The World’s Columbian Exposition has been employed as a theme for several ballet works, and in the spring of 2025 a winter guard treated audiences to a trip to the Chicago fair. Elevate of Indianapolis, Indiana, performed a show titled “In All FAIRness,” inspired by the 1893 World’s Fair and featuring the music of “Merry-Go-Round of Life” by Joe Hisaishi. Competing across the country during the winter months, winter guards perform shows lasting about six-minutes long featuring dance and spinning equipment.

Elevate’s costumes borrowed from fashion elements of 1893, while the floor included graphics of the Ferris Wheel with the top of it emerging from the floor. The theme continued with an entranceway having a “World’s Fair” sign, flag designs featuring imagery of Exposition tickets, and even a set of rolling chairs. WGI posted an article about the show design, “When the World Fair Makes World Class Finals!”

A video of their electrifying performance at the Winter Guard International (WGI) championship on April 5 can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d84_Ha_3xqw. Based on the crowd’s reaction, their Fair show was a hit!