Dance
Anonymous, Visual Arts ’24. Untitled. 2021, Painting.
A Day in the Life
The Dance Conservatory leads with a student-centered, trauma-informed, and interdisciplinary approach that aims to empower young people to seek and share their unique voice, artistry, and leadership. The program is designed to give scholar-artists a strong foundation in a wide variety of dance styles that ensure all graduates are prepared to enter the professional field of dance and/or post-secondary education with scholarship opportunities. ChiArts dance scholar-artists receive professional training from top-notch faculty who have experience working with globally recognized instructors, performers, choreographers, and companies.
27 Pre-Professional & Donor-Funded Courses Offered
15 Dedicated Faculty Members
40+ Alumni Signed with Professional Companies
100% College & Training Program Attendance
What Do Scholar-Artists Gain?
- Pre-professional training in ballet/pointe, modern (Horton, Graham), contemporary (jazz, modern), conditioning, Spanish, African, hip hop, and tap.
- Transformative programing that embraces and affirms diversity, culture, and individuality.
- A foundation of holistic practices through additional courses focusing on wellness, professional development, yoga, and developing virtuosity.
- Master classes with nationally and internationally recognized dancers, choreographers, and companies.
Performances & Arts Partnerships
ChiArts’ Dance Conservatory hosts 6+ public performances, choreography showcases, and cross-conservatory productions each year. The conservatory produces annual performance traditions such as A Not So Nutcracker, Nutcracker, RootED – a tribute to origins and creativity of Black dance, and the Senior Choreography Showcase. In 2023, dance scholar-artists had the opportunity to take a masterclasses with DanceWorks Chicago, The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago, Mouminatou Camara, founder of Seewe African Dance Company, ChiArts Dance ’21 alum Darius Murray, and LINES Ballet Company Member, Joshua Francique. The Dance Conservatory prioritizes community engagement and youth empowerment by touring their original productions. In 2023, ChiArts scholar-artists performed excerpts of RootED for Black History Month at Chicago’s Tarkington School of Excellence.
Expert Leadership
Greer Reed joined ChiArts in 2018 and transformed the conservatory with a framework for teaching and learning that has empowered and affirmed the diversity of scholar-artists and ideas at ChiArts. In the classroom, Ms. Reed focuses dance curricula on academic quality, technique, and cultural experiences that reveal the transparency of thoughtfulness, refinement, and holistic teaching. She is excited and committed to developing the next generation of incredible adults who will redefine how movement plays an important role in their lives while honoring past traditions and creating a heritage that reflects their voice.
Ms. Reed successfully completed the Certificate and Merit scholarship programs at The Ailey School and shortly after became a member of the outstanding Ailey II. The bulk of Ms. Reed’s professional career took place with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, retiring after 10 years in 2002 with the “Josie” Award for Outstanding Female Artist.
Ms. Reed graduated Summa Cum Laude from LaRoche University in Pittsburgh, PA. with the President’ Leadership and Scholarship Award, the highest honor La Roche University can bestow on a graduate for exemplary academic and leadership skills who best exemplify the values and characteristics of the college’s mission. In July 2021, she received her MFA from Goddard College with high honors in Plainfield, VT. Currently, Ms. Reed’s educational journey continues toward her Ph.D. in Arts Education from the University of Pittsburgh.
