Statement | What’s Working | What’s Not Working | Ways to Change | Contribute Feedback
What’s Not Working
Space + Presenters:
"I have not felt supported by Chicago dance institutions. Since beginning my professional dance making career in 2009, I have been supported by government grants, individual donations, and multiple residencies at institutions outside of this city. But I have never received an opportunity from a Chicago Dance Institution, though I have applied for many over and over again." -Anonymous
“I think the lack of transparency of a lot of residency programs has made me feel unsupported. Links Hall is notoriously unorganized and takes a TON of work on the side of the residents using the program (I did a summer residency and about three times I was scheduled to rehearse the building wasn't open, schedule isn't public, space isn't clean etc...). The process of being "nominated" to be considered for funding is a terrible form of gatekeeping that I am endlessly frustrated with and continues to perpetuate a concept of "in crowd" that is only accessible to those with time and "know". I believe this is the case for 3arts and it feels 100% inaccessible. CDF also used to require** meeting attendance- pre covid in person- and that felt like a luxury I couldn't afford because I needed to work.” -Kaitlin Webster
**it is important to note that this is the perception of CDF’s policy, however CDF has never required attendance prior to a Lab Artist Award application.
“I feel unsupported and harmed when dance institutions, funders, and platforms: … do not acknowledge works of performance as highly collaborative, instead falling back on distinctions of choreographer vs. dancer, author vs. collaborator. … offer feedback that doesn’t display an honest attempt to enter a work of performance on that work’s own terms. … fail to engage with constructive feedback methodologies that artists themselves use. ... are not willing to engage in dialogue, take responsibility, or admit wrongs.” - Anonymous, 31-year-old white, straight, cisgender woman working in the performing arts and higher ed
“Studios or performance venues can make it difficult to rent out space for workshops or classes due to lack of transparency in communication, lack of access, and high costs. This leaves out communities with disabilities, low income communities, and people who simply are not ‘in the know.’ It often seems that the same 8-10 artists are awarded multiple funding opportunities within the same fiscal year.” -Chrissy Martin, white, queer interdisciplinary artist, 32 years old
"We labor for free, for many, many hours to write proposals for grants and residencies. It is absurd that institutions do not take the time to provide feedback on our proposals. If you want to support this community, give us the information we need to be successful and get the opportunity the next time around. Otherwise, you have created a recipe for burnout." -Anonymous
"Focused time and/or money to make new work or develop continuing work without the pressure to present a finished product. As a maker whose practice is often overwhelmed by the logistics of running an organization, making time and financial space to create always reinvigorates all aspects of my work and my life. This most clearly happens for me in residencies like a week at The Cultural Center or three weeks at Ragdale Foundation, and inevitably have fed ‘finished" works.’ -Rachel Damon, Director at Synapse Arts, she/her/hers, LGBTQIA+ white woman living in Rogers Park, contemporary/modern dance-theater, about to be 40 and makin' it up as I go
"I find it curious that there’s so much talk about taking breaks, taking the time you need, and yet I don’t see that reinforced in resource curation. There are classes available and spaces to continue and begin projects, and that’s important for the people who need that now. But also: what about the spaces for us to take breaks together, to digest this together, to form ideas together that are more powerful than mere continuation? What about methods that provide thought support for artists, rather than giving them a work opportunity or directing them to a mental health resource? Reforming top-down support is something that I think is needed in conjunction with space for radical imagination <3.” -Lydia Jekot, white, cisgender, femme, queer, early-career artist
"I feel the most unsupported or harmed by these spaces when my work isn't handled with the same care and intention that went in to creating it." -Jenn Freeman | Po'Chop, Performance Artist
" I feel unsupported exTREMELY by class prices and the differentiation between a regular drop-in class rate compared to the “professional” drop-in rate??? that has always been confusing to me. so if i’m not in a company set by a specific standard i’m not a professional? even though i’ve been taking professional classes since i was 17/18 and have taken photos for a majority of the professional companies in Chicago. it’s just alarming what we constitute as professional and not. why are we up charging that... shout out to rooted space for those $12 classes across the board." -Chloe Hamilton, 24, Latinx white passing, she/her
"The most harmful thing from any organization/institution is when they are all words and no action. The endless statements of solidarity, the black squares, the check in emails it's all just words. I have yet to see any real action or risk taking to make changes and THAT is constant harm. " -Alyssa G. 34, Black, Queer, Cis-woman, Avondale, dancer + dancemaker + podcaster
"I feel unsupported when the Chicago dance spaces replicate white supremacist hierarchies and value systems: only funding/producing artists who have name recognition or match European concert aesthetic parameters, continuing to operate within the broken status quo without dreaming of bigger/more substantive methods of care and support, behaving as if we are unaware of our complicity in propagating these systems in our classes, rehearsals, auditions, applications, performance venues, reviews - everywhere." -Gina Hoch-Stall, 34, white, cis-woman, dance artist and advocate
