Chicago Dance History Project commemorates five years of collecting oral histories with icons of theatrical dance in Chicago with an interview marathon on January 31, recently designated Chicago Dance History Project Day in a proclamation by Mayor Lori Lightfoot. “The City of Chicago is thrilled to celebrate our diverse and legendary local dance community. The seven-hour Interview Marathon represents decades of dance history personified in more than 40 interview subjects—presented by the critically important Chicago Dance History Project, which investigates, documents, and presents the histories of dance in Chicago,” says Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Commissioner Mark Kelly, who will be speaking at the event.
“The project is generative,” she says. “When I started five years ago, I was handed a list with 225 names on it, and now it’s 2000. I’m hoping we can make the Interview Marathon a repeatable thing. My sense is that even when we’re able to gather again physically, some element will always exist online.” As for this first attempt, Cutcher says, “I have a feeling a lot of connections will present themselves throughout the day, serendipitous connections that no one can anticipate. I’m hoping certain themes will surface and repeat themselves through the day. What those themes are, we’ll all find out together.”
Sun 1/31, 11 AM-6 PM CST, chicagodancehistory.org, $20.
