Wickedest City in America: Dancing, Drinking and Debauchery!

April 11th at 7:00 pm

April 12th at 2:00 pm

Galvin Fine Arts Center, Davenport, Iowa

Step into the dazzling world of Davenport’s Bucktown during its legendary Golden Age.

In this thrilling narrative ballet, the streets come alive with music, movement, and unforgettable characters. Lights glow late into the night, fortunes change in an instant, and every corner holds a new story waiting to unfold.

Wickedest City in America, choreographed by Emily Kate Long, is a Ballet Quad Cities original inspired by the story of Anita Ray, a Chicago performer who appeared at Davenport’s Iowa Theatre in 1903—the very year Davenport’s own jazz great, Bix Beiderbecke, was born. After her visit, Anita described the city as wild, energetic, and impossible to forget.

At the turn of the 20th century, Bucktown was one of the most talked-about neighborhoods in the Midwest—a place where music played, crowds gathered, and the night seemed to stretch on forever. Beneath the sparkle and excitement were stories of ambition, independence, and people chasing their dreams.

Through powerful storytelling and dynamic choreography, Wickedest City in America brings this fascinating chapter of Davenport’s past to life in a performance that’s exciting, theatrical, and welcoming for audiences of all ages.