Chicago Dancers United Announces Dance for Life 2020: United As One Six-Day Event Celebrates Past Performances, Culminates with World Premiere

Chicago Dancers United (CDU), which works to  improve the lives of dance professionals  through holistic wellness programs and  provide financial support to those diagnosed  with a critical health need, announces Dance  for Life 2020 will shift from a live  performance to a digital event due to social  distancing guidelines from the state of Illinois  and the city of Chicago. The event takes place  August 10–15 through CDU’s website,  chicagodancersunited.org. PHOTOS AVAILABLE HERE.   Dance for Life 2020: United as One will  feature works archived from Dance for Life  performances during the past 29 years,  including the annual Partner Dance  Companies—Giordano Dance Chicago,  Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and The  Joffrey Ballet—as well as Hanna Brictson and  Dancers, Chicago Dance Crash, Ensemble  Español Spanish Dance Theater, Joseph  Holmes Chicago Dance Theatre, Luna Negra  Dance Theater, Muntu Dance Theatre, River  North Dance Chicago, Thodos Dance Chicago,  Visceral Dance Chicago, and a collaborative  work by Chicago Human Rhythm Project,  Ensemble Español, and Trinity Irish Dance  Company.   The culminating event, which features live  remarks by CDU representatives and a  world premiere choreographed by Hanna  Brictson in response to COVID-19 with  dancers from throughout the Chicago area,  takes place Saturday, August 15,  commemorating the originally planned   date for the 29th anniversary of Dance for  Life at the Auditorium Theatre.   “We are highlighting programming that  offers an entertaining mix of works  from Chicago’s diverse dance community,  past and present,” said CDU Board  President Robert Neubert. “Selections are  primarily from the past 10 years as those  were captured in high definition by HMS  Media and will give our audience the  best quality viewing experience.” Dance for Life brings Chicago's dance community  together thanks to dancers who generously  donate their time, energy, and artistry to support  The Dancers’ Fund, which provides financial  assistance to dance company professionals   diagnosed with a critical health need. The  Fund has been temporarily expanded to help  support dance community members who need  financial assistance with routine medical  expenses due the pandemic. Dance for Life  also supports two partner agencies: AIDS  Foundation Chicago, which mobilizes diverse  communities across Illinois living with HIV,  and the American Cancer Society, which is  leading the fight for a world without cancer.   Dance for Life 2020: United as One takes  place August 10–15,  with performance highlights available free  each day; donations are welcome. The live final event takes place August 15 and will be available for a minimum  donation. All programming is subject to change. All events are available at  chicagodancersunited.org.