Mission
The mission of Dance at Illinois is to contribute to Dance’s positive impact on the world, as a distinctive generator of new knowledge and as a vital cultural agent and signifier. We activate the power of Dance to root out historically unbalanced, hierarchically oppressive perspectives and are committed to investigating the dynamic intersections between research and teaching in academic, professional, and community settings. We promote ethical, anti-racist, and progressive practices, operating from a deeply held belief that diversity and inclusion are critical for the advancement of the artform and for humankind. Utilizing a range of experimental and canonic approaches, we generate choreographic, pedagogical, performative, and scholarly research that centers Dance in global discourse. We aim to forge innovative and sustainable lives as artist educators and to model that practice widely, compelled by our collective, passionate dedication to Dance as a transformational process.
Vision
Dance at Illinois will be a national epicenter for the development of dance artists and leading innovators in the field.
Values
We believe dance is a way of knowing ourselves and our world, so we seek out collaborations and interdisciplinary projects with other artists, humanists, scientists across our campus and the world. We are committed to the ongoing work of creating a community in which everyone thrives. We attend to the health and wellness of the whole person to support longevity in our careers and our collective growth and artistic pathways. We collectively work toward building sustainable careers for artists by supporting a large network of artists that include students, faculty, alumni and guest artists.