Chicago Dancemakers Forum Announces the Awardees of the 2019 Greenhouse Program for Emerging Choreographers

Chicago Dancemakers Forum announces the four recipients of the 2019 Greenhouse Awards. Keyierra Collins, Marceia L. Scruggs, Reginald "Sirr Tmo" Cosper Jr., and Connie Shiau will each receive $4,000 for the development of new work with the support of a mentor who is awarded $1,000 for their participation.

Chicago Dancemakers Forum is the only organization in the city dedicated solely to nurturing the artistic advancement of dancemakers. In addition to its signature Lab Artists program for established artists, Chicago Dancemakers Forum renews its commitment to supporting Chicago choreographers by offering this opportunity for emerging artists for the third time. The Greenhouse program stimulates artistic growth and relationship-building for emerging dancemakers by providing financial support along with paid mentorship, rehearsal space, marketing, and group dialogue-to support their creative process as they develop new work over the course of three months. Executive Director Ginger Farley shares, "To have a thriving cultural landscape in Chicago we must support artists at all stages of development. There is such a rich pool of young dancemakers in Chicago right now, we are eager to engage with them as they develop new work in 2019."

Chicago Dancemakers Forum fuels the field of dance by stimulating and nourishing the professional development and artistic fulfillment of Chicago's individual dancemakers. Since its inception in 2003, Chicago Dancemakers Forum has granted over $1 million to artists and is the single largest, local source of support for the city's dancemakers which has an open call for applications. Past Chicago Dancemakers Forum awardees vary in age, gender, race and dance discipline. They work in tap, butoh, burlesque, Chicago Footwork, dance for the camera, Bharatanatyam, voguing, classical Japanese, African, contemporary, and more. Collectively they represent the spirit and power of new dance in Chicago now.

The four 2019 Greenhouse awardees will be recognized along with the recently-announced 2019 Lab Artists during the Chicago Dancemakers Forum 2019 Awards Celebration and Benefit on Thursday, July 11, 5:30-8:30 PM at The Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario, Chicago, IL 60611.

For more information on Chicago Dancemakers Forum and upcoming events, please contact Program Director Shawn Lent at 312-550-9172 or shawn@chicagodancemakers.org.