Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project Announces FREE Concert - Reclamation: The Spirit of Black Dance in Chicago

As part of the City of Chicago's Year of Chicago Dance, the Logan Center for the Arts at the University of Chicago and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) present the Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project in Reclamation: The Spirit of Black Dance in Chicago. This FREE (RSVP requested) performance will occur on Saturday, August 27, 2022 at 6:30pm at Millennium Park. It will begin with a DJ set, followed by a dance concert featuring an electrifying group of companies representing varied traditions. This rejuvenating dance concert celebrates the spirit of Black dance, and its profound ability to lift the spirits of those who encounter it.

The companies performing include Ayodele Drum and Dance, Chicago Multicultural Dance Center's Hiplet Ballerinas, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Forward Momentum Chicago, Joel Hall Dancers & Center, Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago, Najwa Dance Corps, and Red Clay Dance Company-each of which is a member of the Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project. Additional special guests will be announced later.

The Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project (CBDLP), developed through a partnership between Logan Center Community Arts and the Joyce Foundation's Culture Program, as well as leaders from each dance company, is a multi-year project that celebrates the historic impact of Chicago-based Black choreographers in the national dance community, and strengthens the impact and reach of Black dance for generations to come.

"We are deeply invested in facilitating the work of this ongoing project, which honors the important artistic legacy of Black dance in our city. With this evening, we celebrate the spirit of Black dance and its ability to transform, heal and uplift," says Emily Hooper Lansana, Senior Director of Community Arts at the Logan Center.

For more than a century, Black dance has been a vital artistic force in Chicago. From traditional African dance to contemporary choreography, modern jazz to hip-hop ballet, Black dance in Chicago encapsulates a broad spectrum of artistic expression rooted in the Black experience. Much of this rich history will be on display in this exciting evening.

Princess Mhoon, Director of CBDLP, says: "We are thrilled to welcome audiences to Millennium Park to witness the profound spirit of Black dance in our city, in all its breadth, depth, and abundance. It's monumental to have such a large number of dance companies united by a common heritage come together on the same stage to share this legacy with so many."

This performance is sponsored by Pamela Crutchfield and Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. The Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project is supported by the Joyce Foundation, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Black Metropolis Research Consortium, and the Women's Board of the University of Chicago. Additional support is provided by University of Chicago's Logan Center for the Arts and Office of Civic Engagement's Community Programs Accelerator.

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