|
|
Street named after local dance legend Joel Hall
by Vern Hester 2016-05-08
|
|
This article shared 3957 times since Sun May 8, 2016
|
|
On May 6, history was made when Joel Hall Way was unveiled at a joyful ceremony at the intersection of Clark Street and Thorndale Avenue. Choreographer, educator, public figure and icon Hall, an openly gay, African-American man, had a street named after him. The first openly gay African-American man to have a street named for him was DJ Frankie Knuckles, in 2004. Prior to that, openly gay white activist Jon Simmons received a street dedication.
The ceremony got under way with a brief unveiling and reception/program attended by current students, LGBTQ activists, politicians, former students and the media. The reception also included two dance performances by The Joel Hall Dancers.
Among those who spoke at the event were Ald. Harry Osterman, LGBTQ activist/Open Hand co-founder Lori Cannon and Joel Hall Dance Company ( JHDC ) board member Debbie Chanel.
Cannon made the point that so many great artists did not survive the AIDS crisis and if they and their contributions were acknowledged, they came posthumously. Cannon said, "I like to say 'thank you' when people are alive." Cannon was instrumental in getting the ball rolling for the street renaming by reaching out to Osterman two years ago.
Hallwho spent the afternoon in a state of pleasant shock with all of the recognition focused on himthanked his longtime partner, Craig L. Davis, as well as many friends, past and present, while acknowledging his commitment to tthe African-American and LGBTQ communities. He also pointed out that the area of professional dance was not "just entertainment," but, as an art form, communicated the legacy and culture of a people. In his case, he maintained that his dance company is steeped in "Chicago style," and when they perform internationally they bring an entirely unique flavor to the stage. Hall's focus right now is to take the company to a more grounded financial level so that he can pay his dancers living wages.
Hall, who is a native of Chicago's Cabrini Green, has not only overseen the development of his organization as director but has created and choreographed more than 70 ballets using a style that embraces jazz, classical and modern dance idioms. In the four decades since founding his company, Hall has received innumerable awards and honors, including a guest professorship at Northwestern University, The Katherine Dunham Award, two awards of merit from the Black Theater Alliance and The King/Chavez/Parks Visiting Scholar Award from Western Michigan University. Hall has also been inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame and has been honored with Lifetime Achievement awards from the African American Arts Alliance, the Jazz Dance World Congress and The Chicago Dance and Music Alliance.
The dance company, founded in 1974, has established itself with the mission to "awaken the dancer in everyone's soul." As a welcoming community based not-for-profit organization which embraces diversity and inclusion, the further mission of the company is to make dance education accessible and affordable to all people regardless of age, financial circumstances, or experience level. The JHDC currently operates several dance programs at several Chicago Public School facilities as well as in the Chicago Park District.
The company also features three dance performance arts organizations which include apart from The Joel Hall Dancers, The Joel Hall Dancers II ( a training program ) and the Joel Hall Dancers Youth Company ( composed of individuals 12 to 17 ).
The Joel Hall Dance Center is open seven days a week and is located at 5965 N. Clark St. For upcoming events and classes, visit JoelHall.org .
|
|
|
|
This article shared 3957 times since Sun May 8, 2016
|
ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE |
---|
|
| | Theater Review: Billy Elliot, The Musical 2024-02-19 - Book and Lyrics: Lee Hall; Music: Elton John. At: Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora Tickets: 630-896-6666 or Paramountaurora.com; $28-$79. Runs through March 24 Billy Elliot: The Musical may nearly be two decades old, but ...
|
| | SHOWBIZ JoJo Siwa, Tom Holland, Bowen Yang, Pet Shop Boys, Mariah Carey 2024-02-02 - In the wake of Nigel Lythgoe exiting So You Think You Can Dance, queer personality JoJo Siwa is returning to the series, per Deadline. Siwa, who was a judge on season 17 of the Fox show, will replace Lythgoe, who left ...