Resource Distribution:
“As a non-citizen artist who is trying to do something on my own, I wished there were more easier ways of applying to grants or funds without the cumbersome hassles of finding sponsors, partners, etc. and people normally prefer working with people they know already. Less representation of people like me in major dance companies.” -Anonymous
"The system of funding for dance in this city, state, and nation tends to be project to project, and therefore antithetical to fostering an artist or collective's growth over time. This is the major problem of the field. I would create more grants specifically for marketing and PR because performance makers are not marketers, but it takes effective marketing to raise awareness of the important work being done. I would call for funding institutions to restructure funding such that makers and collectives who's work is particularly pivotal towards evolving culture into new paradigms of inclusion, sustainability, and fair economic systems be supported in more long term increments, with support for ensuring the futures of said artists/companies." -Margaret M. Morris of https://quantumnegress.love
“I feel as though funding only goes to the big names, no matter what. The Joffrey will always be supported, Giordano will always be supported, Visceral will always have support. But where is the support for smaller companies who are putting out amazing work. no one is supporting by going to see shows. The smaller companies are ones that have a bigger impact on the community as a whole. These smaller companies are where a lot of dancers make their start here in Chicago, and the less support there is, the less they want to be here. I have felt this first hand with being in smaller start up companies, and I know you have to make your dues and make your way through the struggle in being small and growing, but when you have been around established, there should be more a support system to help you grow.” -Sam Crouch, Black and Proud, He/Him, Gay, 27yo
“The misdistribution of funds is one of the greatest barriers in Chicago dance-making. In a community of this size, we should make a greater effort to support as many artists as possible. The structure that currently exists hands the majority of funds to the same artists year-after-year. The harm of these practices became painfully apparent upon the onset of COVID. As a finalist for the 2020 CDF grant, we were handed a listing of the potential awardees. The list was filled with creators, each one deserving of fiscal backing. CDF generously offered the gift of emotional support as we entered into phase #2. However, I believe we’d been better served by equally dividing the funds among all finalists. This way, more artists can continue to thrive or simply survive. This is just one example of how these ingrained practices can affect a community’s future at large. Why have 10, when you can have 20?” -Anonymous
“I feel like I haven't gotten a lot of financial/funding support which I am desperately seeking this year. I have applied to so many different funding grants and programs, but have only gotten one small amount. I really need guidance on how to level up my application efforts.” -Chicago-based dance artist
“Any time I look at a funding organization's 990 and only see the same three dance companies receiving major funding support. More often than not, even if there are other organizations who receive funding, they get only 1/10 of what those more funded orgs do.” -Anonymous
“That’s a big question. Regarding my general opinion- there are too few resources available for the amount of artists making dance here. Chicago is bringing dance and organizations have not risen to the occasion. The majority of the opportunities available seem to come from smaller dance companies doing what they can to support their peers. Otherwise, hundreds of dance artists are competing for very few actual grant and support resources. I also think it is important for organizations to be transparent. Applicants should know who is reviewing their applications. Our community should feel confident review panels represent us, or if they don’t- be able to understand that as a factor. Most importantly though, I have seen peers unsupported and harmed by these in organizations. The existence of that lack of respect and lack of thought for artists in our community prevents me from feeling enthusiastic about engaging with them for support.” -Alix Schillaci, 26 year old, straight white woman, living in Logan Square on a very modest income, performing and making modern/post-modern/contemporary dance with friends
“I’ve been thinking a lot about arts institutions and resource hoarding. Arts funding in Chicago feels stuck in trickle-down economics, with funders/donors believing that their money will go to deserving art makers through the various well-known arts institutions. While a very small amount of this money goes to an elite handful of artists each year, the rest gets funneled back into operating, marketing, and fundraising costs for institutions. Big funders get to feel like Patrons, but artists unable to dedicate the time and resources to the relentless work of grant-writing are left without. There is a disconnect between consistent, equitable funding and independent artists, and no one really seems to want to do the work to actually remedy this. That unwillingness feels the most harmful. Money is coming to the arts, but artists still can’t make a living off their own work because there’s no leftover support for it.” - My name is Emily Loar. I am a white, 29 year old, queer person. I am also a dancemaker, improviser, performing artist, writer, arts admin support person, and events coordinator living in Logan Square.
