HISTORY

CDI/Concert Dance, Inc. creates and presents unique dance works that evolve from a choreographic collective under the artistic direction of Venetia Stifler, often using live music, video and other media to enhance the process and product. CDI acts as a cooperative of creativity where dance is explored as a collaborative art form. The process of creating new dances interweaves creative input and movement development from the dance artists in the company with the direction, vocabulary and structure of Venetia’s choreographic perspective. This unique approach to dance and choreography drives the company’s artistic vision and sets an example of artistic collaboration.

CDI was founded in 1981 by Venetia as a repertory company and a vehicle for her choreography. From the very beginning, there was a commitment of collaboration with other organizations and artists in creating new work. But the shift from being a repertory company to the dramatically different CDI of today, and how the company creates and operates artistically, occurred after several important projects.

In 1999, CDI toured to Edinburgh and performed as part of the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The company was well received and highlighted in the press as one of the “best of the fest.” In September 2001, CDI was contracted to participate in a two-year project with Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) Alumni to create new works for the Ruth Page Dance Series (RPDS). The project was an organizational collaboration between CDI, NEIU, RPDS and a number of other dance companies. In 2003 Venetia was commissioned by the American Composer’s Forum to collaborate with a composer in the creation of a new work. Also in 2003, the Ravinia Festival commissioned Venetia to create “Aftermath: The Dance” to music by renowned composer Ned Rorem. It was during this intense creative time that she began to shift her choreographic style to a more collaborative one, using the dancers’ improvisations, sense memory exploration and other techniques to craft the work. As a result the dancers were called upon to become an integral part of the choreographic process. The Chicago Tribune’s John Von Rhein reviewed the 2003 Ravinia program, stating, “This is music too important not to be heard again and again (Aftermath, Ned Rorem)...the dancers made every fluid movement resonate with stark emotion.”

In February of 2006, the Chicago Sun-Times reviewed the 25th Anniversary performance of CDI. “Strong dancers, live music, original art, attractive costumes and a wide range of themes. This is what Venetia Stifler & Concert Dance, Inc. brought to the stage of the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, and for a small contemporary company - even one that has been around in one form or another for 25 years as this one has - the sheer scale of that effort is impressive.”

Venetia’s re-envisioned production of Ruth Page’s groundbreaking 1947 “ballet carton” Billy Sunday came alive again in 2007 with several stage productions and in the PBS documentary special produced by HMS Media. A two-year project, Billy Sunday not only brought this masterpiece work to new audiences, but also garnered several Emmy nominations from The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

CDI has evolved from a repertory company into a dance collective and artistic incubator; a unique community of collaborators within a growing organism that changes with every new dance that is made. Dancers from across Chicago seek involvement in the company, seeing it as an opportunity not just to dance, but also to grow artistically and choreographically themselves, and to be immersed in this unconventional approach.

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Venetia Stifler

Ms. Stifler, Emmy-nominated choreographer and director, is the Artistic and Executive Director of The Ruth Page Foundation, guiding the vision of the organization left to Chicago by the dance icon and pioneer Ruth Page. Ms. Stifler is also the Artistic Director of CDI/Concert Dance Inc., the official contemporary dance company of the Foundation, which performs choreography by Ms. Stifler and other leading contemporary artists while also exploring and re-envisioning Ms. Page’s work.

Upon her death in 1991, Ruth Page left behind a rich artistic legacy that included a school of dance, archival library, theater, offices for arts groups, groundbreaking choreography, and The Ruth Page Foundation. A commitment to meeting the needs of the Chicago dance community led to a re-focus and re-organization of The Foundation in 1999, resulting in the Executive Director position and renewed life for the organization. Since becoming the Artistic and Executive Director in 2000, Ms. Stifler has helped to bring into greater focus the Foundation’s mission of promoting, protecting and continuing Ms. Page’s visionary work.

Ms. Stifler’s re-envisioned production of Ruth Page’s groundbreaking 1947 “ballet carton” Billy Sunday came alive again in 2007 with several stage productions and in the PBS documentary special produced by HMS Media. A two-year project, Billy Sunday not only brought this masterpiece work to new audiences, but also garnered several Emmy nominations from The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Before her official role with the Ruth Page Foundation, Ms. Stifler served, and continues to serve, as Artistic Director for the Ruth Page Dance Series (RPDS), a festival of dance she created in honor of Ms. Page to showcase the rich variety of dance styles and artists in Chicago and which is produced in conjunction with Northeastern Illinois University. The RPDS has produced over 40 Chicago area dance companies in the last 17 years in venues throughout the Chicagoland area. In 1999 Ms. Stifler took the RPDS to Scotland to be part of the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival, garnering a “Best of the Fest” by the Sunday Times of Scotland. The Series’ eclectic programming of live music, classical song, opera, visual arts – all combined with dance -- was also described by The Times of Scotland as “a witty interaction between the art forms.”

In 1981 she formed Venetia Stifler & Concert Dance, Inc., a company on which she could explore choreography as a collaborative art. Described by the Chicago Sun-Times as “wonderfully dramatic,” Concert Dance, Inc. has performed throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. Trained as a dancer, Ms. Stifler worked in both Chicago and New York with such legendary artists as Jennifer Mueller, Alwin Nikolais, and Merce Cunningham. Ms. Stifler went on to a national and international performing career that spanned over a decade. Ms. Stifler holds a Ph.D. in Dance and Choreography, and serves as Coordinator of Dance at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, where she is a tenured faculty member.

