TakeChicagoDance.com

Margi Cole, Artistic Director, formed The Dance COLEctive (TDC) in March, 1996 to preserve, advance and strengthen the art of contemporary dance in Chicago and Illinois. TDC aspires to challenge assumptions about how dance is presented, through the use of cutting-edge choreography, innovative collaborations, and inspired creative site-specific-works. TDC’s vision is to become one of Chicago’s premier dance ensembles, recognized for its compelling, socially relevant, and inspiring choreography. In fulfilling its mission and vision, TDC:

*Embraces collaboration as a core element of its creative process *Values the athleticism, grace, power, and strength of its dancers *Nurtures and promotes the creativity of emerging artists

Over the past 13 years TDC has contributed to the support of 15 choreographers, 53 dancers and 58 collaborating artists, many of them Illinois artists.

Artistic Director Margi Cole has received recognition for her contribution to the field of modern dance through awards such as the Illinois Arts Council’s Individual Artist Fellowship, a Chicago Dancemakers Forum grant and the American Marshall Memorial Fellowship, a program which selects leaders in their respective fields to represent the United States on a month-long tour of European countries. TDC received its first grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for its Southeast Tour in March 2008.