"Funders - that damn data arts shenanigans. I know it's supposedly meant to help the field overall but it's tedious to fill it out every year...and then sometimes funders still ask for the same docs that we used to fill out the data arts...; questions such as asking us to tell them an anecdote about something great that happened last year during COVID. WTF? Also transparency and feedback about why they are not funding my/our project. In general, I resent the emphasis in our culture on constantly ‘growing’ our organizations. We are small and we don't want to have a huge budget or reach millions of people. We just want to do our work." -Kristina Fluty, I am white, cis, het, "veteran" at 43, instructor, always-working, full-time employed. I am a modern dancer, specifically release and other somatic practices. I live in Rogers Park. I still do not own any property, but am solidly middle class.
"Risk-aversion. The disinclination of funders, presenters, and critics to show up at or support creative experiments that might not "work" dulls the dance being made. Its similar to theatre in that you have to have a cash cow production each year to "earn" the attention and ticket sales that say you're succeeding and deserving of funding, presentation, or critical response. Most general operating grants require evidence of recent press coverage, increased attendance, and a variety of funding sources. For many of us who run 501c3s with significant overhead to meet, that effectively restricts us or threatens us into docility, eventually tamping down the creative fire that drives the organization." -Rachel Damon, Director at Synapse Arts, she/her/hers, LGBTQIA+ white woman living in Rogers Park, contemporary/modern dance-theater, about to be 40 and makin' it up as I go
Writing:
“When dance is reported on by people who clearly don't know and aren't interested in an understanding of its history and cultural background-- a knowledge of European forms doesn't qualify someone to write about forms which originate from other parts of the world. Specifically, the wealth of artistry from Africa and Asia in Chicago.” -Anonymous
“Having only a few regularly published dance writers in the Chicago area makes it difficult to get other perspectives. The consistent, quarterly dance articles about Hubbard Street, Joffrey, Visceral, and perhaps Lucky Plush make it seem like they are the only companies worth seeing in Chicago.” -Chrissy Martin, white, queer interdisciplinary artist, 32 years old
“Writers - writing about what they wish they had seen or making their writing space a platform to wax about their position/place in society as dance critic. It hurts the entire community when writers are, directly or subconsciously, racist, ageist, sizeist, not LGBTQUIA-aware and supportive, or engage in any other form of violence/oppression in their writing.” -Kristina Fluty I am white, cis, het, "veteran" at 43, instructor, always-working, full-time employed. I am a modern dancer, specifically release and other somatic practices. I live in Rogers Park. I still do not own any property, but am solidly middle class.
"I have not only been disappointed in Lauren Warnecke's writing, but have been personally and publicly attacked by her on social media, simply for pointing out patterns of cis male privilege within the dance community. Lauren's writing very clearly upholds classist and classicist notions, and she needs to be de-platformed. " -Anonymous
"Additionally as a dance writer, it is uncomfortable to publish work about artists before they have a chance to review it. I also think their should be more long-form writing on performances." -My name is D'onminique Boyd and I am a dancer, dance writer, arts administrator, make-up artist and mom.
