Dance Divas, an annual fundraiser for the Chicago Dance Health Fund (CDHF), contributes to a legacy of more than 30 years of raising money to support the dance community’s health and wellness. This year marks a time of reorganization and growth for the event; it is not only being presented for the first time by the C5 Artists Foundation Chicago—a nonprofit organization formed in 2024 by Jay and Jeremy Plummer-Frankovich—but it is also changing venues to support an ever-expanding audience.
With Artistic Director Jeremy Plummer and Co-Choreographer Harrison McEldowney at the helm, Dance Divas will make its debut on The Rhapsody Theater stage. Three performances will take place on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 8 p.m., and on Sunday, Oct. 6, at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. To kick off the weekend, a VIP cocktail reception will be held before the Saturday show at 6:30 p.m.
For those who attend annually, expectations remain the same: The stars of the show are the Divas, professional Chicago concert dancers performing in drag, with a host of backup dancers, lighting designers, costume designers and more, all volunteering to help put on a musical revue of the highest caliber for a worthy cause.
This year’s theme, “Remake, Reboot, Rewind,” aims to shine light on the divas of our past.
Cast of Dance Divas; photo courtesy Dance Divas Chicago.
“We wanted to feature dance artists that we haven’t heard from in a while who had a great ‘remake’ of their career,” Plummer says. “Same thing with ‘reboot’—to really focus on those musical artists that have come back and relaunched or continued a career with longevity. And then we wanted to also ‘rewind’ back to some of those famous classic musical scenes from stage and screen to celebrate some of those.”
An impactful part of the evening is the element of surprise. The numbers, as well as who is performing each piece, are a well-kept secret. The cast is pulled from a variety of Chicago performance art companies, such as The Joffrey Ballet, Giordano Dance Chicago, Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater, Chicago Tap Theatre and more—but you may not recognize them at first.
For some dance artists, the event is a unique chance to perform in drag. This is true for longtime performer Ethan Kirschbaum, one of this year’s headlining divas, who will be performing a number that hasn’t been seen by Dance Divas audiences for almost 20 years.
“It’s like a homecoming and reunion each year, and it’s exciting to see how each of us grows within our drag artistry because we don’t practice it year-round,” Kirschbaum says. “I’m in my fifth year, I’m feeling more comfortable, I feel like I can take more risks. To be given that platform to continue to grow in something that maybe I normally wouldn’t have, really lends itself to a better end product and even more thrilling show.”
While some artists and technicians return to volunteer their time and talents, others are welcomed and introduced to Dance Divas—and the Chicago dance community as a whole—for the first time. This means fundraising for and awareness building of CDHF, as well as community-making between the diverse companies, organizations and independent artists within the city.
“Coming to divas, I was able to meet dancers from the tap community, the modern, the contemporary, the jazz, the flamenco,” says Jackson Liee, third-year performer and Chicago dance artist who has worked, taught and choreographed within the community for about 10 years.
Cast of Dance Divas; photo courtesy Dance Divas Chicago.
“It’s a great avenue to meet other dance artists that are in many different variations of employment, “ Plummer adds. “They get to…learn about their organizations, the companies they work with, and it helps give momentum to their careers, as well.”
As the internal network grows, so does the audience and the level of production. The Rhapsody Theater will provide more seating capacity, as well as greater opportunity for expanded lighting design, special effects and video components, says Plummer. This all helps raise the bar in terms of monetary goals.
Dance Divas has raised more than $300,000 over the last 17 years, with all proceeds going directly to CDHF. Whether actively working or retired, any individual within the dance community—from designers to dancers to directors to administrators—can fill out an easy application that will provide them an opportunity to receive financial support. This is especially crucial for those who may lack health insurance.
“I personally applied in 2020 at the height of the pandemic... [CDHF was] able to help me with my copays for behavioral health that were very crucial to me surviving and thriving out of the pandemic,” says Kirschbaum. “And with that support, I was able to start Chicago Movement Collective, which is a dance studio founded in 2020 to support the next generation of artists.”
Cast of Dance Divas; photo courtesy Dance Divas Chicago.
More than just mental health services, CDHF has provided coverage for a wide range of health care needs and medical bills. Kirschbaum explains that CDHF has even helped his close friend receive life saving surgery.
The evening is packed with fun and glamor, celebrating the female illusion while garnering comradery between the cast, crew and audience. Now, under the auspices of the C5 Artists Foundation and finding a new home at The Rhapsody Theater, it will continue to flourish as a highly anticipated staple of the Chicago dance scene.
But there is and has always been a singular mission, now and for the future. “It’s important to remember we are not just embracing one community; it’s the dance community, drag community, LGBTQI+ community, as well,” says Liee. “For one cause only: to help those in need.”
“Remake, Reboot, Rewind,” by Dance Divas, will be held at The Rhapsody Theater, 1328 W Morse Ave, on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 6, at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. VIP cocktail reception will be help before the Oct. 5 performance at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $50 for balcony, $75 for veranda, $100 for main floor and $150 for VIP seating. All proceeds go to the Chicago Dance Health Fund. For more information, click the event link below or visit dancedivaschicago.com.
