Chicago Dancers United is a nonprofit organization with a mission to improve the lives of Chicago-area dance professionals by cultivating pathways to holistic wellness of the body, mind, and spirit. Our primary annual fundraiser, Dance for Life, supports The Dancers’ Fund, which provides financial support to the Chicago dance community.
We invite all professional dance companies in the Chicago area to submit video recordings of a work that meets Dance for Life 2021 guidelines and, at the same time, shows your company at its best. Your submission must include a video file of the dance piece, a brief description of the work, and the signed Technical Rider that acknowledges you will abide by Chicago Dancers United’s theatrical parameters.* Our submission deadline is April 14, 2021.
- We value works that display the diversity of Chicago dance.
- We encourage works to be JOYFUL to celebrate life, especially this year.
- Larger company works are the strength of this event.
- We request that dance works be no more than 10 minutes in length to accommodate more companies in the performance.
- If the submitted video shows a dimly lit performance, please include a rehearsal tape along with your submission so we can see the movement and the dancers clearly.
- With the constraints of an outdoor venue this year and the lighting needs of so many participating companies, we cannot offer more than simple general lighting plots.
- Please carefully review and sign the attached Technical Rider and return it with your submission.
- We do not consider children or youth groups for inclusion in Dance for Life.
- Each participating company must secure all rights, approvals and copyrights for the music, choreography, and other materials they will use in their performance.
Please use this link to upload your submission:
Be prepared to upload the following:
1) The video file of the dance
2) The piece description, including credits
3) The signed Technical Rider
If you are unable to use the link, you can also email your materials to sarah@chicagodancersunited.org
*If you are selected for inclusion in Dance for Life, program credits for your company and dance work, along with the digital file of your music, are due by July 1, 2021.
*All companies chosen to participate in Chicago Dancers United's Dance for Life 2021 will be required to comply with all applicable COVID-19 restrictions and requirements that may be in effect at the time of rehearsals and the performance, as imposed by the state of Illinois and the City of Chicago, as well as any additional precautions that CDU may impose as appropriate to maintain a safe environment for all participants and the public.
Photo by: Todd Rosenberg, Dancer: Devin Buchanan.
