Cultivating excellence through artistic and creative generosity.
COMMON conservatory is a 36-week, full-day program for dancers looking to launch their professional careers. Guided by world-renowned faculty and choreographers, the conservatory strives to take an individual approach to the needs and goals of each artist.
Each year, the conservatory artists are given promotional, administrative, and technical tasks to develop their year-end performance and connected to mentors to support their professional growth beyond the studio.
About COMMON
After acquiring a pre-professional training program from a local dance school in 2018, Terence Marling founded COMMON with a vision for a better ecosystem to support dancers. Artists who pursue a career in dance routinely confront financial instability, toxic work environments, and widespread discrimination. COMMON was built on the belief that a healthy future for dance requires listening to new artistic voices, investing in their diverse capabilities, and empowering artists to lead the change they want to see in our communities. COMMON provides holistic training, public performances, and an enriching community for dance artists of all backgrounds.
Since its beginning, COMMON has supported over 1500 artists and choreographers. In response to the staggering number of dancers who have been displaced during the pandemic, COMMON has shared 200+ free ballet classes through “The Flying Biscuit Show” on Instagram LIVE.
We hope that our work at COMMON will extend beyond Chicago to inspire better ecosystems for artists around the world. Dance is a universal catalyst of community, storytelling, and innovation. Dancers deserve the support to do so much more than simply survive.
