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Dance for Life 2021: Celebrating 30 Years

August 3, 2021 by 4dancers

Stephanie Martinez’s kiss., with dancers Chris Bloom and Gabrielle Sprauve,
photo by PC Michelle Reid Photography

August is a special time in the Chicago dance community–because that is when Dance for Life takes place. This annual event is celebrating its 30th year in 2021, and now more than ever we’ll gather in true appreciation for the sense of community we have grown here over the three decades this performance has been running.

For those who don’t know what Dance for Life is, it’s a performance/benefit that takes place each year. Funds raised will benefit Chicago Dancers United, an organization that administers The Dancers’ Fund; premium bowl seating is available with a $300 minimum donation. The fund provides short-term financial assistance to Chicago dance professionals that have health and wellness needs. This year free seating will also be available in both the bowl and the lawn area.

Each year various dance artists/companies/groups are selected to perform at this event. Performers this year include: DanceWorks Chicago, Giordano Dance Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The Joffrey Ballet, Movement Revolution Dance Crew, South Chicago Dance Theatre, Trinity Irish Dance Company, Visceral Dance Chicago, and a finale choreographed by Randy Duncan. The program also includes a film by Winifred Haun & Dancers.

Stephanie Martinez’s PARA.MAR has also been chosen to perform this year. We caught up with Stephanie to learn more about her choreography for the evening’s show, as well as her long-standing involvement with Chicago’s dance community.


Can you briefly share the basic history of PARA.MAR Dance Theatre?

While my vision for creating a platform that empowers and elevates diverse artistic voices in contemporary ballet had been growing in me since the moment I first stepped into a studio, the timing of PARA.MAR‘s inception was activated by the pandemic. I saw incredible artists without work, displaced, and some even leaving the field. I felt compelled to create art and employment at a time of such scarcity and deep insecurity. 

Would you also talk about how you became involved with this year’s Dance for Life program, and your ties to the Chicago dance community?

From training with Giordano and Lou Conte to becoming a founding member of River North, I’ve spent my life in this community. I’m pretty sure I was in the first Dance for Life! I’m humbled and honored that PARA.MAR was accepted into this year’s line-up alongside some of Chicago’s best. It’s really motivating to have such encouragement and to feel like we belong here. There truly couldn’t be a better way for P/M to round out our first year in existence than performing in such an iconic evening of Chicago dance. 

Stephanie Martinez, photo by Cheryl Mann

Your piece, kiss., explores intimacy. How would you describe it to someone who hasn’t seen it?

The piece was created while we were still coming to grips with quarantine, and was heavily influenced by it. There was more time in isolation and time for reflection that anyone could have been prepared for. 

The piece is an exploration of the human need for connection as we were grappling with what it meant and felt like to be without it.

You’ll see the characters go through the universal feelings of loneliness, loss, and love. Hopefully, watching the piece makes you realize that in any experience, you aren’t really alone. 

You chose the music of Johann Sebastian Bach to choreograph this to – what drew you to it?

Bach, Mozart, and Schubert were perfect companions to the new, more abstract compositions that are featured in the work – three of which were created by the excellent Chicago-based/NY-born composer Darryl J. Hoffman and one by our multifaceted rehearsal director and creative force, Noelle Kayser. Throughout the creation process, we explored the difference between our private and public self. Bach, Mozart, and Schubert are so delicious…luxurious and grand. They were the perfect soundtrack for who we outwardly project ourselves to be and provide an interesting contrast to the more isolated and intimate realities we may feel inside.

Can you shed a little light on your choreographic process for this?

It remains astounding to me that the entire first half of the process took place over Zoom. The way it went is that the dancers were taught various phrases that I created. Then the dancers used the phrases and a series of physical and emotional prompts to manipulate the material. When we were finally able to be in the studio together, I placed and expanded upon the puzzle pieces that were created over Zoom to support the narrative of the piece.

Dance for Life has always been a time of coming together for the Chicago dance community. What does it mean to you personally?

Dance for Life is always an evening of celebration and community. The support you feel in the wings extends well beyond the once a year performance. Over the years, I’ve seen Chicago Dancers United assist my friends and colleagues in times of crisis and feel lucky and grateful to have resources like these available to the dance community in our city.


Dance for Life takes place Thursday, August 26th at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago. The gates will open at 5:00 p.m. and the performance runs from 6:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Premium seating benefiting Chicago Dancers United is available here for a donation of $300 or more. Please note that this year there will also be free seating available in both the bowl and the lawn area.

Filed Under: 4dancers Tagged With: Chicago Dancers United, dance for life, dance for life 2021, dance for life chicago, Dance Works Chicago, giordono dance chicago, hubbard street dance chicago, Movement Revloultion Dance Crew, PARA.MAR, randy duncan, South Chicago Dance Theatre, Stephanie Martinez, the joffrey ballet, Trinity Irish Dance Company, Visceral Dance Chicago, Winifred Haun & Dancers

Chicago Welcomes The American Rhythm Center

July 11, 2012 by 4dancers

Just a quick update on an  interesting space for dance in Chicago…

The Chicago Human Rhythm Project (CHRP) announced a new arts facility, the American Rhythm Center (ARC), which will be located in Chicago’s Fine Arts Building at 410 S. Michigan Avenue. This space will feature a collaborative business model, with the aim of offering diverse, high-quality dance and movement classes while centralizing the education programs, rehearsal space and administrative offices of some of the core groups.

Some of the groups that will be participating include:

  • Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre
  • Chicago Chinese Cultural Institute
  • Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras (already in residence at the Fine Arts Building)
  • Giordano Dance Chicago
  • Kalapriya, Center for Indian Performing Arts
  • Luna Negra Dance Theater
  • Ping Pong Productions, which facilitates collaborations between Chinese and international artists
  • River North Dance Chicago (studio space to expand educational programs)

To learn more about the timetable for this project or to find out more information visit the web page or contact Program Manager, Bridget Rodgers, at bridget(at)chicagotap.org.

Filed Under: 4dancers Tagged With: american rhythm center, cerqua rivera dance theatre, chicago dance, chicago human rhythm dance project, giordono dance chicago, kalapriva center for indian performing arts, luna negra dance theatre, river north dance chicago

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