Chicago Dance History Project Connects Dance To Worldwide Audiences

Telling the stories of the Chicago dance community-preserving the past, capturing the present, planning for the future-is fundamental to the Chicago Dance History Project(CDHP), which has spent the past five years documenting and sharing the legacies of Chicago dance companies and artists.

Now CDHP is equipped to offer dance companies-as well as other arts organizations and individuals-an affordable opportunity to tell their own stories, sharing and archiving their performances, classes, and other events on video through the launch of the CDHP Production House. For more information and a consultation, click here.

"With the current circumstances making it extremely challenging to interact with audiences, students, and supporters live and in person, having access to high-quality video production is more important than ever," said CDHP Executive/Artistic Director Jenai Cutcher. "Not only can we work with dance companies to record their activities for historical purposes, but we have expertise in livestreaming, which has become essential for our community and is certain to continue beyond the pandemic. We are pleased to offer this professional service at a reasonable cost alongside our primary activity: documenting and sharing our community's history."

Among the services available from the CDHP Production House:

• Recording live performances and adding them to the CDHP archive
• Creating promotional pieces
• Digitizing archival materials such as photographs, programs, and DVDs
• Assembling retrospectives of past work
• Telling a company's story through behind-the-scenes footage, rehearsals, interviews, and more
• Developing material for social media, company websites, grant applications, and more

The skills and expertise of CDHP staff ensure that dance companies and artists can focus on creating the work rather than spending time on the technical aspects of transmitting and documenting the process and results. Engaging CDHP offers the benefit of technical production expertise combined with extensive knowledge of dance as an art form. Video streaming also expands the potential audience for a class or performance beyond people who are in physical proximity to potentially anyone in the world with an Internet connection.

"The Illinois Arts Council Agency contracted the Chicago Dance History Project to finally, finally, finally begin digitizing the work samples submitted by Illinois artists awarded IACA Artist Fellowships in choreography," said IACA Deputy Director Encarnacion Teruel. "The CDHP staff was communicative every step of the way and kept to the agreed-upon schedule. By the end of this undertaking, CDHP returned to the IACA an archive of 178 digitized dance pieces with accompanying written archival notes. We are very pleased with the outcome and hope to engage CDHP in the future to continue this important work."

To date, clients that have worked with CDHP's Production House include Asian Improv aRts Midwest, DanceWorks Chicago, and Winifred Haun & Dancers.

CDHP is especially suited to serving the performing arts community in this capacity, having used these services for its own work documenting Chicago dance history. The CDHP Production House is a full-service shop, capable of handling the entire process including consultation, pre-production, production, post-production, editing, digitizing, distribution, and storage. A range of packages and services makes CDHP an affordable, scalable option with the flexibility to work within a range of budget sizes. And, as a bonus, any footage CDHP shoots automatically becomes part of the CDHP archive at no additional cost (if client gives permission).

Founded in 2015, Chicago Dance History Project investigates, documents, and presents the oral and corporeal histories of theatrical dance in Chicago. CDHP aims to honor the vast number of national and international dance artists with roots in the city; recover the untold stories of individuals, organizations, and venues that have anchored Chicago's strong local dance community; and link various collections of historical knowledge and traditions with present and future generations.

For more information about Chicago Dance History Project, visit chicagodancehistory.org.

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