Chicago Dance History Project

CDHP aims to honor the vast number of national and international dance artists with roots in the city; to surface lesser-known individuals, organizations, and venues that have anchored Chicago’s strong local dance community; and to link various collections of historical knowledge and traditions with present and future generations.

CDHP pursues three primary modes of research: in-depth, on-camera interviews with area dancers, choreographers, educators, advocates, and others associated with the form; recorded public events that facilitate collaborative explorations of specific historical topics; and partnerships with area institutions and individuals housing dance archives in order to connect disparate threads of knowledge maintained throughout the city.

These materials will serve as a public platform for establishing a body of original and collected research that examines how Chicago has shaped dance — and how, in turn, dance has shaped Chicago.