LOUD BODIES Dance

LOUD VOICES served as a weekend long performance series located at City Farm Chicago in July of 2021. Each performance highlighted a different choreographer, social topic + Chicagoland organization. Topics explored throughout the weekend related to food insecurity and accessibility, gender inequality in the workplace, and the ways in which capitalism and whitewashed American history affect our perception of the American dream. Each event served as a donation site/informational session for the audience. Food items were collected to be distributed throughout the LoveFridge Chicago’s free food sites, books were sold through a popup shop by Semicolon Bookstore, and a representative from Women Employed spoke about inequality in the workplace, and the resources in which the organization offers to make sure all people feel welcome in their work environment.

Katlin Bourgeois, Marceia L. Scruggs, Dee Alaba + LOUD BODIES

CHOREOGRAPHED BY YsaŸe McKeever + performed by Aaliyah Christina and Jada Cunningham

Ysaÿe McKeveer's work performed by Aaliyah Chirstina and Jade Cunningham

CHOREOGRAPHED BY Keeley Morris + performed by Diamond Gant, Maria Blanco, and Keeley Morris

Keeley Morris' work performed by Diamond Gant and Maria Blanco

CHOREOGRAPHED BY Abby Darrow + performed by Kait Dessoffy, Maddy (Roy) McCarthy, and Kaleigh Dent

Abby Darrow's work performed by Kait Dessoffy, Maddy (Roy) McCarthy, and Kaeligh Dent

Photos by Hanako Maki

Collaborators

Drew Lewis aka lildov

Drew Lewis aka lildov is a performer and creator originally from Oak Park, IL. He graduated magna cum laude from Cornish College of the Arts in 2016. Upon graduation, he moved to New York to join Sidra Bell Dance New York, with whom he performed and toured extensively for three seasons. Other performance credits include C-LS, Project 44, Attack Theatre, Joel Hall Dancers, and Lucy Riner. He is currently based in Chicago where he freelances as a dancer, choreographer, composer, and educator.

Michelle Renee

Michelle Renée (she/her) is a Multimedia artist based out of Chicago, with a degree in Advertising Art Direction from Columbia College. She enjoys merging music with visual art and exploring themes of pop culture within her work. She loves collaborating with artists of all mediums and accepts freelance work! Drop her a line on Instagram @heymichellerenee.

Alexa Santiago

Alexa (she/they) is proud to be a Boricua from Puerto Rico. Stage management credits include work with Celebrity Cruises, Universal Orlando Resort, American Ballet Theatre, Cirque du Soleil, Prague Quadrennial, and Lookingglass Theatre Company. Alexa holds a BFA from DePaul University.

Courtney Smith

Courtney Smith (she/her) is a Marketing & Communications Specialist with a focus on digital communications and marketing, social media, and strategic comms. LOUD VOICES is her first formal project with LOUD BODIES, for which she managed and produced the newsletter, LOUD VOICES show website, and launched the official LOUD BODIES merch site. She holds a BA in Public Relations and Advertising from Loyola University Chicago. Follow her on IG @c.c.t.v

PARTNERS

City Farm Chicago

City Farm is one of Chicago's oldest sustainable urban farm. For over 30 years, thanks to innovative practices developed by Resource Center founder, Ken Dunn, vacant lands in urban areas have been turned into vibrant organic farms using compost created through Resource Center's compost collection service.

The result is a working, sustainable farm operating on a nourishing base of compost resting upon clay set atop anything from dirt to asphalt. Through Ken's pioneering efforts to provide healthy compost to the inner city where "clean dirt" and soil is unavailable, the city of Chicago has benefited greatly by organizations using this model of sustainable urban agriculture.

The Love Fridge Chicago

The Love Fridge is a Chicago mutual aid group grounded in food, working to place community refrigerators across the city. We are powered by kindness, generosity, love, and the belief that being able to feed yourself is a right, not a privilege. Our goal is to nourish our community while combating food scarcity and food waste, and working with other like-minded community partners.

Semicolon Bookstore

Semicolon Bookstore is a Black Woman-owned bookstore and gallery space committed to nurturing the connection between literature, art, and the pursuit of knowledge; while also using the power of words to better our community. We are committed to having a direct impact in raising literacy rates in Chicago and beyond. To initiate this change, we invite CPS students to the store every month to #ClearTheShelves. Free of charge, students can take home whatever books they’d like. Investing in our youth, one book at a time.

Women Employed

WE relentlessly pursue equity for women in the workforce by effecting policy change, expanding access to educational opportunities, and advocating for fair and inclusive workplaces so that all women, families, and communities thrive.