Teen Artist Project (TAP)

Teen Artist Project (TAP), an outreach program of chicago danztheatre ensemble, encourages teens to draw upon their experiences to express their own thoughts and ideas through the arts. This middle school and high school age outreach program increases awareness of the arts and improves literacy in students through experiences in visual and performing arts. We encourage students to pull from their own experiences when writing, acting, dancing and making their own work. We believe exposing students to the arts fosters a greater self-esteem that will be essential to their lives post graduation.

Don’t daydream your dreams away….

PRITSKER 5-8 grade dance students have been working on the past two months a few pieces from African, modern, hip hop, and Musical Theater to create an interwoven story of “don’t daydream your dreams away!” We come together every Tuesday and Thursday to understand the discipline dance is by embracing the hard work and commitment being in an ensemble. Teamwork is also focused on as we help each other learn the movement and support one another. Dance is more than just steps you can communicate so much through the expression, the passion, the dance of life. We celebrate the soul of dance in class and continue to give opportunity to the kids to explore the creativity, voice, and freedom in a safe open place!!!

John Green

John has performed on stages throughout the United States and Europe, doing everything from Neil Simon to Shakespeare. He won Chicago’s Jeff Award for his portrayal of George in Of Mice And Men directed by Robert Falls. As a story teller/singer-songwriter, he has performed numerous concerts and autobiographical shows, often joining forces with his brother Rich (Northwest United States Banjo Champion). His plays have been produced at theatres across the country and in Paris. Twilight Serenade was published by Dramatic Publishing Company and optioned for film by Top Dog Productions. The Liquid Moon won the After Dark and Jeff Awards for Best New Play and was subsequently nominated for the Pulitzer.

Art Union Humanscape (AUH)

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Performance: Ayako Kato, dance & Jason Roebke, double bass

Art Union Humanscape (AUH) was formed by double bassist Jason Roebke and dancer and choreographer Ayako Kato in 1998. They presented over one hundred long-form music and dance improvisation performances in the United States, Japan and Europe. Fall 2010, AUH++, an expanded version of the group, performed in the opening program of Chicago Jazz Festival at Jay Pritzker Pavilion of Millennium Park. With cornetist Josh Berman, the group was awarded CROSSCUT grant for New Collaborations in Sound/Movement from Experimental Sound Studio and Links Hall in 2007 and they toured Japan in 2009. The group improvised with musicians such as Michael Zerang (percussion), Jim Baker (piano), Kent Kessler (double bass), Darin Gray (double bass), Michiyo Yagi (koto), Taku Sugimoto (guitar), Toshimaru Nakamura (no-input mixing board), Haco (voice, electronics), Jorrit Dijkstra (saxophone) to name a few.

Jason Roebke is a double bassist working in the field of jazz and improvised music. Since coming to Chicago in 1999, he has become one of the cities most active musicians. The Chicago Reader described his work as "a carefully orchestrated rummage through a hardware store." He regularly works with a wide range of ensembles: Mike Reed People Places and Things,Jason Stein Locksmith Isidore, Jeb Bishop Trio, Steve Dawson, overova, James Falzone Klang, Keefe Jackson Quartet, Jason Adasiewicz Rolldown, Jorrit Dijkstra, Fred Lonberg-Holm's Valentine Trio. He was the recipient of a 2009 Artist Fellowship in Music Composition from the Illinois Arts Council, Community Arts Assistance Program grant from the City of Chicago (2007).jasonroebke.info

Ayako Kato is a dancer/choreographer who works on interdisciplinary and experimental collaborations between dance artists, musicians, visual artists and video artists. Kato’s performances have been critically acclaimed by The New York Times, theChicago Tribune, the Village Voice, the Chicago Reader, Time Out – Chicago and SeeChicagoDance. Kato has received awards and honors, including Chicago Dancemakers Forum Lab Artist Award, funding from The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, TheJapan Foundation, The Puffin Foundation, Illinois Arts Council and City of Chicago. Kato is currently an artist in residence at Hamlin Park Fieldhouse Theater as a part of Chicago Moving Company's Dance Shelter Program. She also organizes a dance series, currently called Dance Union, in Chicago since fall 2008. www.artunionhumanscape.net

Ebony Joy

Ebony is the playwright of numerous commissioned and original plays which have received readings, productions and awards throughout Chicago, NYC and Los Angeles. Honorary member of the International Women’s Writers’ Guild, Ebony has served as mentor and chair of Black Playwrights International (BPI) as well as, sat on various social, civic and Grant review panels. Ebony was Executive Director for the African American Arts Alliance of Chicago and proudly served as Artistic Director for Evanston’s Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre.
 

Frankie Zela

Frankie Zela has a BA in Fine Arts from Indiana University, Bloomington. She has lots of multi-media art interests but currently she finds vintage windows and paints in reverse. She uses happy, feel-good subjects such as gerber daisies, hearts, liquor bottles and charming old buildings. She is inspired by the sun, nature, bright colors, re-used objects, wine and Folk Art. Go to Franklieart.com for more.