Some in the dance scene call Jonathan “Jojo” Alsberry the “Kevin Bacon of dance.”
There is a theory that Kevin Bacon can be linked to some degree to every actor in Hollywood through his many films. In the world of dance, Alsberry’s impressive resume links him to the Metropolitan Opera Ballet in New York City, where he was a principal dancer, and to Chicago’s Hubbard Street Dance; to the dance companies of touring musicians Madonna and Cat Power; and to the online dance company Kontemporary Dance Theater, which he founded.
Now Alsberry, who works as senior rehearsal director at Hubbard Street, has a big job in Chicago: choreographing the finale of Dance for Life 2024, an annual performance and benefit that features the celebrities of local Chicago dance companies. For three decades, choreographer Randy Duncan held that honor. This year, he nominated his former student Alsberry for the job.
Alsberry sat down with WBEZ’s “The Rundown” podcast to talk about his choreography process and about Dance For Life, which raises money for the nonprofit Chicago Dance Health Fund and supports the health care and medical needs of dancers.
Jonathan Alsberry (back row, center, in this undated rehearsal photo from Dance for Life) will choreograph the August 10 finale for the 2024 event.
Courtesy of Jonathan Alsberry
Q How did you hear about the Health Fund and Dance for Life?
A: So my connection is directly through Randy Duncan. I’m actually from (Normal, Illinois). I moved to Chicago to go to the Chicago Academy for the Arts, where Randy Duncan was teaching jazz and modern at the time. When I was in high school there, of course, Randy had been choreographing the finale for years, and he would bring me in on weekends to research movements and develop material for what he was creating. Then after I graduated, he actually brought me in to be a part of the finale, which was an incredible experience dancing with these professional dancers that I looked up to, and they really took me under their wing.
Although I moved to New York to go to Juilliard and work there for many years, I came back almost every year after that to dance with Randy in the finale. So we would meet and either create a piece that would then be prepared for performance, or I would help teach (the piece) and prepare it before the performance.
Jonathan Alsberry (left) with renowned choreographer Randy Duncan.
Courtesy of Jonathan Alsberry
Q Tell me more about Randy Duncan.
A. Randy Duncan is a world-famous choreographer. Most people know him immediately because he was one of the choreographers for the famous film “Save the Last Dance”. Randy is an incredible choreographer. His work is characterized by humanity, by community. He can really work with any type of dancer and create a work that touches the soul of any viewer, no matter what their background.
And that’s where I come from. My mother is the minister of our church and she does liturgical dance, and that’s what I grew up with, actually from birth. It was always about praise and celebration of humanity and the love that we share. So Randy was like second nature to me. It was so inspiring for me to see this black man grow up from that perspective in high school and to maintain that connection throughout the years. He’s an incredible, incredible human being.
A past rehearsal for Dance for Life. The event raises money for the Chicago Dance Health Fund, which supports the health care and medical needs of dancers.
Courtesy of Dance for Life
Q Creating something beautiful and meaningful together (for Dance for Life) … Your time and energy go towards something great.
A. It’s important. Visibility is important. Unity is important. Inclusion is incredibly important. And all of those things are present here. That’s why we felt it was so important to give this health and wellness scholarship. During the pandemic, a lot of dancers were out of work because there were no performances. People don’t realize it, but a lot of the dancers don’t have health insurance, or at least health insurance provided by their company, so it was really important to be able to offer them (health insurance funds) to keep them healthy and active.