"...writers who are unable to not be biased or do the work to be educated when it's a dance form they are unfamiliar with. Your ignorance is not my responsibility to fix. It's insane to me that artists of color are expected to both educate and perform their art. It keeps happening to us and nobody is doing the work to fix it." -Alyssa G. 34, Black, Queer, Cis-woman, Avondale, dancer + dancemaker + podcaster
Invisibilization / Misrepresentation:
"Chicago's dance community refuses to learn and change. We love to pat ourselves on the back for our "artistic progressive values," but many of us are unwilling to admit when we've made mistakes. I've watched an endless stream of public call-outs be reacted to if we are trying to smooth over a PR faux pas, rather than with the intention of fixing the actual problem. In 2019 I was a panelist discussing a lack of gender diversity in dance at a screening of "Boys Dance Too." I shared accounts of discrimination I witnessed in our community towards trans and lesbian dancers. A few minutes later a woman in the audience, I don't remember who, spoke at length about how proud she is of our progressive dance community, and how we are always ahead of the times in terms of social justice issues. Had she not just heard me talk about the discrimination trans and lesbian dancers face?" -Kait Dessoffy (they/them), white, working class, modern dancer
"The erasure of disabled dance artists from the mainstream, professional dance world in Chicago is fairly universal. The support for this art form emerges largely from activist organizations and academic institutions like UIC and Loyola University. In those few moments where disability dance received recognition from mainstream funders, presenters, platforms, etc, there has been a general lack of engagement with disability as a culture. Instead, disability continues to be written about and presented through lenses of pity, inspiration and overcoming. These narratives cause active harm to the artists and the disability community at large. Disabled artists need to be actively involved in conversations about how to fund, present and write about our work." -Maggie Bridger - white, cisgender, sick and disabled dance artist and PhD student
“Seeing the same names and faces institutional cliques E.g. Columbia...Loyola...” -Kinnari Vora
“I'm tired of social dance forms, and dance created from those forms, being treated like it's a "low" art form. Chicago is primarily known for the dance that comes out of its South and West sides, as well as the experimentation and brilliance of the artists from those areas. Those artists rarely receive the funding they deserve because European Concert Dance Culture, and its roots in movement of the Upper Class, is mainly interested in dance that is ‘untouchable’ or ‘unreachable’ by ‘common-folk.’ Maybe a reason that low audience numbers is such a common complaint of the dance community is that audiences want to connect with things that are For Them, but the things that are For Them are not given the resources to make themselves easily and widely accessible.” -Anonymous
“In general, language around the concept of ‘emerging’ vs. ‘established’ artists feels like it does more harm than good. There is a deep and clear divide (and stubborn social hierarchy that needs to go) in the Chicago dance community between large scale, heavily funded dance companies, and the rest of us. This language prioritizes and encourages artists to aspire to a more commercial/’palatable to the masses level of dance making (that btw favors white cis men and white/euro-centric dance forms) in order to secure the funding that is available to these “more established” companies/individuals. I’m not interested in that trajectory, and I would like for that to not count against me.” -Anonymous
“Most venues, institutions, funders, platforms and writers act in line with upholding a white gaze, patronage, or simply put, with inherited wealth and white supremacy. We all understand that the arts are drastically underfunded by several sectors, however, if we make their viability intertwined with the whims of white wealth, it is not only racist but it is also limiting to the city's cultural economy, sustainability and expression.” -Ashwaty Chennat Indian-American (South Asian), Albany Park, Bharatanatyam and western dance forms, 29, low salary, arts administration
“Majority white spaces are a majority white for a reason. I am a white woman, and I don’t experience the harm and violence that people of color do in all white spaces. But I do know that I don’t want to contribute to that violence. Even if it is not a conscious choice to have all white spaces, there is a lack of confronting and reckoning with the white supremacist structures that exist in dance when spaces are majority white. This also goes for spaces that lack representation of any marginalized groups. If you are not actively recognizing and fighting harmful structures, you are making the situation worse by pretending they don’t exist.” -Charlie Vail, White Queer Jewish Woman
“Auditions that are billed for ‘male & female’ dancers (to me that's code for 'trans folx need not apply'), or grant and audition forms that require applicants to select a binary gender. Reviews and articles that mis-gender artists or don't take care to identify them by their affirmed name.” -Luke Greeff, Occupation: Dancer, Choreographer, Arts Administrator, Amateur Circus Human, Gender: Trans-Masculine, Sexuality: Queer
