Ten of Chicago's most acclaimed dance companies will share a single stage on August 22 at the Auditorium Theatre for the 35th anniversary of Dance for Life, a one-night-only benefit that has become a fixture of the city's performing arts calendar. The event, held at the Auditorium Theatre at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive, funds health care support for Chicago's professional dance community, and organizers say the companies involved donate their time, talent, and artistry to make it happen.
Dance for Life traces back to 1992, when dancer Keith Elliott and co-founders Todd Kiech, Harriet Ross, Danny Kopelson, and Gail Kalver launched it as a one-night benefit at the Organic Theater to help Chicago dancers affected by the HIV/AIDS crisis, according to the Chicago Star. That inaugural show sold out and grew into an annual tradition that has since presented more than 50 Chicago-based dance companies over its history, as reported by WGN-TV. Michael Anderson, managing advisor of Chicago Dance Health Fund, is among those overseeing the organization behind the benefit today.
The nonprofit running the show has changed its name over the years but not its mission. Effective January 1, 2024, the organization rebranded from Chicago Dancers United to Chicago Dance Health Fund to reflect a broader scope of health services beyond critical illness, per the same account from Windy City Times. The group was originally established as an independent nonprofit in 2015 after operating under the wing of AIDS Foundation Chicago, according to Windy City Times.
Two Grant Programs Cover Emergencies and Everyday Care
Chicago Dance Health Fund now provides financial support for both preventative healthcare and critical medical needs across the city's professional dance community, per WGN-TV. The fund operates two main grant programs: the Critical Health Need Grant, offering up to $5,000 annually for major injury or illness, and the General Health and Wellness Grant, offering up to $1,000 annually for routine medical, dental, and mental health expenses, according to the Chicago Dance Health Fund's own grant information.
Eligibility extends well beyond dancers themselves. Any Chicago-area professional or retiree in the dance industry — including technical staff, administrators, choreographers, instructors, and accompanists — can apply, Windy City Times reports, and the application process is anonymous and available throughout the year. Annual grant distributions through the fund reached more than $80,000 in 2023, up from just $10,000 to $20,000 awarded annually during its early years, according to the fund's own history page, and its operating budget has more than doubled over the past decade. Across its 35-year run, the event has raised more than $8 million overall, per WGN-TV.
A Star-Studded Lineup Honors a Longtime Collaborator
This year's performance lineup features The Joffrey Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Giordano Dance Chicago, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Ballet 5:8, Chicago Dance Crash, Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater, Robyn Mineko Williams and Artists, Trinity Irish Dance Company, and Visceral Dance Chicago, the Chicago Star reports. Choreographer Randy Duncan, a Chicago native whose work spans concert dance, theater, and film, is this year's official honoree and is choreographing a world-premiere finale featuring dancers from the participating companies — a role he has held for most of the event's 35-year history, according to the same outlet.
The program also includes a restaging of Red, Black & White, a collaborative work created more than a decade ago by choreographers Harrison McEldowney and Jeremy Plummer that brings together dancers from across the entire Chicago dance community, as detailed by Newcity Stage. The piece closes out Act One as an ensemble showcase spanning companies that might otherwise be competitors on any other night of the year.
Gala Dinner and Honorary Co-Chairs Precede the Show
The full evening kicks off well before curtain. A 5 p.m. Gala Dinner at Venue SIX10 precedes the 7:30 p.m. performance at the Auditorium Theatre, with Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias and Josephine Giannoulias serving as Honorary Co-Chairs, according to Dance Informa. The night wraps with an official After Party back at Venue SIX10, following the same source.
The Auditorium Theatre itself carries its own historic weight as the host venue. Built in 1889 and designed by Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan, the landmark seats approximately 3,901 people and was designed with democratic seating principles so that every seat offers clear sightlines and acoustics, according to the Auditorium Theatre. More details on the venue are available at auditoriumtheatre.org, while information on grants and the fund itself can be found at cdhf.org or through the organization's Facebook and Instagram accounts under the handle chicagodancehealthfund.
