HISTORY

In 2015, a group of dedicated individuals who loved dance joined together to find a way to more broadly support the health and wellness of Chicago’s professional dance community. Many of them had been involved in producing the annual Dance for Life fundraiser since 1992 to support Chicago dance professionals affected by HIV/AIDS, under the wing of AIDS Foundation Chicago. But they realized they could do much more to support members of the community who were confronting a range of medical challenges if they formed an independent entity. And so, they founded Chicago Dancers United as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

A few years later, the unthinkable happened: Live performances came to a grinding halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While CDU’s mission was to support the critical health needs of Chicago’s professional dance community, the pandemic brought to light additional challenges—expenses for general wellness care, mental health care, and more. To respond to these challenges, the CDU board approved expanding the fund in two ways: the Critical Health Need Grant increased from $4,000 to as much as $5000, and a new General Health and Wellness Grant now provides up to $1,000 for ongoing health-related services.

In the past 10 years, the organization has experienced remarkable growth. The annual operating budget has more than doubled. The staff has grown from a single project manager to include a contracted workforce in operations, marketing and PR, development, accounting, and project management of Dance for Life, which remains the organization’s primary annual fundraiser, along with other fundraising initiatives throughout the year. In its early years, the Fund awarded annual grants totaling $10,000–20,000; in 2023, the total amount was more than $80,000. In addition to maintaining a relationship with AIDS Foundation Chicago as a resource provider and beneficiary, the organization has established partnerships with Howard Brown Health and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab to provide access to medical professionals, especially for those who are uninsured, and offers resources through the American Cancer Society.

In 2024, the board changed the name of the organization to Chicago Dance Health Fund, which more clearly aligns with its mission to provide health and wellness support to all Chicago dance professionals. This organization is unlike any other in its support for dance professionals throughout the country.