Winifred Haun & Dancers

Description

We are a diverse group of 10 accomplished, contemporary dance artists. Our performances are engaging and high energy, and audiences love our work. We value collaboration, which is why we enjoy working with local communities to create Events, Workshops, Performances, and Dance Residencies that meets their needs.

We have been creating and producing Dance Performances, Events, Workshops, and more for nearly 25 years. We believe that the world is a better place when more people are dancing, and making dances, which is why we love bringing dance directly into communities, and community spaces. We believe that dance can a make a difference in people’s lives.

Work Sample

This first video is sample reel of our work in a variety of community venues. It shows the the technique and skills of our dancers, and the audience friendly originality of our choreography.
Total time: 5 min, 30 sec
2017 "Trashed" at Danspace Project, NYC
2018 "Don't Linger Too Long" at Studebaker Theater, Chicago
2020 "The Light in Winter" Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple, Oak Park, IL
2020 "Steps in the Garden" at Cheney Mansion garden (during the Pandemic)
2019 "Your nearest exit may be behind you" at Suzanne Roberts Theater, Philadelphia
2018 "Bento" at Studebaker Theater, Chicago

Bento
2019 at Links Hall (18 minutes)
choreography: Winifred Haun
sound design: Barry Bennett
costumes: Athena Parke
dancers:
Summer Hope Smith with
Dexter Bishop, Solomon Bowser, Ariel M. Dorsey,
Michael Gee, Talia Koylass, Amanda Milligan and Jasmin Williams

“Bento” is inspired by the visual art concept of the box within a box. Using dance phrases made and inspired by others, combined with dance phrases made by the choreographer, Winifred Haun, Bento explores the dance within a dance.

This video shows part of a studio performance that was the culminating activity for a Dance Residency at Maywood Fine Arts. Our Dance Residency included 24 modern dance and dance making workshops with over 40 young dancers, ages 9 to 18.

Our submitted work samples show the range of our work, and they include works performed in both traditional theaters, and community spaces. We often create new works designed especially for the space where it will be presented. Our dances for traditional theaters and site specific spaces are original, thought provoking, and exciting for audiences.

One of our work samples shows an informal showing that was presented as part of a Dance Residency that we conducted at Maywood Fine Arts. The young dancers in this Residency were invited to create movement phrases, and patterns of their own, which they then presented to an audience of family, neighbors, and community members.

History

Winifred Haun & Dancers was founded in Chicago in the 1990’s by award winning choreographer and dancer, Winifred Haun. Since 2016, the Company has won awards from the MacArthur Foundation, Martha Graham Dance Company, major midwest foundations, and been presented at Danspace Project in New York City.

WH&D has garnered numerous accolades in the press, including features in the Huffington Post, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, WTTW-TV (PBS), WBEZ (NPR) Radio, and many others.

Ms. Haun was a soloist with the critically acclaimed Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theatre from 1985 to 1993. She won three Ruth Page Award nominations for Choreography and Performance and in 2000, she won the Ruth Page Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Dance Community.

The mission of Winifred Haun & Dancers is to create and present original, contemporary, innovative works that illuminate and elevate diverse artists, audiences, and global themes. Part of the Company’s artistic vision is to have dance viewed in both traditional and non-traditional community performance spaces such as parks, museums, and libraries. The Company has a deep, long time commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, as evidenced by its artists, staff, and Board.

Artistic Vision

Our artistic vision is closely aligned with our mission, and we have been pursuing this vision for nearly 25 years. To realize our vision, we create and produce contemporary, innovative dance works, and events, that are designed to encourage our audiences, and other participants, to engage with the world around them. Diversity, equity, and inclusion have been part of the Company’s vision since its inception. Our dance artists, staff, and Board have always represented the diversity of our state, and this diversity connects with communities and audiences, in ways both large and small.

Our vision also includes creating new work in collaboration with our communities. Our Young Dancer Project brings together young community dancers with our professional artists to develop and create new work, which is then performed as part of our presentations. We especially love presenting our work directly in the community, in non-traditional settings, such as parks, museums, and public mansions.