“A lack of funding for queer art that can't be billed as performative queer trauma/triumph (this definitely applies to funding for other non-hegemonic artists as well). I also think that how we speak about non-white, non-cis, esoteric and/or process-based art can be extremely harmful even if it's not intended to be. Speaking from my experience, a micro-aggression I see a lot both in and beyond Chicago is referring to any work by a queer artist with a series of airbag adjectives such as 'unusual' or 'avant-garde,' or questioning if the work was 'queer enough.' As a queer artist I am hyper-aware that when I present my work, either for funding or review, part of my critique will undoubtedly be if I was the right type and amount of queer. In no other situation would we look at that approach and believe it to be acceptable, and queer artists aren't the only ones getting these types of critiques. It all starts with how we speak about each other's work, because those little micro-aggressions can greatly affect who's getting funded, who's getting residencies, who's being given a platform, and ultimately who's being represented in movement-based work.” -Luke Greeff, Occupation: Dancer, Choreographer, Arts Administrator, Amateur Circus Human, Gender: Trans-Masculine, Sexuality: Queer
“I feel like having certain grants and projects dedicated to minorities or artists of color can sometimes be more isolating than supportive, since such way of addressing doesn’t feel integrated into larger context or narrative still, that artists of color or artists from marginalized communities are still being marginalized and seen/identified as others. The language used and rules set by the Chicago dance institutions, finders, platforms, and/or writers are still primarily white dominant and oriented. I felt in the past that how to get seen in Chicago dance communities is through the fame and connections you’ve already made or naturally privileged to possess because of how you self-identify/look/where you come from rather than what the actual performance, potential, artistic vision, or the effort/dedication artists put in, with the cultural and social considerations woven into it.” -Chicago-based dance artist
“The things that make me feel unsupported or harmed are: 1. When I am misgendered or when people tell me that I’m doing the wrong part if I chose in ballet to do the masculine part. Another problem area, is when people look at me and assume that based on the way that I look that I am incapable or childlike. Or when I call ahead to a new class or institution and they say they are accessible and I get there and they are not. This is a waste of time and energy. This is disrespectful, just tell me the truth or say I don’t know. I believe everyone in every place should be welcoming to everyone, but I understand this isn’t always possible, so they should at least tell me if it was or wasn’t. Another area that needs to be brought up is that people will see me for me sometimes, which is a good thing, but they forget that I am in a wheelchair. This turns into them saying, I’m sorry I wasn’t thinking about your chair. This is a double edged sword, because I like that they invite me and forget about my chair, but when they invite me to an inaccessible spot, they have to say, Sorry I will be more cognizant of this in the future.” -Jessica Jess Martin, non-binary performer, producer, dancer, choreographer, and creator of Exploration: An Evening of Dance, Discovery, Creativity, and Fun.
"Truthfully, I don't believe I am familiar with feeling fully supported by institutions, funders, platforms and/or writers. I learned early on in my art making process that they type of work I was interested in creating was outside of the mainstream vision of "dance". I learned to produce, create and write on my own terms. I see institutions as spaces to gain money and resources but for the main part not intended for me or my work." -Jenn Freeman | Po'Chop, Performance Artist
"I am a person living with ‘invisible disabilities’ - PTSD and major depression. This means that I often struggle with social anxiety, and have a tendency to isolate. I am not always able to physically show up the way that I would like to. Chicago dance institutions prioritize this idea of being an "active member of the community". In my experience, this has felt like a code for: if you're not consistently showing up physically, you will not be considered. I have grown to appreciate government grants, because their only interest is in the strength of the proposal, period. This allows me to quietly do my work without the pressure of making an appearance at every event. Community is important, of course. But when a maker's position in the community becomes the priority of the institution, is the priority really on the work itself? " Anonymous
"I once received a critique from a grant I applied to that said ‘Her project sounds like an anxiety that can't be fulfilled.’ Also, several of the judges frankly said they had no idea what style of dance i was referring to. Yet, it was a well known form of dance in my community. That was hurtful because culturally black people are complex, so naturally our ideas tend to be layered and multidimensional. It felt like I had to dumb myself down, in order to be comprehended."-My name is D'onminique Boyd and I am a dancer, dance writer, arts administrator, make-up artist and mom.
