The Legacy Conversation Series: Forward Momentum Chicago

The Legacy Conversation Series provides a glimpse into the history, culture, and artistic vision of the Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project’s eight diverse dance companies. Each monthly, moderated conversation presents a vital opportunity to delve into the stories of creative leaders and their companies, and the significant impact their legacies have made in Chicago and beyond.

 

Pierre Lockett has an impressive dance career that spans nearly 50 years. He was a soloist with the Dance Theatre of Harlem and Principal with the Joffrey Ballet. He served as the Director of Community Engagement for The Joffrey Ballet where he grew its programming from ten schools in 1996 to over 55 schools in 2014. After twenty years as a professional dancer, Mr. Lockett combined his passion and expertise for dance with his desire to inspire youth through invigorating dance programs and Forward Momentum Chicago was born.

 

Forward Momentum Chicago provides quality dance education programs to schools and communities with limited arts access. Programs are designed to not only increase dance skills and awareness, but to foster creativity, critical thinking, and social-emotional learning. From classroom residencies to formal studio training, Forward Momentum Chicago offers a variety of dance experiences for all ages and ability levels.

Pierre works extensively with youth from Chicago Public Schools, Chicago Park District, and various schools and studios throughout the city. He is also the recipient of numerous dance awards and was recognized by former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel for fostering the talent of young dancers and his commitment to bringing dance to Chicago’s many diverse communities. He is also the recipient of the 1999 Black Theatre Alliance/Ira Aldridge Award for Best Performance in a Music or Dance Program, the Princess Grace Award for Dance and has served as a panelist for The National Endowment for the Arts.

 

Amina Dickerson draws on leadership experience over a 35- year career in the non-profit, corporate and philanthropy sectors. As Senior Director at Kraft Foods she headed multi-national philanthropic programs in hunger relief, the arts, domestic violence and education. Among other executive posts she served with the National Museum of African Art at Smithsonian Institution, Chicago Historical Society and the DuSable Museum of African American History. She began her career as a theater artist with Living Stage at Arena Stage, in Washington DC. Throughout her career she has worked extensively as a grant reviewer, speaker, facilitator and board member.

 

Dickerson studied theater at Emerson College, holds a certificate in arts management from Harvard University, and a M.A. in arts management from the American University in Washington, D.C. Additionally, she trained and has been certified by the Global Business Network, Center for Creative Leadership, Coaches Training Institute (CTI) and the Leadership Circle. She is a member of the International Coaching Federation, which has awarded her the Associate Certified Credential (ACC) for her work. Her board service includes The Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, the Woods Fund of Chicago, the Women’s Funding Network, the Legacy Fund of the Chicago Community Trust, the Leadership Advisory Council of the Art Institute of Chicago and Ellen Stone Belic Institute for Women and Gender in the Arts and Media at Columbia College. Previously, she served as Distinguished Visitor with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and a Newberry Library fellow and as board member for the Harris Theatre for Music and Dance, Donor’s Forum of Chicago and the Chicago High School for the Arts.

 

Her work has been recognized with awards from the Association of Black Foundation Executives, Chicago Women in Philanthropy, Chicago African Americans in Philanthropy and the Association of Fundraising Professionals, among numerous other civic honors. In 2009 she was added to the HistoryMakers national video archives of outstanding African American leaders and was named to The Network Journal’s Class of 25 Influential Black Women in Business. She was inducted into American University Alumni Hall of Fame in 2008.