DanceWorks Chicago and Lou Conte Dance Studio Partner for DanceChance

Beginning Friday, September 30, 2016, DanceWorks Chicago's monthly program DanceChance returns to the Lou Conte Dance Studio in the Hubbard Street Dance Center, located at 1147 West Jackson Boulevard in Chicago's West Loop. Since its inception in March 2008, DanceChance has encouraged dialogues between artists and audiences, across 85 events to date, featuring the work of more than 200 Chicago-based choreographers.

Repeating the last Friday of each month from 7-8pm (except November, December and August), each one-hour DanceChance showcases three 15-minute pieces by local choreographers, followed by discussion and audience response, led by a guest moderator. At the conclusion of each event, the next month's three choreographers are chosen randomly from names submitted by choreographers in attendance. There are no fees or prerequisites to enter the drawings.

The complete 2016-17 DanceChance schedule is as follows: Friday, September 30, 2016; Friday, October 28, 2016; Friday, December 2, 2016; Friday, January 27, 2017; Friday, February 24, 2017; Friday, March 31, 2017; Friday, April 28, 2017; Friday, May 26, 2017; Friday, June 30, 2017; and Friday, July 28, 2017.

Says Julie Nakagawa, artistic director of DanceWorks Chicago: "DanceChance welcomes dancemakers, dance-lovers and the dance-curious to join us as we encourage, share and discuss new work by local choreographers."

Says Lou Conte Dance Studio director Claire Bataille: "The Lou Conte Dance Studio is very proud of its partnership with DanceWorks Chicago, and of the number of young artists who have had the opportunity to create and present new work in Our Studios, since we began hosting these events together in January 2014."

Presenting new work at the first DanceChance program for 2016-17, on Friday, September 30 at 7pm, will be Radia Ali, Zoe Rose Hamilton and Candace Lee. Admission to DanceChance is always just $3 cash, to which attendees are welcome to add a donation. Attendees' names are also placed in a raffle for prizes including tickets to upcoming dance performances in Chicago. These drawings on September 30 will include tickets to Giordano Dance Chicago at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, Philadanco at Northeastern Illinois University, and Ballet 5:8 at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, as well as a 10-class Card valid throughout the Fall Session at the Lou Conte Dance Studio.

"I think the most valuable thing I took away [from DanceChance] was really that dialogue makes dance less intimidating, and sparks even more conversation, which is really what art should do," says a participating choreographer. "DanceChance is such as gem. I hope it keeps going for a long time."

In addition, on September 18, the Lou Conte Dance Studio continues its tradition of offering free preview classes at the start of each new session. Fall Session classes, which began on September 6, 2016, continue through December 18, 2016. (Click here to view the complete Fall Session class schedule.) Open House attendees are also welcome to take with them a 2-for-1 class card valid for Fall Session classes at LCDS, and enter raffle drawings to win Hubbard Street merchandise; tickets to Hubbard Street Dance Chicago's Season 39 Fall Series, November 17-20, 2016 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance; and more. No advance registration is required.

The Hubbard Street Dance Center is easily accessible via the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290), the CTA Blue Line (Forest Park branch to Racine) and numerous CTA bus routes including 7 Harrison, 9 Ashland, 20 Madison, 60 Blue Island and 126 Jackson.

Founded in May 2007, DanceWorks Chicago is an organization committed to building a foundation for the individual artistic growth of dancers and choreographers, providing a laboratory from which early-career artists propel themselves and the art form to a new level through training, collaboration, mentorship and performance. Led by Artistic Director Julie Nakagawa and CEO Andreas Böttcher, DanceWorks Chicago is dedicated to creating an environment conducive to nurturing experiences of significance for everyone from artists to audiences. Visit danceworkschicago.org and facebook.com/DanceWorksChicago to learn more.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago's core purpose is to bring artists, art and audiences together to enrich, engage, educate, transform and change lives through the experience of dance. Celebrating Season 39 in 2016-17, under the artistic leadership of Glenn Edgerton, Hubbard Street continues to innovate, supporting ascendant creative talent while presenting repertory by internationally recognized living artists. Hubbard Street has grown through the establishment of multiple platforms alongside the Lou Conte Dance Studio - now in its fifth decade of providing a wide range of public classes and pre-professional training - while extensive Youth, Education, Community, Adaptive Dance and Family Programs keep the organization deeply connected to its hometown. Visit hubbardstreetdance.com for artist profiles, touring schedules and much more.

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