"When a space is mostly White I feel the most unsupported, especially if it's a space that I feel was carefully curated to be so or created without thought or concern for diversity. It feels intentional, or at the very least lacking in self-awareness, when a teaching staff, cast, or board lacks diversity because just how can that be in the year of our Lord 2021?" -Elysia C. Banks, South Side Dance maker
"Sometimes there is just a culture among some platforms, writers, funders, or institutions that I don’t mesh with. People grade you in a room by your speech, behavior, what they feel about your dance career, appearance, age, race, status, experience, or grants you’ve won. Then they treat you accordingly based off of some of these subjective things. I just like to be me but If I don’t meet some of these expectations. I may get one or two turned up noses, overlooked, disregarded, or even disrespected. Now, I want to be clear this is not something everyone does. I have found some real people in my dance adventures and they warm my heart. But my point is, it can get exhausting to always have to overcompensate for who you are, in order for people to feel comfortable around you. I’m at a point where I’m tired of relocating myself and adapting myself for people that don’t trust me. I understand trust is earned, but the only difference in what I’m doing versus some of them, is that I have relocated myself and continue to try but it is rare for that same courtesy to be done the other way around." -Keisha Janae
"As a transfemme person of color I've had my share of experience with ‘exclusive’ auditions such as ‘looking for male/female dancers.’ As confident as I am with my gender identity, the words use still caused distress or harm. It is better to change the language into ‘male/female identifying’ dancers or not include gender identity at all (unless they're specifically looking for male identifying or female identifying artists.) Another experience is the misrepresentation of my gender identity; written article, interview, or choreographic work." -Dee, transfemme, Asian, trans artist
"I have experienced bouts of dismissal when it comes to addressing important issues on inclusivity in the dance space. Inclusion doesn't end when the dancers are hired. Inclusion comes with the relentless assurance that the dancers hired feel comfortable, safe, and able to speak their mind without dismissal of thoughts or actions. This is relevant in studio spaces, social events & shows, in dance writing, and in application descriptions/questions for grants, residencies, and beyond." Hannah -"Unsupported when: The purpose of the artist is shifted to meet the media or trends. Example: changing the words on how the artist explained their art and purpose behind it." -Anonymous
"I would go back to this idea of prioritization of certain aesthetics, trainings, forms, and levels of capitalistic professionalism. When I see this happening (in the form of who gets resources and opportunities), it hierarchicalizes dance, and I think that eats us all." -Anonymous
Community:
"When institutions, funders, platforms and writers function with a lack of care toward the power they yield and the effect they have on the course of people's careers and lives. When the gate keepers are unaware of bias, bigotry, and discrepancies in their practice and do not have the intention to make progress on dismantling these upheld imaginaries." -Julia Rae Antonick
“I feel disheartened and disappointed when I see my fellow dance artists and dance friends harmed by dance institutions that have a larger influence and/or power over the Chicago dance community and dance audiences. Sorry, maybe that’s redundant. I also think a lot about how the dance community can often feel insular. It’s easy to fall into the pattern of interacting with dance artists that you already know and trust, but does that hinder/deny other people from being seen and heard?” -Erika Farkvam - white, female, Ukrainian village resident, Trader Joe’s employee
“I feel unsupported and therefore paralyzed to take risks with new ideas in my creative process and dance making/performance if I sense unnecessary judgment and lack of community and openness from our Chicago dance institutions, funders, colleagues and platforms. When ‘different’ is judged and pushed away without giving it a chance to enrich our Community.” -Silvita Diaz Brown
“Lack of opportunities for jobs in the field - strong reliance on networking for opportunities, specifically to college students who attended institutions within the city. i've noticed that it's harder for people who have moved here from out of the city or state to get gigs, jobs, find their way into the community. specifically CDF. it's cool that they provide strong support for artists in Chicago, but that still will only serve a specific pool of people. how can we make opportunities more accessible for everyone? how can we create more opportunities in general? what if an artist wants to move here, has significant experience and wants to apply to be a lab artist, but can't until they live in Chicago for a certain number of years?** How do we welcome them into our community if there are no opportunities for them to step in and thrive here? same goes for the recent college grad. why must we always work our way up, when we could work to level the playing field?” -Sarah Stern
**It is important to note that this is the perception of CDF’s policy. CDF currently requires Lab Artist Applicants to reside in the Chicago area during the time of their potential lab year. Someone with dual-residency is not eligible.
