Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project Announces New Cohort and Upcoming Performance

Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project (CBDLP), housed at The University of Chicago's Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, announces the selection of 10 companies to participate in the second round of its program, which was created to celebrate and strengthen Black dance in Chicago and beyond.

The companies selected for the new cohort include six returning companies: Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center & Hiplet Ballerinas, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Forward Momentum Chicago, Joel Hall Dancers & Center, Najwa Dance Corps, and Muntu Dance Theatre; as well as four new additions: M.A.D.D. Rhythms, Move Me Soul, Praize Productions, and The Era Footwork Collective.

This group will take the stage in a dance concert entitled Sans Pareil-French for "unparalleled," a nod to the Haitian lineage of Chicago's founder, Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable, and the remarkable talent of the companies participating. This engagement, which marks the new cohort's first public performance and celebrates the past and present of Black dance in Chicago, will be held at the Logan Center on Saturday, March 25 at 7pm & Sunday, March 26 at 6pm. There will be a youth performance on Sunday, March 26 at 2pm. Tickets can be purchased at tickets.uchicago.edu.

Launched in 2019, CBDLP brings together a cohort of dance companies to learn from each other and leverages the resources of the Logan Center and other University of Chicago entities to bolster Black dance companies' operational capacity to ensure the long-term survival of their legacies. Following the success of the first phase of the program, the CBDLP will begin a new two-year cycle with 10 outstanding groups representing a variety of traditions and perspectives. "I am energized and inspired to continue the work of cementing and celebrating the important legacy of Black dance in Chicago through CBDLP," said Princess Mhoon, who stepped into the role of Strategic Program Manager in March 2021 and was recently promoted to the role of CBDLP Director.

"Since opening 10 years ago, the Logan Center has been fortunate to partner with a number of these phenomenal companies, often connecting their work to the work of our students, faculty and staff while learning and benefiting from each company's artistry and legacy. We look forward to welcoming audiences to experience these remarkable companies onstage," said Bill Michel, Associate Provost and Executive Director of the Logan Center. "We are grateful for our partners on and off campus including the Office of Civic Engagement Community Programs Accelerator and the Black Metropolis Research Consortium, DCASE, and the Newberry Library who have joined this impressive cohort of dance companies to celebrate the profound impact that Chicago has and will continue to have on dance in America and beyond."

The first round of the program brought eight companies together for capacity building and collaborative programming, including high-visibility performances at Logan Center, Navy Pier, and Millenium Park. The companies that participated saw an increase in their operating budgets, and an increase in funds raised. The new cohort will receive similar support, thanks to lead funding from the Joyce Foundation and the Mellon Foundation and additional support from Walder Foundation, University of Chicago Women's Board, and the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation.

"We are thrilled to increase our support for the Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project this year under the leadership of CBDLP Director, Princess Mhoon. This year's cohort demonstrates incredible artistry, talent, and vision. And by coming together for the first time, these groups are doing groundbreaking work to build and strengthen the legacy and future of Black dance in our city," says Joyce Foundation Program Director Mia Khimm.

"We are honored to join our colleagues at the Logan Center and the Joyce Foundation, as well as the other funders, in supporting the exciting multiplicity and aesthetic complexity that exists within the Black dance ecology in Chicago," says Emil Kang, program director of Arts and Culture at the Mellon Foundation. "We are excited about CBDLP's model of care and camaraderie to imagine a thriving future for Black dance."

Initial support for this project was provided by the Joyce Foundation, Doris Duke Charitable Trust, and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs (DCASE), as well as Pam Crutchfield, Ginger Farley, Maggy Fouche, and other individual donors.

"We deeply appreciate our funders. Their support and its far-reaching implications on equity in the arts can't be overstated. It is a true testament to the legacy of Chicago's Black dance community. This is a stellar group of companies who have already made an impact on this city, and we look forward to amplifying their work so that it continues to resound," says Mhoon.

CBDLP relies on public and private funding from foundations, individuals, and government agencies, and is continuing to raise funds to support this important legacy. More information and support opportunities can be found here.

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