With wavy purple hair, a discernable nose ring and a furry black coat, 20-year old Gabby stands out even when she's not in costume. But when she undergoes her colorful transformation every Friday night, the suburban Maryland native is sure to turn heads.

Jessica Connell is perched on a trapeze in a single spotlight as a piece of classical music plays. s I watched her dance on and with the trapeze I couldn't help but think of how different Circa's Wunderkammer experience is from my adventure with Cirque du Soleil last week.

Chicago, which now has a string of artistic "firsts" under its belt, is also becoming a major player on the world stage of dance. And it isn't just that Chicago is bringing in international heavy hitters to perform. It also touts many important dance companies of its own.

As a dancer, her range of interest, experience and expertise is itself a defiance of boundaries; her biography lists "contemporary, ballet, jazz, modern, hip hop, breakdance, ballroom, tap, and fusions of various styles," somehow leaving out her performances as an aerial artist.