“Make life your masterpiece; imagine no limitations on what you can be, have or do.”
“No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a strange, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than others.”
“When we share what we were brought here to give, we are in alignment with our highest, most powerful selves."
“No great artist ever sees things as they really are. If he did, he would cease to be an artist.”
"It doesn’t matter how high you can lift your leg, just sit, and open your eyes and open your heart."
"We all know we have a finite period of time. I just feel if I’m going to be alive, I want to be challenged – to be as immortal as possible. The path to that isn’t an easy way, but it’s a rewarding way."
Our commitment is to “Community” not “Company,” the Participatory, rather than the Proprietary. And having chosen this route, we are building a more robust dance community.
DanceWorks Chicago is committed to build a foundation for the individual artistic growth of dancers and choreographers, providing a laboratory from which early career artists propel themselves and the art form to a new level through training, collaboration, mentorship, and performance. Led with integrity by Co-founder and Artistic Director Julie Nakagawa, DanceWorks Chicago fills a niche in the dance ecosystem investing in and shining a spotlight on the individual artists. Dancers are encouraged to explore their technical capability as well as their artistic curiosity in an individualized and deeply personal approach with the goal of nurturing passionate, articulate artists able to make meaningful contributions to the art form. Choreographically, we look to uncover new voices while also embracing opportunities to connect with more established choreographers providing mentorship and perspective for all involved. Welcoming the public to engage with the DanceWorks family to build context around the work of art is both our pleasure and our duty as a good dance citizen.