Chicago Dance History Project

10/08/2026

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! Each year the National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed starting on September 15th to coincide with the independence day of five countries. This year’s theme is “Together, we are more” which is meant to celebrate family, resilience, creativity, faith, and service. It is meant to honor the diverse stories that strengthen our nation, invest in our future, and build a stronger America for all. During this month, we hope to highlight these diverse stories that strengthen our Chicago Dance community.

Former Luna Negra dancer Vanessa Valecillos shares why her favorite audiences to perform for are children.

To view Valecillos’ full Oral History Interview on our website, visit the link below:
https://www.chicagodancehistory.org/interviewees/vanessa-valecillos
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Vanessa Valecillos, former dancer with Luna Negra Dance Theater, sh...

10/06/2026

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! Each year the National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed starting on September 15th to coincide with the independence day of five countries. This year’s theme is “Together, we are more” which is meant to celebrate family, resilience, creativity, faith, and service. It is meant to honor the diverse stories that strengthen our nation, invest in our future, and build a stronger America for all. During this month, we hope to highlight these diverse stories that strengthen our Chicago Dance community.

In this short excerpt from the CDHP’s Summer Rooftop event panel discussion, Jorge Perez, former dancer with and current Executive Director of Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater, shares how he met founder, Dame Libby Komaiko, in college which led him to fall in love with Spanish dance. Listen until the end to find out what Perez's alternate career path was supposed to be!

To view the full panel discussion on our website, click the link below:
https://www.chicagodancehistory.org/panel-discussions-1/cdhp-summer-rooftop-fundraiser-panel
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The CDHP Summer Rooftop Fundraiser Panel took place on August 14, 2...

10/01/2026

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! Each year the National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed starting on September 15th to coincide with the independence day of five countries. This year’s theme is “Together, we are more” which is meant to celebrate family, resilience, creativity, faith, and service. It is meant to honor the diverse stories that strengthen our nation, invest in our future, and build a stronger America for all. During this month, we hope to highlight these diverse stories that strengthen our Chicago Dance community.

Cuban dancer, choreographer, and director Eduardo Vilaro founded Luna Negra Dance Theater in 1999 and led the company as Artistic Director until 2009. The company closed its doors in 2013. In this short clip from our Oral History interview with Vilaro in 2017, he shares his convictions behind creating Luna Negra and his decision to not commission euro-centric works.

To view Vilaro’s full Oral History Interview on our website, visit the link below:
https://www.chicagodancehistory.org/interviewees/eduardo-vilaro
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Eduardo Vilaro shares his convictions behind the mission of Luna Ne...

09/30/2026

It’s time to preserve YOUR history!

Gather your VHS tapes, make an appointment, and come to our new office in the Ruth Page Center for FREE use of previewing and digitizing equipment. CDHP staff will be on hand to assist.

History. You Make It. We Record It.

To learn more about the Preservation Station and to book an appointment, please click the link below!
https://campsite.bio/preservationstation
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09/29/2026

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! Each year the National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed starting on September 15th to coincide with the independence day of five countries. This year’s theme is “Together, we are more” which is meant to celebrate family, resilience, creativity, faith, and service. It is meant to honor the diverse stories that strengthen our nation, invest in our future, and build a stronger America for all. During this month, we hope to highlight these diverse stories that strengthen our Chicago Dance community.

Victor Alexander, Director of the Ruth Page School of Dance, and Maray Gutierrez, Artistic Associate with the Ruth Page Professional Dance Training Program, discuss the challenges of being a dancer in Chicago versus Cuba.

To learn more about Alexander and view his full Oral History Interview on our website, visit the link below.
https://www.chicagodancehistory.org/interviewees/victor-alexander
To learn more about Gutierrez and view her full Oral History Interview on our website, visit the link below.
https://www.chicagodancehistory.org/interviewees/maray-guti%C3%A9rrez
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Maray Gutierrez and Victor Alexander discuss the challenges of beco...

09/25/2026

There is another new addition to the CDHP website: the joint Oral History interview with Synapse Arts Co-Directors, Megan Rhyme and Rachel Damon!

To learn more about Rhyme and view the full Oral History Interview on our website, visit the link below.
https://www.chicagodancehistory.org/interviewees/megan-rhyme
To learn more about Damon and view the full Oral History Interview on our website, visit the link below.
https://www.chicagodancehistory.org/interviewees/rachel-damon
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09/24/2026

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! Each year the National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed starting on September 15th to coincide with the independence day of five countries. This year’s theme is “Together, we are more” which is meant to celebrate family, resilience, creativity, faith, and service. It is meant to honor the diverse stories that strengthen our nation, invest in our future, and build a stronger America for all. During this month, we hope to highlight these diverse stories that strengthen our Chicago Dance community.

Wilfredo Rivera, Artistic Director of Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, details the process of working with his collaborators to explore the American Identity which gradually turned into the creation of Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre.
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Wilfredo Rivera, Artistic Director of Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, ...

09/23/2026

We are excited to share that Bril Barrett's Oral History Interview is now accessible on our website. Barrett's interview was the first to pilot our new Oral History interview framework which aims to ground and contextualize each conversation in the historical conditions of Chicago in addition to the history of the Chicago dance community during a given time period. This new framework will ensure that every Oral History has the same biographical and historical information gathered while still telling each person's unique story. Based on the recommendations from CDHP's Advisory Council, CDHP staff developed the new framework and were pleased that Council members Bril Barrett and Jorie Goins (interviewer) were able to be a part of the process.

To view Barrett’s full Oral History Interview on our website, visit the link below.
https://www.chicagodancehistory.org/interviewees/bril-barrett
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Bril Barrett, Founding Artistic Director of M.A.D.D. Rhythms, share...

09/22/2026

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! Each year the National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed starting on September 15th to coincide with the independence day of five countries. This year’s theme is “Together, we are more” which is meant to celebrate family, resilience, creativity, faith, and service. It is meant to honor the diverse stories that strengthen our nation, invest in our future, and build a stronger America for all. During this month, we hope to highlight these diverse stories that strengthen our Chicago Dance community.

One of the companies that Amalia researched, The Mexican Folkloric Dance Company of Chicago (MFDC), has photos included in the CDHP archive! Founded in 1982, MFDC has dedicated themselves to showcasing the splendor of Mexican art and culture with performances that share Mexico’s rich history in shaping transitional arts, culture, and values. “The historical periods revealed in the dances include pre-Columbian indigenous times, the Spanish Colonial Period, the Struggle for Independence and the 1910 Mexican Revolution.” Today, in the city of Chicago, the second largest population is now Latines and of this community 70% is Mexican. Mexican Baile Folklorico, the umbrella term for traditional Mexican folk dances, have roots that date back to the 1930s.
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09/17/2026

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! Each year the National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed starting on September 15th to coincide with the independence day of five countries. This year’s theme is “Together, we are more” which is meant to celebrate family, resilience, creativity, faith, and service. It is meant to honor the diverse stories that strengthen our nation, invest in our future, and build a stronger America for all. During this month, we hope to highlight these diverse stories that strengthen our Chicago Dance community.

Frank Chaves, former Artistic Director of River North Dance Chicago for 23 years, outlines in this short clip how he expanded the company’s choreographic commissions during his time at River North. He also continued to choreograph for the company, crediting his Cuban heritage for his work’s musicality and passion. Watch until the end of the clip to see a short selection of his work, “Habaneras, the Music of Cuba.”
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Frank Chaves outlines some of the choreographers he commissioned fo...