See Chicago Dance Celebrates Successful Gala

See Chicago Dance (SCD), the dance industry's nonprofit marketing and advocacy organization, hosted its fourth Annual Gala September 25 at City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph Street. With nearly 250 people in attendance, the event celebrated Chicago's thriving dance community and honored two individuals who have been important to its success: Shirley Mordine, founder and artistic director of Mordine & Co. Dance Theater, and Angelique Power, president of the Field Foundation of Illinois.

The most successful fundraiser in the organization's history, the Gala raised more than $92,000 from a combination of ticket sales, contributions, sponsorships, a $2,500 Challenge Matching Grant sponsored by Bill Melamed and Jamey Lundblad and a $1,000 match sponsored by Patti Eylar and Charlie Gardner.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel attended to congratulate the honorees and SCD for their achievements. His remarks stated, "Chicago's dance community is one of the most vibrant in the world. We are blessed to have such a diverse and engaged dance community that entertains, enlightens and inspires audiences from every neighborhood and visitors from all walks of life."

SCD's Board of Directors hosted the gala, and Mark Kelly, Commissioner, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, served as Honorary Chair. Gala Co-Chairs were Michelle T. Boone, chief program and civic engagement officer, Navy Pier, Inc. and Tracie D. Hall, director, Culture Program, The Joyce Foundation. The event included a cocktail reception, seated dinner, live music, DJ and dancing and the awards ceremony.

SCD Board President and Giordano Dance Chicago Executive Director Michael McStraw stated, in his opening remarks, "Tonight we celebrate two women from our community who, through their years of dedication and contribution, have enriched the lives of untold numbers of audience and artists. This evening, we celebrate Angelique Power with the Distinguished Service to the Chicago Dance Field Award and Shirley Mordine with our Legacy Award because the leadership and vision they both have demonstrated, and continue to provide, gives us all greater access to the power of art and infuse our city with exceptional, joyous dance."

Power received the Distinguished Service to the Dance Field Award, which recognizes outstanding philanthropic leadership and honors someone who has made tremendous contributions to the health and vibrancy of the Chicago dance sector, presented to her by Gala Co-Chairs Boone and Hall.

McStraw presented the Legacy Award, which honors someone who has demonstrated extraordinary leadership in the field and made a momentous impact on the Chicago dance community, to Mordine, founder/artistic director of Mordine & Co. Dance Theater and founder and past director of the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago.

Proceeds from the Annual Gala support a variety of SCD programs that bolster dance organizations and more deeply educate audiences, such as Chicago Dance Month (annual celebration promoting 60+ dance performances and educational/audience engagement events); Moving Dialogs (forward-thinking discussion series for artists and audiences); quarterly convenings of the dance community (peer networking and guest speakers representing funders, advocacy groups and professional services); a membership program for dance companies/organizations (92 organizations and artists in 2018); and subsidized rental of a portable dance floor and sound equipment for use by member organizations and artists.

Gala Sponsors included City Winery as Venue Sponsor and CS magazine as Media Partner. The 2018 Legacy Award was underwritten by Pamela Crutchfield. The 2018 Distinguished Service to the Dance Field Award was underwritten by the Richard H. Driehaus Charitable Lead Trust.

See Chicago Dance (SCD) is a dance service organization with a mission to advocate for the dance field and strengthen a diverse range of dance organizations and artists through services and programs that build and engage audiences. SCD provides Chicago dance organizations and artists with increased visibility, expansive resources, and forums to showcase and share their talents. Its flagship program, the audience development website SeeChicagoDance.com, drives ticket sales and has grown to become the most comprehensive source of information on dance in Chicago, offering feature stories and reviews, discount ticket offers, and in-depth information on more than 200 dance companies and organizations. SCD also hosts professional development workshops for artists, convenes the dance industry quarterly for networking and shared learning opportunities, and hosts numerous events, artist discussions, and showings to educate and inform the public about Chicago's vibrant and diverse dance scene. See Chicago Dance was founded in 2006, as the nonprofit Audience Architects, by Carol Fox and Niki Morrison.

Photo: Distinguished Service to the Dance Field Award recipient Angelique Power (L), Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Legacy Award recipient Shirley Mordine.

Photo Credit: Philip Thomas