Chicago Home Theater Festival Profiles: Bill Ayers
An interview with professor, revolutionary, and activist Bill Ayers about Kenwood, the neighborhood he calls home.
Author: Michael Workman
Movement Matters: J’Sun Howard
Movement Matters investigates work at the intersection of dance, performance, politics, policy and issues related to the body as the locus of these and related socio-cultural dialogues on race, gender, ability and more. For this installment, we sit down with movement artist, curator, poet and Queer Blq Futur narratologist J’Sun Howard to discuss the influences of geography, the role of joy in combating disillusionment and the importance of placekeeping and other practices in the life and work of Chicago’s black and brown artists. Michael Workman: You don’t hail originally from Chicago, correct? J’Sun Howard: No, I’m originally from Chattanooga, TN. I came here in 2001 to go to school at Columbia College. Here, I started out on the West Side. Then to Lakeview, which was fun, crazy, and full of self-discovery. Uptown was chill and where I began to feel more grounded. I went back to Lakeview after that, and by twenty-three I was done with the bar/club scene. South West Side in the ‘hood, around the Homan Square area was next, I would …
Movement Matters: Nic Kay
Movement Matters investigates work at the intersection of dance, performance, politics, policy, and issues related to the body as the locus of these and related socio-cultural dialogues on race, gender, ability, and more. For this installment, we sit down with movement artist and thinker Nic Kay to discuss growing up in the Bronx, depression, the intellectual forbears who inform their work’s foundations, and the active, moral urgency of fundamentally infusing the black body into our notions of performativity. Please note that Kay will reprise their performance of Lil BLK at Hamlin Park Fieldhouse from March 16th to 18th as a part of the fourth annual OnEdge program by The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE). Michael Workman: How did you make your way to Chicago? You’re originally from… Nic Kay: I was born in The Bronx. Though I grew up in between The Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan, which was REAL. Not easy. Not romantic. Just simply very R A W. New York City is unforgiving, especially unforgiving if you or your parental guardians are working paycheck to …
Movement Matters: Karen Finley & Young Jean Lee in Conversation at Steppenwolf
Karen Finley, Young Jean Lee, and Lisa Lee talk race, class and gender consciousness, the NEA Four, and artists vs cultural worker at Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theatre.
Movement Matters: Jamal “Bulb” Oliver
One of the members of The Era Footwork Crew tells the story of how he got involved in Chicago Footwork and the moment he took his work internationally.
Movement Matters: Allen Moore
One of the city’s rising artists, curators, and DJs discusses his part in curating a new monthly performance series at Comfort Station, creating inclusive spaces, and art in the age of Trump.
Movement Matters: Carole McCurdy
A conversation about the pleasures of dancing blind, ageism and starting as a dancer after the age of 40.
Movement Matters: Po’Chop (aka Jenn Freeman)
An conversation with Chicago burlesque dancer and performance artist about coming out to her family, facing toxic masculinity in the nightclub scene, and performing the black body.
Movement Matters: Amanda Sukenick
One of Chicago’s performance artists discusses absurdist identity art personifications, YouTube stardom, and her guest spot on Comedy Central.
Movement Matters: Mary Wu
Movement Matters is a column that investigates work at the intersection of dance, performance, politics, policy and issues related to the body as the locus of these and related socio-cultural dialogues on race, gender, ability and more. For this installment, we sit down with dancer, collaboration and performance artist Mary Wu to discuss her at times alarming audience interactions, the ethics of art-making and new aesthetics of the body arising out of the disability arts movement. Michael Workman: Thanks for taking some time to sit down with me discuss your work. Mary Wu: I haven’t made my own work in a long time, I have to say. I want to make work that I feel like I need to make. It was years ago that I made a solo work now, I showed it at Research Project, this very small work-in-progress showing curated by friends. It was very much making art for art’s sake based on years of solo practice for myself. I wanted to have something to show and then I did it and …
Movement Matters: Felicia Holman
Interdisciplinary artist from Links Hall and Honey Pot Performance fame discusses her South Side Chicago roots, and bootstrapping in a biased dance culture.
Movement Matters: Andy Karol
One of Chicago’s well-known performance and poetry artists discusses her work, coming out gay post a het-marriage, genderqueerity, and the joys of motherhood.
Movement Matters: Jenai Cutcher West and the Chicago Dance History Project
An interview with writer, dancer, and director of the Chicago Dance History Project.
Movement Matters: Darling Shear
One of Chicago’s essential movement artists on the evolution of dance, self-definition, sex positivity, and breaking the stigmas of sex work.