort of a unique animal. Many other large cities do not have women's boards associated with their cultural institutions. I think it hearkens back to the Women's Pavilion in the Columbian Exposition," Sharp said.
Today, its roughly 180 members come from a wide range of professions, bringing different experiences and perspectives to the board.
"You’re friend-raisers, your fundraisers, and I think that women are the glue for many organizations," Sharp said.
Through its En Pointe Initiative, some of the board's fundraising directly supports Joffrey productions, including "Notes of Love," which takes the stage in February.
"Currently, the Women's Board is proudly responsible for about half a million dollars in fundraising for the Joffrey [each year]," Knox said.
Dig deeper:
Knox, who is now in her third year as president, said the board's investment reaches beyond what the audience sees — supporting community engagement and education programs that introduce Chicago youth to ballet.
"It's a passion of mine to make sure that the youth have access to just arts and creativity in general," Knox said. "We all know that when people are exposed to the arts, it sort of opens up a piece of their mind that they didn't know existed before."
"Those programs also give young people who like to dance an ability to see where they may be. If you can see it, you can be it," Sharp added.
For Knox and Sharp, the board's work is far from finished.
"I would love to see our board just sort of dig our heels in even harder into the city of Chicago," Knox said. "All of the different corners that we touch continue to diversify this group of women so that we are really making as big of an impact as we can on the city of Chicago."
As the board steps into its next 25 years, its circle continues to grow.
"This women's board is an amazing women's board. You see your future, you see your past, you have an amazing group of friends, and we love new members," Sharp said.
For its members, that means helping shine a spotlight on the Joffrey Ballet — long after curtain call.
"I would just like to put a personal invitation out for everybody to join us at the ballet," Knox said. "We are in production right now for ‘Liliom’ and we have a whole beautiful season ahead of us."
What's next:
"Liliom" is on stage through Sunday, Sept. 27, with limited tickets still available online.
Next month, the company heads to Houston to perform "Midsummer Night's Dream."
The Joffrey then turns its attention to the holiday season, with "The Nutcracker" running December 4-27.
For a full calendar of upcoming Joffrey Ballet performances and events, visit the company's website.
The Source: The information in this report came from interviews with leaders and members of the Joffrey Women's Board, the Joffrey Ballet, and information available on the Joffrey Ballet's official website.