Chicago Dance History Project's Interview Marathon Kicks Off Fifth Anniversary Celebration

Chicago Dance History Project (CDHP), which investigates, documents, and presents the individual and institutional past of Chicago dance, kicks off its fifth anniversary celebration by showcasing that legacy and continuing its work with the Interview Marathon, a live, day- long, digital event on Sunday, January 31.

Interview subjects include local, national, and international dance luminaries who produce, present, create, and perform in Chicago and those with connections to the city. Each hour will feature three individual interviews and one small-group conversation on a specific theme, such as Artistic Director Legacies, Dance Education on the South Side, Presenting and Commissioning Dance, and Archives as a Tool for Social Justice. Clips of archival footage, some unseen until this event, will be interspersed between live interview segments. CDHP will record the live event and add the footage to its expanding archive of oral histories.

"This event is one example of the ways CDHP is setting the standard in preserving the history of dance by capturing stories from primary sources," commented Gail Kalver, a longtime executive leader in Chicago's dance community and CDHP special advisor.

Participants to date include:

Frank Chaves-choreographer, co-founder and former artistic director, River North Dance Chicago
Nicole Clarke-Springer-choreographer, artistic director of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater
Lou Conte-founder/artistic director of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Lou Conte Dance Studio
Paige Fraser-founder and artistic director, The Paige Fraser Foundation
Carmela Greco-flamenco dancer, choreographer, daughter of dancer José Greco
Lar Lubovitch-founder of Lar Lubovitch Dance Company and Chicago Dancing Festival
Mark Morris-founder/artistic director of Mark Morris Dance Group
Jorge Pérez-executive director and associate artistic director of Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater
Wendy Perron-dancer, writer, choreographer, former editor-in-chief of Dance Magazine
Julia Rhoads-founding artistic director of Lucky Plush Productions
Irma Suárez Ruiz-artistic director of Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater
Twyla Tharp-choreographer
Eduardo Vilaro-choreographer, artistic director and CEO of Ballet Hispánico
Ashley Wheater-artistic director of The Joffrey Ballet

"A great advantage of this being a digital event is that we can interview people who are anywhere in the world and, conversely, anyone in the world can experience the interviews in real time," said CDHP Executive/Artistic Director Jenai Cutcher, who will conduct the interviews. "Our goal is to assemble a lineup of personalities who reflect CDHP's scope of inclusion, featuring a range of dance genres, demographics, and professions within the dance field."

Co-chairs of the Interview Marathon are Pamela Crutchfield, Patti Eylar, and Sarah Solotaroff Mirkin.

Chicago Dance History Project's Interview Marathon takes place Sunday, January 31 (start time TBD).
All programming is subject to change.All-day passes will be available for a minimum donation of $20 beginning in late November at chicagodancehistory.org.

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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