The Cambrians is a global dance production and education platform centered on Chicago. Our ever-expanding team of dancemakers perform in Chicago and abroad, blending cultural immersion and a spectrum of primary dance forms to drive our choreographic innovation. The Cambrians don’t live in pursuit of pre-decided subjects, we live in pursuit of revitalizing our purpose for dance. For our students, our audiences, and our artists, we use dance to build the most meaningful relationships possible with the time we have together. The conversations that we have as we touch, find trust, and make art together is the content.
We are forever grateful to the people and organizations that have supported us. In addition to numerous individual donations, these supporters include MacArthur Driehaus Funds, Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, the Illinois Arts Council, Chicago Dancemakers Forum, the McCormick Family Foundation, and committed annual backing from Abby O’Neil and Pamela Crutchfield.
Since 2014, The Cambrians have presented seven evening-length shows, working with 46 choreographers and twenty of the world’s premiere dance performers, all while paying above standard wages. Ohad Naharin donated our choice of any work he’s ever made for remixing inour project Empress Archer.We’ve proudly trained students from cities across North and South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Our project Clover was named one of the Chicago Tribune’s Top 10 Dance Performances of 2015.
Art Intercepts’ Lauren Warnecke, now dance reviewer for the Chicago Tribune, said simply, “If this is the future of contemporary dance in Chicago, I’m so in.” When she reviewed Clover, Lynn Colburn Shapiro of See Chicago Dance described us as we hope to be by saying, “It’s not often that you chance on dance performance that promises innovation and truly delivers on originality. With The Cambrians, it’s so unassuming and authentic and personal, you can’t help feeling they’re just living life and you happen to be there...”