DANCERS

Victor Alexander

Victor is a native of Pinar del Rio, Cuba. He was trained at the national Dance School in Havana and was a principle dancer for the national Contemporary Dance Company of Cuba for ten years. He has studied with distinguished teachers such as Donald McKayle, Chuck Davis and Jeffrey Bullock from the United States. Victor has toured and danced throughout Europe, the United States and the Caribbean and has participated in dance festivals such as the American Dance Festival at Duke University, the Holland Dance Festival in Amsterdam and the International Dance Festival in Germany. He was the first prize winner of the 4th National Union of Writers and Artists Contest in Cuba in 1992.

Jamie Farrell

Jamie Farrell began dancing following her competitive gymnastics career. She graduated from Point Park University in Pittsbugh with degrees in dance and business management. Jamie is the assistant artistic director of Corpo Dance Company and teaches at Northeastern Illinois University, as well as other private dance studios. Jamie has performed with Chicago Dance Crash, Impetus Dance Theatre and Rasa Dance Theatre.

Maray Gutierrez

Maray is a native of Havana, Cuba, where she trained at the Paulita Concepcion Vocational School of the Arts and at the National School of Dance. Dancing as a principal for ten years with Danza Contemporania de Cuba, she has toured throughout Europe, the United States and the Caribbean and has performed in British television and productions of Aida for the Venice opera. She has participated in the American Dance Festival in North Carolina, The International Dance Festival in Germany and the International Ballet Festival in Genoa, Italy.

Garrett Jones

Coming soon ...

Ben Law

Ben Law is currently a member Lucky Plush Productions and Mordine and Company Dance Theatre in addition to Concert Dance, Inc. He has also performed with Hedwig Dances, Instruments of Movement, and the Dance COLEctive. In 2005 he earned his BA from Beloit College and was presented the Beloit College Department of Theatre Arts Award for Outstanding Accomplishment in Choreography.

Stephanie Martinez

Stephanie Martinez began her dance career in 1990 with River North Chicago Dance Company under the direction of Sherry Zunker and Frank Chaves. During her 14 years with the company, she performed principal roles in the works of Ashley Rowland, Margo Sappington, Sherry Zunker, Frank Chaves, Sam Watson, Danny Ezralow, Randy Duncan, Ginger Farley, Ron De Jesus, Kevin Iega Jeff, and Harrison McEldowney among others. She received her training at the Lou Conte Dance Studio studying with Claire Bataille and Ginger Farley. Stephanie has worked independently with a number of directors and choreographers including, Mark Robins (Swing), Kenny Ortega, & Gus Giordano. She has been featured in several PBS specials including River North Rising, Love in Four Acts, and Reality of a Dreamer. Much love to Venetia Stifler for this opportunity, and for welcoming her into this new family…she is humbled to share the stage with such beautiful artistry.

Jennifer Meek

Jennifer Meek graduated magna cum laude from Point Park University with a BFA in jazz and modern dance. She has had the privilege of performing the works of many world-renowned choreographers including Sean Curran, David Parsons, Daniel Ezralow, Joseph Mooradian, Margo Sappington, Ann Reinking, Lauri Stallings, and Lar Lubovitch. She performed with Thodos Dance Chicago for four years, and is currently delighted to be working with Lucky Plush Productions, Concert Dance, Inc, and Hedwig Dances. She also enjoys teaching dance and yoga throughout the Chicago land area.

Erin Polanshek

Coming soon ...

Jorge Quintero

Coming soon ...

John Ross

John trained in the NW with Oregon Ballet Theater and Pacific Northwest Ballet. He has danced for several Chicago area dance companies including, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Joffrey Ballet, River North, and Ballet Chicago in addition to freelancing with various choreographers and events in town. On a brief hiatus from Chicago, John danced for Royal Carribean and in the First National Tour of Lincoln Centers 'Contact'. In his quest for a lifetime achievement award, he has made it his goal to dance for every dance organization in town before he dies. John is EXTREMELY pleased to be dancing with Venetia Stifler, and has found the working environment to be an absolute breath of fresh air!

Kari Wall

After graduating from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Dance Arts, Kari Wall completed her Masters of Dance Studies at Laban Contemporary Dance School in London. Since moving to Chicago in 2004 she has danced with various independent choreographers and is thrilled to be performing with Concert Dance Inc.

Amy Michelle Wilkinson

Amy graduated from the University of Iowa with a double major in dance and communications. She started her performance career in Boulder, Colorado dancing with The Open Door Theater before moving to Chicago where she has worked with numerous companies including Thodos Dance Chicago, Same Planet Different World, and Luna Negra Dance Theater. She has also set original choreography on many local companies and has had her work performed in both international and local festivals including Dance Chicago and the Rising Stars Concert Series at Ravinia. She is currently a lead teaching artist with Gallery 37/After School Matters arts programming, and is pursuing her M.Ed. in higher education at Loyola University of Chicago. Amy has been dancing with Concert Dance since 2001.