Chicago Dancers United’s annual Dance for Life fundraising gala will be a virtual event this year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, social distancing guidelines and subsequent shut-down of all theaters.
The annual event at the Auditorium Theatre (this year originally scheduled for Sept. 15) is held in support of The Dancers’ Fund, which provides financial support to dancers in need of critical health care, and this year, also those faced with routine medical expenses due to the pandemic. In addition, the fund’s efforts support AIDS Foundation Chicago and the American Cancer Society.
The performances, Sept. 10-15, will be presented online — a combination of archival performances from the past 10 years of galas, and a world premiere finale choreographed by Hanna Bricston featuring dancers from across the area on Sept. 15. All of the events will be available for streaming at chicagodancersunited.org; the first five days will be free (donations will be accepted); the Sept. 15 event will be available for a nominal donation.
Company performances featured in this year’s event include those from Giordano Dance Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The Joffrey Ballet, Hanna Brictson and Dancers, Chicago Dance Crash, Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater, Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theatre, Luna Negra Dance Theater, Muntu Dance Theatre, River North Dance Chicago, Thodos Dance Chicago, Visceral Dance Chicago, and a collaborative work by Chicago Human Rhythm Project, Ensemble Español and Trinity Irish Dance Company.