About

 

The Chicago Moving Company is a celebrated, veteran contemporary dance company, "bold, commanding . . . the energy is awesome" (New York Times).   Noted for its continued artistic risk-taking and innovation, the company is recipient of four Choreographic Fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, Illnois Arts Council Choreographic Fellowships, the Katherine Dunham Award for Excellence and Dedication to the Arts, the Chicago Dance Award,  a MetLife New Stages Award, and two MacArthur Foundation International Connections Fund Awards, among  other honors.

 

Founded in the 20th century, CMC originally operated as a repertory company (performing and touring works by many noted choreographers); later became a single-artist-led company, largely presenting the choreography of founder Nana Shineflug (a Chicago dance-icon) and creating/producing nationally-noted community arts projects; and has now evolved into a complex, 21st century dance organization, presenting and housing the work of multi-artists,  offering programming that develops and shelters contemporary dance/dancers--community dancers through professionals, and being a global partner with other contemporary dance organizations/artists (most recently in Mongolia, Belgium, Japan).

The company has performed throughout Chicago; toured nationally and internationally to notable venues:  The Hebbel Theater, Berlin, Germany; Teatro Danza, Mexico City; Theater Artaud, San Francisco; Teatro Vila Velha, Salvador, Brazil; and collaborated with world-class organizations including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Oriental Institute, University of Chicago.  In 2007-13 the company conducted a cultural exchange with the Arts Council  and dance artists of Mongolia, including a CMC tour to Ulan Bataar (2010), and the hosting (40th Anniversary Season, 2012-13) of dancer/choreographer Odbayar Batsuuri as an international artist-in-residence.   In 2015-17 CMC conducted an international artistic exchange with experimental Japanese choreographer Saiko Kino, including CMC tour to Japan;  commission of a new work,"M O B I U S" from Ms. Kino;  original score by Japanese musicians:  Yasumune Morshige, Yuta Yokoyama, Kumiko Yabu;  reciprocal tour  of Japanese artists to Chicago; and exchange partner performances of  "M O B I U S" in Tokyo, Tottori (Japan), and Chicago .

 

The Chicago Moving Company is known for its vigorous performance style and highly-evolved, imagistic choreography "bold, gutsy . . . this is modern dance at its highest stage of development" (Chicago Sun-Times). Repertory includes "pure, powerful" (Chicago Reader) movement works and pieces that are informed by humanism and non-western culture, religion, and history. CMC is noted for the skilled use of new music in its pieces, including works by international artists--Yokoyama/Yabu/Morishege

("M O B I U S") and Chicago composers and musicians--such as Max Citron ("The Collectors") and Stone ("Patterns of Being").

 

Since 1995 CMC has been Arts-Partner-in-Residence at the Hamlin Park Theater (HPT) in Chicago's vibrant Roscoe Village neighborhood-providing hundreds of dance, fitness, and wellness programs for the community annually; Arts Partners is a program of the Chicago Park District that unites artists and communities in Chicago parks.   

 

Mission Statement

The Chicago Moving Company supports the development of contemporary dance and dancers by:                                                                                .  Producing the acclaimed choreographic work of its Resident

                     Artists,  guest artists, and commissioned dancemakers

               . Providing innovative training and performance programs for                         developing and established artists

               . Programming the Hamlin Park Fieldhouse Theater as a dance,                         fitness, and wellness space for the community

 

      all with a focus on urban Chicago where the company has made its home for 50 years 

 

Awards

         . Four Choreographic Fellowships, National Endowment for the Arts 

       . The Katherine Dunham Award for Excellence and Dedication to the Arts

.        .  The Chicago Dance Coalition / Ruth Page Award

         . Three Illinois Arts Council Choreographic Fellowships 

         . The Chicago Dance Award for Outstanding Contribution

          . Boulevard Arts Center's Presidents Award

          . MacArthur Foundation International Connections Fund Award for

                Mongolian tour/residency

          . MacArthur Foundation International Connections Fund Award for

                Japanese tour/choreographic-artistic exchange

    . Metlife New Stages Award

          . Ruth Page Award, Honorable Mention for the Dance Legacy Project

          .  Two Illinois Alliance for Arts Education Service Recognition Awards

          .  National Endowment for Arts Arts-Plus Partnership

         .   Columbia College Chicago Lifetime Achievement Award

         .  Bucktown Arts Festival Effie Award, "Best in Show"/Dance

           .     Two Lonely Planet "Recommended Cultural Destination" Awards

                     (by international visitors to our programs) 

 

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