Fans of Dancing With The Stars rejoice on July 9-21; you are invited to experience the artistry and passion of Savor After Hours: co-produced and choreographed by Val Chmerkovskiy, 3-time winner of Dancing with the Stars, Jenna Johnson Chmerkovskiy Val’s wife and two-time DWTS winner, along with Artem Chigvintsev a Latin dance master and winner for the original version of Strictly Come Dancing from the United Kingdom and DWTS. There is also a supporting cast of six professional backup dancers. Different cast members perform on selected dates through August 18.
Savor After Hours, scheduled for July 23-August 4 show, will feature Val, Jenna, Pasha Pashkov, and Daniella Karagach. Karagach is an Emmy-nominated choreographer and DWTS winner. Pashkov, Daniella’s husband, is a DWTS finalist and winner of multiple prestigious International Dance Championships. On August 6-18, Val and Jenna premiere again with Maks Chmerkovskiy, brother to Val. He was a fourteen-season fan favorite, with one DWTS win. He also made it to the finals four times, with two runner-ups and two third-place finishes.
Our emcee for the evening, Allie Meixner, is a veteran of Broadway and television and a dancer with stars such as Pitbull, Beyonce, 98 Degrees, Katy Perry, and Tony Braxton. She was a gracious, charming presence as Somley. Her microphone sometimes did not seem to project her voice adequately. If you are unfamiliar with these professional dancers, you will still be awestruck by their theatricality and provocative, expressive choreography. This is an exhilarating, intimate, sensuous, enveloping experience with these fiery, world-class champion dancers that promise to leave you awestruck and breathless.
We were graced to be invited for opening night on July 10. Everything about Savor After Hours is magical. The star dancers and backups are charismatic. Their shining personalities captivated the audience with precision dancing and storytelling while interacting with audience members on and off stage. I loved Val’s exquisite violin playing. He was also so complimentary about our hometown, Chicago. He said it is his favorite city for architecture and food, except for pizza eaten with a knife and fork. He said pizza slices need to be held in hand. I know Chicagoans consider this sacrilege, but I am also (despite the heresy) a fan girl of thin crust. Artem’s number performed to Jim Croce’s “Time in a Bottle” was soulful, poignant, and moving. The compositions cover a diverse genre of dance styles. There is classic ballroom, contemporary, jazz, jazz funk, and hip-hop dancing throughout the program.
Mark Swanhart’s Savor After Hours was a creative collaboration with Val Chmerkovskiy. Mark “Swany” Swanhart is a former dancer with strong ties to Chicago. He spent seven years training in various dance troupes, including Hubbard Street. Dance led him to the entertainment industry. He has over 25 years in this industry choreographing, writing, directing, and producing for stage, film, and television. His vision for Savor After Hours is a metaphorical allusion that urges us to savor every moment. Savor After Hours premiered in June 2023 at Napa Valley JaM Cellars Ballroom as a wine-tasting cabaret-themed production. The vision was to pair the experience of wine’s flamboyant flavors and effect on sensory perception with the complex, bold blend of dynamic dance and music. Swanhart and Chmerkovskiy make it work beautifully.
I thought the Bachelorette Party number would be cheesy; instead, it was delightful. Marcie, a guest, was brought onstage as a bachelorette. She was a hoot while the dancers smoothly swayed around her, celebrating and including her in dance moves. All of the dancers are precision-polished professionals who are not hampered by the celebrity’s limited abilities as on DWTS. It is also a sexier, sultry show with glitter, razzle-dazzle costumes, perfect lighting, and mood-enhancing video frame backdrops. The choice of music is fabulous. Every dance routine told a story of moments in life to savor. There was love, lust, jealousy, pathos; comedy poured out in large goblet-sized wine glasses. The highlight of the evening for me was the finale when the spotlight shone on glamorous Doris Davenport in the audience aisle. She embraced her dancing partner in a romantic ballroom twirl. The audience loved this. After the ovation, the family of dancers invited us to get up on our feet and dance. We did; it was wonderful.
Savor After Hours plays at Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower (175 E. Chestnut). Ticket Prices range from $50 to $114, and there are a select number of premium seats and special experiences, including on-stage seating and meet-and-greet opportunities. The show lasts one hour and fifteen minutes with no intermission. It is suitable for ages 14 and up. All persons entering the theatre must have a ticket. Water Tower Place has discount parking for $15.00 with validation from the Box Office Window.
Photos: Courtesy of Broadway in Chicago
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