Wade Schaaf (They/Them) hails from the Chicago area and graduated Cum Laude from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theater arts (emphasis on dance performance). During their professional career, Wade danced for multiple companies including the Ohio Ballet, State Street Ballet Santa Barbara, The Omaha Theater Ballet, Thodos Dance Chicago, and River North Chicago Dance Company. During their time dancing, Wade worked with numerous choreographers like Septime Weber, Stephen Mills, Frank Chaves, Laurie Stallings, and the Tony Award-winning choreographer Ann Reinking. Wade had the privilege to dance such roles as Tybalt in Robin Welche’s Romeo and Juliet, Snow King in Welche’s The Nutcracker, and Jonathan in Kennet Oberly’s “Dracula” as well, had the role of Mayor Carter Harrison set on them in the Thodos/Reinking collaboration, The White City.

After retiring from the stage, Mx. Schaaf went on to open Chicago Repertory Ballet in November of 2011. The company premiered to the headline review, “A Bright Debut for Chicago Repertory Ballet.” (Sid Smith, The Chicago Tribune). Since the debut of CRB Wade has gone on to create such exceptional works as, Le Sacre de Printemps, The Four Seasons and their full-length ballet adaptation of Shakespeare’s MACBETH. Mx. Schaaf continues to steer the company through its vision of challenging our concept of ballet both in form and structure to create ‘dance that defies labels’.

Outside of the studio, Mx. Schaaf has a variety of interests ranging from visual art to health and wellness. Wade is certified in both the Pilates method (through Power Pilates) and RedCord and is happy to enrich the lives of many through fitness.