As the leader of the Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project, Princess Mhoon is on a mission to raise awareness around the necessity of Black dance in the city and beyond. CBDLP was launched by the Logan Center for the Arts at the University of Chicago and the Joyce Foundation in 2019, in response to a […]
Tag: Logan Center for the Arts at The University of Chicago
Sponsored
In Motion: NAJWA Dance Corps preserve and celebrate African American heritage through dance
Spearheaded by dance pioneer Najwa I on Chicago’s west side in 1977 and officially incorporated in 1979, NAJWA Dance Corps has carved out a path for Black creatives and has inspired audiences with its dynamic performances featuring a mix of music and dance styles that celebrate African-American dance heritage and experience. Executive director Sheila Walker […]
Sponsored
In Motion: Muntu Dance Theatre celebrates the African diaspora through dance, music, and folklore
Muntu Dance Theatre is a Chicago-based West African dance company that’s beloved for its commitment to innovation, community, and culture. Their stage work centers the African and African American experience, but their message is universal. “We believe that there is merit in all cultures and that we should strive to celebrate our similarities instead of […]
Sponsored
In Motion: Move Me Soul invests in Chicago youth to uplift a rising generation of professional dancers
Since 2008, Chicago dance organization Move Me Soul has shaped the lives of hundreds of local teens through preprofessional dance training. The company was born out of a dance elective course led by founder and artistic director Ayesha Jaco at Austin High School. Inspired by the success of that class, she adapted her teachings—which center […]
Sponsored
In Motion: Chicago’s M.A.D.D. Rhythms is on a mission to share the gospel of tap
Around the dawn of the new millennium, Chicago tap dancer Bril Barrett began to share his love of tap dance with his little brother and other local Black kids at the Sammy Dyer School of the Theatre as a way to keep them out of trouble. As word spread, attendance at his weekly sessions began […]
Sponsored
In Motion: Joel Hall Dancers & Center uplift local artists and promote social change through urban jazz dance
In 1974, Chicago dancer and choreographer Joel Hall cofounded the Chicago City Theatre Company to amplify the creative talents and stories of some of the city’s most marginalized individuals. A Black, gay man and Cabrini-Green native, Hall’s mission was to carve out a safe space where dancers like himself could pursue concert dance. Today, the […]
Sponsored
In Motion: The Era Footwork Collective take footwork abroad while investing in the next generation of Chicago dance and music
“Footwork saves lives.” Those three words comprise the mantra that the members of the Era Footwork Collective live by. The local group—also known as the Era Footwork Crew—consists of four dancers and two producers who helped pioneer Chicago Footwork, the Chicago-born electronic music genre and battle-dance styles known for their impressive speeds. “We’re products of […]
Sponsored
In Motion: Praize Productions Inc. fosters sisterhood and community through dance
As a young, rising Chicago dancer, Enneréssa LaNette envisioned herself leading an arts organization of her own. So in 2010, when she was 25 years old, she founded Prazie Productions Inc. (PPI) on the city’s south side. “I always knew that eventually I would be a professional artist and start an organization where we can […]
Sponsored
In Motion: Forward Momentum Chicago teaches Chicago’s youngest generations about dance and life
Since 2013, Forward Momentum Chicago has been engaging local students in the art of dance by meeting them where they are—in their schools. The South Loop–based organization is led by founder and executive director Pierre Lockett, a professional dancer who performed with the Dance Theatre of Harlem and the Joffrey Ballet, where he also served […]
Sponsored
In Motion: Deeply Rooted Dance Theater reveals itself as Chicago’s “best kept secret” as it looks toward expansion
“I keep saying, in this moment, I think we may be one of the best-kept secrets,” says Nicole Clarke-Springer, the artistic director of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater. The critically acclaimed Chicago-based dance company is beloved for its spectacular storytelling and world-class performers, but still, it’s often flown under the radar. In 2019, WTTW theater critic […]
Sponsored
In Motion: The Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center and Hiplet Ballerinas empower the next generation of artists
For decades, the Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center (CMDC) has been at the intersection of dance, innovation, and inclusivity. Located in the South Loop, CMDC is a hub for young dancers of all skin tones, ages, and sizes. It’s also the home of the illustrious Hiplet Ballerinas, a company that has taken the dance world by […]
Sponsored
In Motion: The Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project centers equity and opportunity while celebrating local artistry
Amid an inequitable arts landscape, an innovative, multi-year initiative called the Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project [CBDLP] has emerged to bolster Chicago’s most beloved Black dance institutions. For more than a century, Chicago-based Black dance organizations and artists have pioneered numerous styles, including, modern, jazz, hip-hop, tap, and footwork. They’ve also helped introduce African dance […]