A long-overdue exhibit tells the story of the risk-taking Joffrey Ballet

The Joffrey Ballet danced along a fine line for several decades: The company could either take big artistic risks or die trying. On more than one occasion, death almost won.But, as any Chicagoan who looks skyward on State Street knows, the Joffrey lives on. Today, the Joffrey is Chicago’s preeminent classical ballet company. But nearly 70 years ago, it was a nascent group that co-founders Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino were trying to get off the ground in New York, with six dancers and a station wagon.In this episode, WBEZ arts and culture reporter Courtney Kueppers introduced us to the pioneering and persevering spirit of the Joffrey Ballet through the lens of a new exhibit.