Review: ‘A Place to Be’ Challenges Perceptions of Homelessness Through Dance
Every human deserves a safe place to come home to. And genuine human connection is the only way we grow stronger, together.
Solarium Dance Company’s Picabo Saunders and Maddie Denman in “A Place to Be” – photo by Lawrence Powell Jr. (@quazzijoestar)
Solarium Dance Company’s latest work, A Place to Be, is a powerful call to empathy—a reminder that homelessness has no single face and no simple narrative. Created in partnership with PADS of Elgin, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals facing housing challenges, the production blends real-world voices, dynamic sound and lighting, and emotionally-driven choreography to center a very human experience so often overlooked.
A Place to Be premiered at The Edge Theater in Chicago on Saturday, March 22nd, 2025, with a matinee performance the following afternoon.
Solarium Dance Company in “A Place to Be” — photo by Lawrence Powell Jr.
As I settled into my seat with my partner to watch our friend, Kennedy Hayes, perform as a guest artist, I had no idea how deeply I would be moved by this incredibly thoughtful and layered piece of art. Throughout the performance, I found myself in awe — not only of the dancers’ movement and synchronicity, but also of their astounding ability to evoke genuinely visceral reactions through their presence, energy, and spirit.
Artistic Director Tori Cartee speaks fondly of her company members, whom she fully entrusts to breathe life into her choreography and elevate the work as it evolves.
Even when a dancer fell ill just before the premiere, the company came together to rework the entire show with immense dedication, trust, and respect for one another and the work they represent. In the spirit of true community, their connection was evident in every aspect of the performance. Together, they molded movement with emotion — physically linking to one another, lifting and supporting each other, and offering gentle comfort in moments of stillness.
“You can’t choreograph spirit, you can only hope people experience it when it takes stage.”
The full cast for A Place to Be includes:
Madeline Denman, Ellie Daley (a college intern who also performed at Solarium’s recent fundraising event), Bridget Donovan, Kennedy Hayes (guest artist for the season), Andi Learman (originally cast but unable to perform due to illness), Sarah O’Keeffe, Picabo Saunders, and Anna Wetoska.
Solarium Dance Company’s Season II guest artist, Kennedy Hayes, in “A Place to Be” — photo by Lawrence Powell Jr.
Like many great artists, Cartee initially questioned her ability to do justice to the stories reflected in the piece. But a pivotal conversation with a former PADS guest — a woman she described as “strong, passionate, and resilient” — affirmed the importance of telling these stories. It became clear that art made with care and genuine intention could offer a vital space for connection and reflection.
“Art, when created with authenticity, empathy, advocacy, passion, and kindness, can not, in any sense of the word, be wrong.”
During the creative process, Cartee shares that the movement in A Place to Be unfolded organically, often guided more by intuition than strict set phrases. The result was a living, breathing mosaic of experiences, with spoken voice recordings woven throughout the artwork.
These recordings, from former guests of PADS who were directly impacted by homelessness, offered a grounding counterpoint that kept the work deeply tied to lived experience.
The soundtrack was seamless from start to finish — as if every story were an individual square in a larger quilt, held together by the music. To merely listen to the piece with your eyes closed would be a rich artistic experience on its own, but when paired with movement, the themes of displacement, resilience, isolation, and hope sink even deeper into your bones. Even during quiet moments, the music twinkles, and the lights seem to dance in response.
Solarium Dance Company speaking with Kristal Thompson, board member & former guest of PADs of Elgin — photo by James Harvey Photography
The lighting, designed and programmed by Cartee herself, became an invisible partner in the storytelling. Over 160 lighting cues moved in concert with the performers, shaping the emotional landscape of each moment—from the starkness of abandonment to the warm glow of belonging.
I especially appreciated how the recorded stories returned throughout the piece. One woman’s voice, in particular, stayed with me — it was easier for my brain to recognize hers across multiple segments. She described her journey navigating housing insecurity in tremendous detail, including the emotional rollercoaster it set into motion. It wasn’t hard to imagine myself in her shoes – because I already had been.
In her story, she illuminated the kind of helplessness you feel when you do everything “right”, but circumstance has no preference – how the weight of these burdens grows almost unbearable, yet you keep pushing because you have no choice but to survive.
When my partner and I moved to Los Angeles, we fought similar battles with housing — not once, but twice. The first time, a pipe burst in our shared bathroom. We had no lease, no renters’ insurance, and no safety net when we were asked to leave for repairs. For three weeks, we bounced between friends’ couches, cheap Airbnbs, and nights in our car before finally finding a new place to live.
The second time came after months of fighting an illegal eviction in court, followed by the devastating wildfires that swept across Los Angeles earlier this year. Despite learning our tenant rights, representing ourselves in court, and preparing as best we could, there’s nothing that can truly brace anyone for the reality of homelessness. For another three weeks, we had no bed to come home to.
Solarium Dance Company’s Sarah O’Keeffe and Picabo Saunders in “A Place to Be” — photo by Lawrence Powell Jr.
Each storyteller in A Place to Be expressed the full emotional spectrum of their experiences – from despair to resilience, from grief to hope — and Solarium’s dancers embodied those feelings with care, heart, and vulnerability. They portrayed the stories so well, I felt as if they had told ours, too.
Ultimately, A Place to Be challenges audiences to not only confront the realities of homelessness but to recognize the deep, often invisible humanity within each story. It’s frightening, overwhelmingly stressful — and it can happen to anyone. It’s also one of the hardest things to talk about. But connection is the way through.
If there is only one takeaway from A Place to Be, it’s this:
Every human deserves a safe place to come home to. And genuine human connection is the only way we grow stronger, together.
Solarium’s Special Thanks:
“To Catie Early and Jen Keller, for trusting us to tell these stories through movement.”
“And to the resilient, courageous previous guests of PADs of Elgin for sharing their inspirational stories.”
Solarium Dance Company in “A Place to Be” — photo by Lawrence Powell Jr.
Solarium Dance Company is currently preparing to welcome new artists at their upcoming audition for Season III, taking place on June 22, 2025, at The Rooted Space - Juniper Room (1803 W Byron St, Suite 201, Chicago IL, 60613).
To learn more about the company and what they’re looking for, visit their website.
Written by Ellaine Manuel for Solarium Dance Company.
Featured image: Picabo Saunders and Maddie Denman in A Place to Be. Captured by Lawrence Powell Jr. (@quazzijoestar)