Why is it so hard to learn about Footwork’s history?
Take the dance move “The Ghost” for example. Wills Glasspiegel, director of the documentary Making Tracks: Chicago Footwork (2013), writes that, “[Chicago] Footwork begins with the development of a move called “The Ghost” on the West Side of Chicago,” but that’s about all the internet has to say about it. Check online archives and databases—Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, JSTOR, EBSCO, Wikipedia, you name it—and besides a few tutorial videos on YouTube, you’ll find next to nothing. For a step that helped launch a burgeoning art form, there is surprisingly little information about where it was developed, who created it and how it evolved. But all that is about to change.
Jamal “Litebulb” Oliver, a “purebred Chicago footworker,” director of LB Productions and co-founder of award-winning and globe-trotting The Era Footwork Collective, traces the lineage of “The Ghost” in “New Ghost,” a multimedia dance exhibition running June 4-7 at Hairpin Arts Center. The culmination of two years of research, the exhibition and dance showcase follows Litebulb as he tracks down the progenitors of the historic step. “[‘New Ghost’] is me finding the legends, recreating the move with them and displaying it for the new generation to see,” says Litebulb. “I started finding these different dancers from the South Side, West Side and south suburbs who contributed to this move. I practiced with twenty different dancers, interviewed them and recorded the entire process.”
The research will be presented as a multi-sensory experience. When you enter the exhibition you will see photographs and stories adorning the walls, tracing the history of “The Ghost” from its creator, Elvis “Bo” Chapman, to innovators thereafter. Beyond that are four immersive environments reminiscent of where Chicago footwork developed: a kitchen (“That’s where my story starts at, in my mother’s kitchen,” says Litebulb.); a basement, where footwork battle groups practice; the park, where footwork crews battle and participate in community events, like parades; and a skating rink, which were popular spaces to hold footwork battles and juke parties. “These four different environments,” says Litebulb, “are historically known for representing Chicago footwork and the spaces it inhabits.”
Of course, dancing is involved!
The main event is June 6-7, with Litebulb demonstrating the evolution of “The Ghost” accompanied by projections of recorded conversations with “the legends.” On June 5, “New Ghost x The Ring” is a special event with The Era Footwork Collective and Jemal “P Top” De La Cruz that includes a personal tour of the exhibit by Litebulb, a live dance battle plus a signed t-shirt designed by The Era member, Sterling “Steelo” Lofton. A free preview on June 4 opens the exhibit to the public to be explored at their own pace—music by guest artist, DJ Spinn. “You’re coming to see dance history in action,” says Litebulb. “To see these hidden legends, like fairy tales… To be able to work with them in this environment is groundbreaking.”
Chicago Footwork, a style of dance indigenous to Chicago and developed alongside juke music in the ‘90s, has seen a rise in popularity. Recently, footworkers were featured at concerts by artists Towkio, Chance The Rapper and Def Loaf, and at popular events like Pitchfork Music Festival and Red Bull’s “Dance Your Style” national competition. Footwork’s fast-paced and frenetic approach to hip hop—with songs at approx. 160 bpm—has graduated from basements and clubs to pop-consciousness. “Footwork culture has been etch-a-sketching the city’s eco system for 40-years,’ says Litebulb, “and has the track record to show that we deserve to be respected and deserve support and resources. If you practice any type of dance from Chicago, you should come see this exhibit to get the full example of what we offer here.”
“New Ghost” will delight die-hard dance historians and Chicago culture fanatics alike, and performances by Litebulb will captivate dance fans of all ages and backgrounds. In an era where it feels like everything is on the internet, news of “The Ghost” is a rare exception, and for the time being can only be found at Hairpin this June, where Litebulb and LB Productions bring history to life.
View the promo for “New Ghost” by clicking the link: “NEW GHOST” @Hairpin Arts Center feat. Litebulb
“New Ghost” runs June 4-7 at Hairpin Arts Center, 2810 N Milwaukee. Showtimes are June 6-7, NEW GHOST: Exhibition Premiere at 6pm, $20; June 4, Opening Exhibition, 2pm-6pm, FREE; June 5, NEW GHOST x THE RING: Exhibition + In Person Signing, 5:30pm, $60; A 3-day pass is available for access to all events, $30. Tickets and show information are available at litebulbfootwork.com.
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