Dance Companies
It is the mission of Madison Contemporary Vision Dance Company to present original and diverse contemporary-based choreography in order to inspire audiences of all ages and backgrounds to appreciate a deeper connection to dance as a visual art-form, while also providing a platform for dancers and other artists to come together for resources, education, events, support, and community.
Sadira is the founder and director of the Riad Dance Company. She has performed in Cairo, Egypt and studied Arabic dance and music in Egypt, Morocco and Jordan. Sadira and the Riad Dance Company perform women’s dances from the Middle East with a repertoire that includes both traditional and contemporary dances from Morocco, Egypt, Turkey, the Gulf states and Palestine. Sadira currently teaches independently at Kanopy Dance studios and for the U.W. Division of Continuing Studies.
Dancers share their enthusiasm for Israeli Folk Dance and have fun while developing coordination, improving self esteem and learning to respect each other. Yonim members perform each season in Madison and around the Midwest. Their past performances include major local Jewish Community celebrations and several other special regional events such as Celebrating Youth, International Folk Ball, MIT’s Israeli Folk Dance Festival in Boston, and The Israeli Folk Dance Festival in New York. Any child in grades K-12 who wants to dance and have fun may participate in Yonim. Israeli Dance is a wonderful, culturally rich experience for both Jews and non-Jews alike.
Aerial Dance Chicago is a nonprofit dance company dedicated to creation, performance, and instruction in the field of aerial dance. The mission of Aerial Dance Chicago is to enrich our community with the fine art of aerial dance. Through innovative choreography, engaging performances and energizing hands-on experiences, our programs educate, strengthen and connect people of all walks of life.
Aerial Dance Chicago inspires everyday people to challenge their own assumed limits to reveal undiscovered potential. Through highly original and physical programming, the company reawakens humanity’s craving for live, kinetic and creative experiences and contributes to the health and empowerment of the community.
Founded in 2012, Ballet 5:8 a 501-(c)-3 nonprofit arts organization. With a growing roster of professional dancers and a repertoire of all-new classical and contemporary works, Ballet 5:8 performs in a variety of settings across Chicago and the U.S. in addition to teaching workshops and master classes. Ballet 5:8’s performances combine the athleticism and beauty of professional dance with a commitment to practical communication and understandability. This brings performances out of the abstract, elitism of some art forms and into the hearts and minds of everyday people.
Ballet Minnesota is a nonprofit, Saint Paul-based professional dance company established in 1988 by Andrew and Cheyl Rist. It functions as the performing company of the Classical Ballet Academy, its official school. Ballet Minnesota’s founding vision was to create a dance organization serving the Twin Cities and surrounding areas, dedicated to creating an understanding and enjoyment of the dance arts through performance of the classic repertoire and exploration of new works.
Ballet Quad Cities is one of our Midwest region’s premiere arts organizations. Launched as a professional dance company in 1996 by Founding Executive Director Joedy Cook, Ballet Quad Cities has garnered critical praise for its stunning performances. Ballet Quad Cities is the longest-running resident professional ballet company in the entire state of Iowa and western Illinois, one of only 100 in the nation. Our award winning performances and interactive school and community programs are accessible for everyone. Each year we touch over 25,000 people with the amazing, athletic and entertaining art of dance.
CDR is unique compared to other dance schools and programs in the composition of the “company”. CDR is composed of an elite group of local, talented, and dedicated students 10-18 years old. Company members become versatile dancers, taking classes and rehearsing in various styles of dance. Members take class and rehearse as a unit. There is a limited amount of dancers accepted to create more individual attention from the director/teachers and to create more opportunities for each dancer to grow technically and artistically. The dancers show their love and passion for dance through their work ethic in the studio and on stage. Members are recognized at competition and conventions, winning many scholarships and stand-out dancer awards.
Lead by artistic director Jessica Deahr, Chicago Dance Crash has emerged as the premier fusion-style contemporary dance company in the Midwest. Emphasizing a unique mission of both athleticism and accessibility, the Crash aesthetic is most notably recognized by its combination of concert and hip hop techniques in works ranging from full length productions to repertory pieces and freestyles.
Based in Madison, Wisconsin, Cycropia was formed in 1989 and is one of the oldest continuously-operating aerial dance troupes within the United States. Using single-point trapeze, bungee, lyra, aerial fabric and custom steel apparatus, Cycropia combines modern dance, athleticism and the magic of defying gravity. Cycropia’s mission is to foster artistic expression and creative movement through aerial dance, education, performance and other community-building activities.