Arts And Culture

“Being exposed to such a remarkable group of dancers and human beings in many different settings is so valuable and provides a great link to the outside dance world.”

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts (KCPA) is one of the nation's premier professional performing arts complexes. It earns high praise from reviewers, even when compared to the nation’s best performance centers, such as the Lincoln Center. However KCPA is more than just a performance facility for professionals.

In 2001, The Krannert Center for the Performing Arts began an annual residency project with the Mark Morris Dance Group that brings Mark Morris dancers into local schools, senior facilities, hospitals, park districts, and - of course - the department of dance at Illinois. April 2006 began their sixth season and Dance majors like Krista Nelson are thrilled!

“Each year I look forward to their residency because it provides a range of interactions and opportunities. We are able to take classes from company members (even Mark Morris himself!), talk with the dancers about their lives and experiences in the professional world, and attend their performances. The quality of choreography and dancing in this group is remarkable. It’s inspirational to the students.”

Illinois students have many opportunities to participate in research in excellent facilities, and students of the arts are no different. At KCPA, they have opportunities to realize their artistic dreams. KCPA commissions new works, so students in music, theatre, dance, and theatre design and technology often find themselves working directly with the artists to create new artistic experiences.

Other outstanding artistic and cultural opportunities at Illinois include the Japan House and Gardens, which provides an authentic Asian experience; the Spurlock Museum of World History and Culture, which holds more than 45,000 artifacts from around the world; and The Krannert Art Museum, which holds the state's largest art collection outside of Chicago!

For more information take a look at the Arts and Culture Page.