Our Mission:
Red Clay Dance Company lives to awaken "glocal" change through creating, performing and teaching Afro-Contemporary dance--change that transforms social, cultural, and economic imbalances in our local and global community.
Our History:
Founded in July 2008 and based in Chicago, Illinois, Red Clay Dance is a professional touring company that creates and performs a diverse repertoire of Afro-contemporary dance which fuses traditional West African movement with contemporary dance forms. The company is a trendsetter for uniting elite professional dance creation and performance with a social consciousness that spills from the stage to the community. Red Clay posses the unique ability to offer authentic engagement for dance through creating and performing work within marginalized communities. As a company, they embrace cross-cultural collaborations and have a clear vision to strengthen their local community through collaborative projects between African and Afro-Diaspora artists.
Since its inception, Red Clay Dance has created and produced original works that have appeared in arts festivals around the world such as RAD Fest (2012), Dance Chicago (2011,2013), Harvest Chicago Contemporary Dance Festival (2011,2013), Dance Transmissions Festival/Uganda (2010), A.W.A.R.D.S Show/Joyce Soho NYC (2009), The Yard/Martha’s Vineyard (2007), L’Ecole Des Sables/Senegal (2008). The company has also self-produced four evening length concerts, "ri'flekSHens in 6" (2015), " Transcending" (2013), “Celebrating Our Legacy” (2012) and “New Beginnings” (2011).
The company has received grant support from the Chicago Community Trust SmartGrowth Grant, Harlem Stage NYC, The MacArthur Funds for Arts & Culture at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The Arts Work Fund, the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, Northern Trust Charitable Trust and the MetLife New Stages for Dance Initiative.
Red Clay Dance Company is in residency at Fuller Park through the Chicago Park District's Arts Partners in Residency Program, which unites artists and communities in Chicago's parks.
