DANCE FOR LIFE 2020: UNITED AS ONE Exceeds Fundraising Goal

Chicago Dancers United has announced that Dance for Life 2020: United as One, which took place August 10-15, exceeded its financial goal, raising more than $170,000 in contributions from nearly 700 donors. The virtual event was sponsored by Optum.

Dance for Life 2020: United as One showcased Dance for Life performances from the past 29 years via video recordings on its website, chicagodancersunited.org, including works by the annual Partner Dance Companies-Giordano Dance Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and The Joffrey Ballet-as well as past and present companies, including Hanna Brictson and Dancers, Chicago Dance Crash, Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater, Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theatre, Luna Negra Dance Theater, Muntu Dance Theatre, River North Dance Chicago, Thodos Dance Chicago, Trinity Irish Dance Company, and Visceral Dance Chicago. Additional videos revisited previous Dance for Life finales by Randy Duncan and Harrison McEldowney/Jeremy Plummer. Videos were available free on the website beginning August 10, with extended viewing opportunities continuing through August 23. As of publication date, there had been nearly 4,000 views of the archival videos.

The culminating virtual event on Saturday, August 15-the original date for the 29th anniversary of Dance for Life scheduled at the Auditorium Theatre-featured the World Premiere of Get It Together choreographed by Hanna Brictson in response to COVID-19, performed by 23 dancers from throughout the Chicago area. Serving as hosts for the evening were Cortney Hall and Matthew Rodrigues, co-hosts of NBC Chicago's program Chicago Today. The final event also featured a Dance for Life highlights reel, remarks from board members and sponsors, details about resources available from The Dancers' Fund, information about the 30th anniversary of Dance for Life in 2021, and more.

In their welcoming remarks during the final event, CDU Board President Robert Neubert and board member Sarita Connelly acknowledged the challenges facing not only the dance community but the world at large-a global pandemic, economic hardships, and social injustice. "...we must continue to dig deeper and do better. We must speak out as an active voice for change. ...We are committed to moving our mission forward with compassion and pledge to continue learning, listening, and evolving in response to our world and our community needs."

Dance for Life brings Chicago's dance community together thanks to dancers who generously donate their time, energy, and artistry to support The Dancers' Fund, which provides financial assistance to dance professionals diagnosed with a critical health need. The Fund has been expanded to help support dance community members who need financial assistance with routine medical expenses. Dance for Life also supports two partner agencies: AIDS Foundation Chicago, which mobilizes diverse communities across Illinois living with HIV, and the American Cancer Society, which is leading the fight for a world without cancer.

"For 29 years, AFC has been a beneficiary of Dance for Life, and we are so proud to continue that long history now alongside the American Cancer Society," said AFC President and CEO John Peller. "Together, our three organizations are responding to the COVID emergency by supporting people with critical health needs, including HIV and cancer."

Dance for Life continues to be CDU's largest fundraising effort. Since 2015, CDU has made nearly 200 grant disbursements to assist dance professionals with medical and wellness costs and distributed nearly $400,000 to individuals from the dance community and AFC. Expanded support in response to COVID-19 has included more than $23,000 to cover routine medical expenses for members of the professional dance community.

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