“What I mean to say that if an individual or institution places itself in the position of being in service to the field of dance, trust in the worth of dance. Do not place us in the position of justifying why we are art makers or dance artists or why people need dance or art. We should not be having to tell you why you should be supporting dance if you have already chosen to do so. We should not have to continually re-contextualize ourselves based on current trends, art-as-education, art-as-spirituality, art-as-activism. We can celebrate the fact that art may be any or all of these things and more, without having to be apologists for our field. Ask us what we need; usually we know. Trust our answers. Trust our expertise - in the business of art making as well as in art making. Do not assume that another artist needs the same things. We do very different things and we should continue to work very differently.” -Jonathan Meyer
“I think the sense of community is a double-edged sword. People sometimes get caught up in an echo chamber of their own community. People have the friends and network they have, and while they want to be inclusive, sometimes it becomes intimidating to an outsider. I can put myself out there as much as I want, people will still pick their friends over opening themselves to new voices. Sometimes this can feel alienating, discouraging, and frustrating. It is hard to gain footing when opportunities are seemingly only offered to those in a club I can’t edge my way into.” -Laura DeAngelis (She/Hers) (Age 24)
"I find a lack in communication within institutions and dance spaces a trend, specifically with men in charge. motives lay within personal gain and if you don’t fall into the parameters of that personal gain, you basically ain’t shit. people being left on read... emotions being toyed with. for what reason??? why is the concert dance world so toxic? i hate to even call it toxic because i personally have met truly the most amazing people who are now my chosen family, who i’ll have forever and hold sacred memories with. the support i feel from them and those old and new within dance spaces are so meaningful. yet we continue to praise and keep weirdo leaders in charge; who aren’t even leaders. i don’t want to take away any accomplishments they’ve made. like period do you but don’t harm others as you do it. behaviors such as ghosting, no compensation, minimal compensation, body shaming, racist remarks.... honestly sexism and looking for a body to fill the costume rather than based on talent. i could go on! like truly if you look at the patriarchal atmosphere within our country; granted everything is SO polarized but the (concert) dance community mostly everywhere is operating within a white supremecist patriarchy... !!! and it’s so clear. if you’ve been around you know and if you don’t, you’re probably upholding it without even realizing. bc you’re fresh and Chicago (un)leaders latch on and reel you in. period! oh also your black square on instagram and BLM anti racist statements don’t mean shit unless you actually do something about it." -Chloe Hamilton. 24. Latinx white passing, she/her.
Other:
“For the purposes of your data collection, I want to say that I have been harmed by Chicago dance institutions. However, since I do not perform anymore (both due to that harm and due to life changes) I want to leave yield the floor here for people who are more active in the community than I am.” - Mags Bouffard, Board Member, LOUD BODIES
"I think at the base of this is actually a problem with See Chicago Dance — I’m not sure if this is still the case but I think the idea of ‘building’ dance audiences is both a great idea and somewhat fraught in the way it’s historically been conceived by See Chicago Dance’s predecessor Audience Architects. I think it’s important that we don’t think of audiences in monolithic ways and it's deeply problematic if this is only white, monied audiences — or just one part of Chicago and not others. At the same time, I think building audiences is crucial and actually building audiences of people who have money to spend, but also audiences to just keep dance relevant. I think that a lot of people in the audience at dance and performance events are other dancers and artists…which while lovely, can feel myopic sometimes. I don’t think this is completely the case, or always the case. But, I think it’s one of the reasons why there is so little resources for Chicago arts non-profits. If the only people turning up are other artists, and the people supporting organizations are other artists, it’s a problem because other artists don’t have a lot of resources (a problem in and of itself)." -Anonymous