The Right Moves

Photograph by Karla G. Nicholson

In 1989, four dancers from Chicago got together to come up with a way to promote and cultivate jazz dance in the city. The result was the River North Chicago Dance Company, now celebrating its 10th season.

Over the years, the group has grown from a handful of dancers rehearsing together on Sunday afternoons to a nationally recognized touring company with 14 paid dancers and two artistic directors.

The troupe’s work is inspired by Chicago’s jazz heritage, and its repertoire includes a performance that traces how historical events and social conditions in 20th-century Chicago affected the evolution of dance, from the Charleston in the 1920’s, to hip-hop in the 1990’s.

“Street Beat-Dance Through the Ages,” as the performance is called, is part of a larger educational program that the company has developed over the years in its mission to reach aspiring dancers and dance lovers young and old. The program, which the dance company brings to schools and other venues, features a brief historical narrative, with commentary on major events, music, fashion, and historical figures of the 20th century. Dancers perform a selection of numbers, including the Frug and the Hustle, and talk with audiences about history, dance, and their own experiences as dancers.

Here, company members Jeffery Hancock and Tina Cannon perform a piece called “Turning Tides” by the choreographer Randy Duncan.