02

About

In 2015-2017, Chicago Dancemakers Forum led the way, in partnership with the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), to produce the Regional Dance Development Initiative (RDDI) Chicago with funding from The Reva and David Logan Foundation, and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, Chicago Park District, and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. RDDI Chicago was designed to support professional development for Chicago-based dance makers, build connections that will nourish dance artists, and develop the overall capacity and infrastructure of the Chicago dance community.

RDDI was designed to maximize local and regional support for dance artists by catalyzing existing resources and by redefining the relationship between artist, presenter, and community. RDDI focused on increasing the capacity of dance artists by strengthening the articulation of work, its inspirations and processes, and by developing presenter relationships and new markets.

The first pilot project of the RDDI took place in Seattle in August of 2004. Additional regional projects have taken place in the San Francisco Bay area; Portland, Oregon; New England; and Minnesota. Each RDDI Lab is developed for the unique needs of the nearby dance community through partnerships with regional dance leaders.

Working with an advisory group of local partners, CDF and NEFA designed RDDI Chicago activities (listed below) specifically to suit the needs and assets of local artists.

Elevate Chicago Dance 2017

Elevate Chicago Dance, marking the culmination of RDDI Chicago, was a citywide festival with public performances and invited studio showings at ten creative spaces around the city, featuring forty Chicago choreographers and dance companies. Elevate also convened a group of about forty local, regional and national colleagues in the dance field – professionals who support dance through presenting, residencies, and related work. The focused three-day program provided them with a special opportunity to experience a wide range of Chicago-based dance, have direct exchanges with the artists, and discuss ways to leverage their individual and collective resources to contribute to a healthy dance field.

Chicago Dance Lab and Presenter Exchange 2016

The Chicago Dance Lab was an immersive 12-day program that took place from July 27-August 8, 2016 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. A national panel selected 12 artists who represented multiple neighborhoods across the greater Chicago area and a broad range of career stages and dance disciplines including: African, butoh, burlesque, contemporary, dance on film, improvisation, interdisciplinary, and tap. During the Dance Lab, participants worked with faculty from around the U.S. to clarify goals, and strategies, align communications about their work with their artistic practice and strengthen partnerships.

Chicago Dance Lab Project Director and Advisor: Michèle Steinwald

Chicago Dance Lab Logistics Coordinator: Shawn Lent

Chicago Dance Lab Faculty:

• Rob Bailis – Associate Director, Cal Performances, University of California, Berkeley, CA

• Peter DiMuro – Artistic/Creative Director, Peter DiMuro/Public Displays of Motion and Executive Director, The Dance Complex, Boston, MA

• Dayna Hanson – Choreographer, Seattle, WA

• David Sheingold – Independent Consultant, Brooklyn, NY

• Marýa Wethers – Independent Manager, Producer & Curator, Brooklyn, NY

• Eva Yaa Asantewaa – arts critic, blogger, podcaster, New York, NY

RDDI Chicago Public Programs:

In addition to the Chicago Dance Lab, a series of public events and programs took place throughout the Chicago area in 2016 and 2017. In addition to providing a broader base of Chicago dance artists with growth and learning opportunities, activities served to connect dance artists and strengthen the community.

Choreographic Workshop 7/30/2017 at Ballet Chicago: In partnership with Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, CDF offered a choreographic workshop led by Fana Tshabalala, visiting artist from South Africa.

Choreographic Workshop 4/23/2016 at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago: This full-day workshop with Tere O’Connor focused on elemental aspects of choreographic process and the attendant metaphors and philosophies implied through practice.

Building a Sustainable Life as an Artist 6/17-18/2016 at Defibrillator Performance Gallery: Choreographer, writer and thought leader Andrew Simonet shared the tools and principles that artists have used to thrive (everything he’s learned over the past ten years).

Dance Making: Physicality & Context 9/17/2016 at the Logan Center for the Arts: This workshop with guest artist Bebe Miller had participants look toward crafting their dance making to locate themselves in their current times, finding context inside their physicality.

RDDI Chicago Artist/Presenter Symposium 10/8/2016 at High Concept Labs: Held at partner organization High Concept Labs, this full-day event was designed to prompt interaction, dialogue and outside-the-lines thinking about dance performance and presentation.

The Everyday Extraordinary Body 1/17/2017 at Gallery 400/UIC: CDF curated a panel discussion in partnership with Gallery 400, exploring the work of Chicago-based artists and their relationship to the influence of Yvonne Rainer. Featured panelists included CDF Lab Artists Onye Ozuzu, Ginger Krebs, and Michelle Kranicke, with Ira Murfin, Northwestern PHD candidate, as moderator.

Movement From Life Workshop 2/11/2017 at Gallery 400/UIC: In partnership with Gallery 400, CDF offered a movement workshop with artist Victoria Bradford that was designed for those interested in the relationship between mark making and movement in their work.