Dates & times
All times are local to the venue · America/Chicago
- From 7:30 PM
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 7:30 PM; doors open one hour before the show. Ending time is not stated by the event venue. The production's general listing gives a 75-minute duration without intermission, but does not separately confirm that timing for this performance.
How Ballets Jazz Montréal Turns Leonard Cohen’s Work Into Dance
Dance Me takes Leonard Cohen’s songs and poems as material for choreography, not as a script for a biography. Three choreographers shape the movement, while music, video, lighting and scenic design contribute to the production’s interpretation of his work.
Cohen’s work, seen through dance
The Auditorium describes Dance Me as a tribute inspired by the music and poetry of Montréal-born artist Leonard Cohen. The production evokes broad cycles of existence; it does not present itself as a chronological account of his life. The venue also says Cohen approved the tribute during his lifetime.
A critic’s description included on Ballets Jazz Montréal’s production page interprets Cohen’s work through five stages of life. That is a critical reading, not a published sequence of scenes. Cohen’s connection to Montréal is shared by the company, a repertory ensemble from the city, giving the tribute a local point of reference without making it a biography.
Further reading: Dance Me: The Music of Leonard Cohen | The Auditorium Theatre ↗ · Dance Me - Music by Leonard Cohen | Ballets Jazz Montréal ↗ · Ballets Jazz Montréal Chicago Shows on Do312 ↗
Three choreographers, one shared source
Andonis Foniadakis, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Ihsan Rustem created the choreography. Eric Jean is credited with stage direction by the company; The Auditorium also credits him with dramaturgy and names Louis Robitaille as artistic director. The venue lists 14 performing artists, but does not identify the cast for this Chicago date.
The company’s general production credits name Zoey Anderson for vocals on “So Long, Marianne,” and Anderson and DaMond LeMonte Garner for voices on “Hallelujah.” These credits offer a glimpse of how Cohen’s songs enter the production, but they are not a Chicago-specific cast announcement or song-by-song program.
Further reading: Dance Me: The Music of Leonard Cohen | The Auditorium Theatre ↗ · Dance Me - Music by Leonard Cohen | Ballets Jazz Montréal ↗
Music and design are part of the interpretation
The production’s creative credits extend well beyond the choreographers. Martin Léon is musical director, and Alexis Dumais composed the music. Pierre-Étienne Locas designed the set and props; Alexandre Brunet is credited for technical direction and set design. Cédric Delorme-Bouchard and Simon Beetschen handled lighting design and production.
Hub Studio’s video-production team is Gonzalo Soldi, Thomas Payette and Jeremy Fassio. Philippe Dubuc designed the costumes, manufactured by Anne-Marie Veevaete. The credits also name Elsa Posnic as assistant director and Guy Fortin as sound engineer. Together, these roles show how the production’s visual and musical framing is built alongside its movement.
Further reading: Dance Me - Music by Leonard Cohen | Ballets Jazz Montréal ↗
A 2017 creation on the touring calendar
Ballets Jazz Montréal dates Dance Me to 2017. Its calendar places the Chicago performance among the company’s 2026 tour stops, with other engagements in North America and Europe; Montréal dates follow later in November. This is a touring performance of an existing work, not a newly announced premiere.
The company lists a 75-minute running time without intermission. The Auditorium does not publish a Chicago-specific ending time, so that duration is useful for planning but should not be treated as a confirmed local schedule.
Further reading: Dance Me - Music by Leonard Cohen | Ballets Jazz Montréal ↗ · Calendrier | Ballets Jazz Montréal ↗
One work on the bill
The listing names Ballets Jazz Montréal and Dance Me: The Music of Leonard Cohen, with no supporting act or additional session listed. Production-level vocal and performer credits are not a confirmed Chicago setlist or cast.
Saturday, November 7, 2026 · The Auditorium Theatre
- Ballets Jazz Montréal — Dance Me: The Music of Leonard Cohen
Plan around the performance
Saturday, November 7
The performance starts at 7:30 p.m., with doors opening one hour earlier, at 6:30 p.m. The venue’s general in-person box-office policy is to open two hours before a performance and close at its scheduled start time.
Dance Me: The Music of Leonard Cohen | The Auditorium Theatre ↗
Tickets are on sale
The Auditorium links to ticket sales through AXS. The listed event information does not state a ticket price or age guidance.
Dance Me: The Music of Leonard Cohen | The Auditorium Theatre ↗
The Auditorium Theatre
The theatre is at 50 East Ida B. Wells Drive, Chicago, IL 60605. Opened in 1889 and designed by Adler & Sullivan, it is a National Historic Landmark.
Dance Me: The Music of Leonard Cohen | The Auditorium Theatre ↗ · The Auditorium, Upcoming Events in Chicago on Do312 ↗
About 75 minutes, without intermission
Ballets Jazz Montréal lists the production at 75 minutes without intermission. The Auditorium does not give an event-specific end time, so allow for the possibility that the local schedule may differ.
Dance Me - Music by Leonard Cohen | Ballets Jazz Montréal ↗ · Dance Me: The Music of Leonard Cohen | The Auditorium Theatre ↗
Getting to The Auditorium Theatre
CTA
The venue guide lists the Red Line to Jackson; Brown, Orange and Pink Line service to Adams/Wabash or Library–State/Van Buren; and the Blue Line to LaSalle, followed by a short walk. The destination is The Auditorium Theatre at 50 East Ida B. Wells Drive. Map links can calculate directions from your starting point.
Parking
The venue guide lists Loop Auto Parks at 524 S. Wabash Ave. as its closest recommended option, about half a block from the theatre, and identifies it as preferred and accessible parking. Other listed garages are Grant Park South Garage at 325 S. Michigan Ave. and Printers Square Garage at 75 W. Harrison St. The theatre provides advance-reservation links; rates and availability are not stated in the guide.
Address and access
The event is at The Auditorium Theatre, 50 East Ida B. Wells Drive, Chicago, IL 60605. The event listing does not describe event-specific entrance or interior accessibility arrangements. The accessible-parking reference is about Loop Auto Parks, not access inside the theatre; contact the venue about access needs for this performance.
Dance Me: The Music of Leonard Cohen | The Auditorium Theatre ↗ · The Auditorium, Upcoming Events in Chicago on Do312 ↗
Before you make a plan
When do doors open?
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., one hour before the 7:30 p.m. performance.
Dance Me: The Music of Leonard Cohen | The Auditorium Theatre ↗
How long is the performance?
Ballets Jazz Montréal lists the production at 75 minutes without intermission. The Auditorium does not publish a Chicago-specific end time.
Dance Me - Music by Leonard Cohen | Ballets Jazz Montréal ↗ · Dance Me: The Music of Leonard Cohen | The Auditorium Theatre ↗
What does the listing say about ticket prices?
Tickets are on sale through AXS, but the listed event information does not state the price.
Dance Me: The Music of Leonard Cohen | The Auditorium Theatre ↗
Which CTA stops does the venue guide recommend?
It lists Jackson on the Red Line; Adams/Wabash or Library–State/Van Buren on the Brown, Orange and Pink Lines; and LaSalle on the Blue Line.
Location & Google Maps
The Auditorium Theatre
50 East Ida B. Wells Drive, Chicago, IL 60605
Map search by venue and address. Check the organiser’s entrance details before travelling.