Ice-Semblé Chicago was founded in 1997 by Ray Belmonte and Liz McShane-Beberdick. After meeting in the 1982-83 Ice Capades’ production Skates Alive, they eventually found themselves settled in Chicago and desiring a space for professional and post-professional skaters to continue their passion for performance beyond commercial ice shows. Thus, Ice-Semblé Chicago was born. Originally composed of a talented company of skaters that collaborated on solo, duets, or ensemble pieces, Ice-Semblé Chicago has since shifted directions while embracing its original intent; creating a space for skaters to perform and display their creative work. Without a company of skaters, Ice-Semblé Chicago acts as an art gallery exhibiting the wide range of works that Chicagoland skaters create.

By producing an annual spring repertoire in the Chicagoland area, Ice-Semblé Chicago fills an important gap in the skating performance ecosystem by showcasing the work of emerging and established choreographers and skating artists. The works presented in the show are not united by style but by how ice impacts the universal life-affirming experience of movement, giving the artists a safe place to self-express.