|
| | DANCE Choreographer Dwight Rhoden talks David Bowie, Alvin Ailey, queerness 2024-01-31 - In "STAR DUST: A Ballet Tribute to David Bowie," Complexions Contemporary Ballet co-founders Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardsonbacked by their Alvin Ailey lineageand their dance troupe tackle many of the ...
|
| | Chicago Dancers United and The Dancers' Fund become Chicago Dance Health Fund 2023-12-14 --From a press release - Chicago Dancers United, which has supported the health and wellness of Chicago's professional dance community through The Dancers' Fund for more than 30 years, announces that, effective January 1, 2024, the organization will operate and distribute ...
|
| | DANCE 'Sugar Hill: The Ellington/Strayhorn Nutcracker' running Dec. 20-30 2023-12-12 - Tony-winning producers David Garfinkle and Dr. Ron Simons announced the world-premiere of "Sugar Hill: The Ellington/Strayhorn Nutcracker"a holiday dream told in dancewhich will play at Chicago's Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. ...
|
| | MOVIES Rick Cosnett chats about 'Shoulder Dance,' Molly and Jason Momoa 2023-12-05 - In the new movie Shoulder Dance, which is out on streaming, friends Ira (played by out actor Matt Dallas, looking and sounding quite different than from his days on TV's Kyle XY) and Roger (played by ...
|
| | DANCE Deeply Rooted performing Nov. 3 at the Auditorium Theatre 2023-09-27 - The Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Dr., is presenting Deeply Rooted Dance Theatera Chicago-based contemporary dance company rooted in traditions of American and African-American dancein a one-night-only performance ...
|
| | Chicago Dancers United raises more than $365K at Dance for Life 2023-08-29 - Chicago Dancers United (CDU)which supports the health and wellness of Chicago's professional dance communitywelcomed 1,600 people to the 32nd annual Dance for Life on Aug. 19 at Auditorium Theatre, per ...
|
| | Teen suspect arrested in killing of gay dancer 2023-08-05 - The New York Police Department arrested a suspect in the fatal stabbing of 28-year-old O'Shae Sibley, who was attacked last weekend at a Brooklyn gas station. According to The Advocate, Sibley, a professional dancer, had been ...
|
| | NATIONAL Drag news, HIV-bias lawsuit, Disney, Brittney Griner, gay dancer 2023-08-04 - Swastika flag-toting neo-Nazis, some of them armed, were at a Wisconsin LGBTQ+ Pride celebration that included a drag show, The Advocate reported. Members of the neo-Nazi extremist group Blood Tribe joined other right-wing hate groups, like ...
|
| | Billy Masters: Cattrall passive-aggressively returns just like that 2023-06-06 - "I kinda look like a 200-year-old pole dancer now! I don't think that's gonna happen, but thank you anyway." —Sylvester Stallone's response when Sherri Shepherd asks if he'll wear his tank top and booty shorts in ...
|
| | ART on THE MART's summer programs include Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project, Pride celebration 2023-05-11 --From a press release - CHICAGO, IL — ART on THE MART, an innovative digital art project that transforms a Chicago architectural landmark into a larger-than-life canvas, will introduce two new commissions this summer. Building Light, a new projection by Gensler, ...
|
| | South Chicago Dance Theatre to debut 'Memoirs of Jazz' on June 10 2023-05-09 --From a press release - (May 8, 2023) Through the 1960s and '70s, Jazz in the Alley on Chicago's South Side was a hotbed for jazz and a meeting place for some of the country's prominent musicians, visual artists, poets, activists, ...
|
| | Artemis Singers presents June 10 "Better Times Will Come" Pride Concert and Dance 2023-05-03 --From a press release - CHICAGO─Artemis Singers, Chicago's lesbian feminist chorus, will present "Better Times Will Come" Pride Concert & Dance, Saturday, June 10, at the Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox Ave. ...
|
| | Andersonville Midsommarfest to return June 9-11 in its 57th year 2023-04-30 --From a press release - CHICAGO (April 27, 2023) — The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce (ACC) is pleased to welcome summer with Andersonville Midsommarfest, one of Chicago's oldest and most beloved summer street festivals. Now in its 57th year, the ann ...
| |
|
|