Saturday, July 11, 2026 at 7:30 PM
Join us for Circle of Apathy, a new dance project from House of DOV with live music from Family Junket, in the Charlotte Street Stern Theater on July 11 from at 7:30 PM. This performance is co-presented by No Divide KC and Charlotte Street as part of the Queer Narratives Festival.
Circle of Apathy:
a firmament
a fantasia
“In the beginning there was nothing. Then there was everything.”
In Circle of Apathy, the new dance project from House of DOV with live music from Family Junket, the ensemble explores the cycles of growth and disintegration intrinsic to nature, and works together to build physical structures which increase in precarity over two acts as the group strives toward expansion. “Through creative process, we’ve sought to understand our own place within the greater ecology of our landscape, and to experience the human body as a metaphor and microcosm of the natural world,” says Drew Lewis, creative director of House of DOV.
Family Junket’s five musicians blare dense soul with moments of ambience: voices wail, altered by a vocal pedal; saxophone, flute and violin harmonize over precomposed loops; djembe, drum kit and percussion punctuate echoing acoustic piano. House of DOV’s seven dancers push against seemingly immovable forces, find new hand and footholds, and creep forward like a vine up a brick wall. A woman walks through an increasingly dense wood until the brush closes around her entirely. When all paths disappear from sight, a figure steps blindly forward, trusting that there will be a stepping stone beneath their foot.
Before the dancers take the stage at Charlotte Street, we invite you to the Queer Narratives Festival Kickoff & House of DOV Opening Party on July 10th. Join us for an immersive opening party, co-presented by No Divide KC and Charlotte Street.
Circle of Apathy is a “hypnotic” study of growth and disintegration. At this kickoff event, we bring that spirit to the party. Join us for:
- Ambient Soundscapes: Live improvisational textures from Chicago’s own Family Junket.
- Artist Meet-and-Greet: Connect with Creative Director Drew Lewis and the House of DOV ensemble.
- Festival Kickoff: Help No Divide KC launch the Queer Narratives Festival with high energy and deep intention.
PAY WHAT YOU CAN: We believe in a sustainable future for dance. There is no set ticket price for this party, but we are asking for donations at the door. 100% of proceeds from this event go directly to the traveling artists to cover their costs while touring to Kansas City.
RSVP for the Queer Narratives Festival Kickoff & House of DOV Opening Party by clicking here.
ABOUT HOUSE OF DOV
House of DOV is a movement-based performance ensemble from Chicago, IL, led by Drew Lewis. Our namesake is Benjamin Dov Lebowitz, Drew’s ancestor who immigrated to America from Russia in the early 1900’s, escaping pogroms. The ensemble exists as a vehicle to explore Drew’s own creative work and heritage, and to provide talented yet under-represented Chicago dancers with opportunities for paid work in performance and practice. Our vision is of a dance field that celebrates diversity of genre, body-type, race and gender, and our mission is to be a changemaker in the local dance conversation while engaging with global discourse through touring.
Since our inaugural performance at the Adler Planetarium (Finalist for the Chicago Reader’s Best of 2021) House of DOV has performed throughout Chicago including at Fulton Street Collective, Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble, and Navy Pier (among many more venues). We’ve received commissions for original works from The Steppenwolf Theatre and The Arts Club of Chicago, and we’ve been in residence at Chicago Cultural Center, Ragdale, The Schoolhouse, and The Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts at the University of Chicago. For more, visit www.houseofdov.com.
ABOUT FAMILY JUNKET
Family Junket is the collective voice of Chicago-based musicians who are also social workers, teachers, farmers, dancers, writers, painters, photographers, and performance artists coming together to create healing spaces, community, and parties. As a band, they play lush, unpredictable compositions featuring horns, strings, percussion, vocal interplay, and an improvisational spirit. Their debut album, Did you tell the bees?, released May 2025 with features in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Reader, and City Cast Chicago (WBEZ).
ABOUT QUEER NARRATIVES FESTIVAL
The Queer Narratives Festival is Kansas City’s multi-disciplinary queer arts festival focused on queer artists living and working in Kansas City. QNF centers queer voices through performance, visual art, and community-centered programming. Back for its 7th year, the QNF features a curated visual arts exhibition at Smalter Gallery and a one-day performance showcase at The Ship. Find full schedule of events visiting nodividekc.org
ABOUT IN(SITE)
In(SITE) is a multidisciplinary performance series curated by Patrick Alexander that highlights local, regional, and national acts at pivotal points in their practices. Each performance showcases contemporary works that push boundaries, take risks, and demonstrate excellence in performing arts.
