Chicago Dancemakers Forum Presents Its 2017 Lab Artists Awards Celebration and Benefit

Chicago Dancemakers Forum celebrates its 2017 Lab Artist Awardees. Now in its second decade of supporting individual Chicago-based choreographers, the Chicago Dancemakers Lab Artists Program provides each of the four artists with a $15,000 cash grant complimented by mentorship during a period of in-depth research and exploration as they develop new work.

The soon-to-be-announced 2017 awardees will be recognized on Thursday, July 13, 5:30pm at The Arts Club of Chicago during the 2017 Lab Artist Awards Celebration and Benefit. The evening will include a dance performance/presentation by 2016 Lab Artist Onye Ozuzu and a work created in response to the exhibition at the Arts Club by 2014 Lab Artist Ginger Krebs with Elise Cowin. There will be a cocktail reception and an awards presentation followed by a seated dinner. Tickets for the event are available now.

Chicago Dancemakers Forum is the only organization in Chicago dedicated solely to nurturing artistic advancement in dancemaking and is also the single largest source of support for individual choreographers in the city with an open call process. Chicago has seen a remarkable increase in the quality and depth of dancemaking in the fourteen years since its Lab Artist Awards program began. NewCity's Players 2017 testifies to both this impact and activity, "Chicago Dancemakers Forum constantly drives the wind into the sails of the Chicago dance community. Chicago live arts are undergoing a renaissance, many thanks to [Executive Director, Ginger] Farley's deft, sensitive and knowledgeable leadership of an organization at the cutting edge."

Chicago Dancemakers Forum Lab Artists differ in age, gender, race, sexuality, discipline, and dance forms, including Bharatanatyam, Butoh, Chicago footwork, tap, contemporary dance, dance for the camera, modern dance, voguing, and more. Among the past 50+ Lab Artists are Chicago notables Lane Alexander (American Rhythm Center), Carrie Hanson (The Seldoms), Kevin Iega Jeff (Deeply Rooted Dance Theater), JoNathan Meyer and Julia Antonick (Khecari), Hema Rajagopalan (Natya Dance Theater), Julia Rhoads (Lucky Plush Productions). Other CDF artists, such as Ayako Kato, Barak ade Soleil and Jamal 'Litebulb' Oliver, invest in constant artistic exploration specific to their non-traditional paths and goals. Lab Artists have shown their work in venues ranging from tiny community spaces to major theatrical venues locally, throughout the US and across the globe. Many have received prestigious grants and awards subsequent to their Lab Artist year; these honors include the United States Artists Fellowship, "Bessie" New York Dance Awards, MacArthur International Connections Exchange Grant, MAP Fund grant, and National Endowment for the Arts Award. Lab Artists also represent and serve as ambassadors for Chicago's many communities of artists.

Through a two-stage process, the four 2017 Chicago Dancemakers Forum Lab Artist Awardees will be selected for their outstanding creative visions and potential for artistic growth. Each artist has identified a unique path of creative investigation, which will lead to a new dance work.

"We are eagerly awaiting the selection of the 2017 Lab Artists and look forward to presenting them to the public on July 13. It is also our goal to cross the finish line on the 2017 Breakout Campaign which will support the Lab Artist grants for years to come," said Executive Director Ginger Farley.

Chicago Dancemakers Forum's 2017 Lab Artist Awards Celebration and Benefit is co-chaired by Justine Jentes, Peter Taub, and Christine Watkins. The event host committee (in formation) is comprised of Jan Bartoszek and Jeff Usow, Steve and Yayoi Everett, Tim Donza & Christopher Barrett Politan, Frank Fishella, Lisa Yun Lee, Roell Schmidt, Kathryn Quinn, Angel Ysaguirre. Pam Crutchfield is the lead event sponsor.

Prior to this event in their honor, the 2017 Lab Artist Awardees will be announced through an emailed press release (on or around June 22) as well as on Chicago Dancemakers Forum's social media and website. If you would like more information about this event or the 2017 Lab Artists, please contact Shawn Lent, Program Director or Jordan Kunkel, PR/Communications Intern.

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