The Shirley Mordine Dance Maker Award

 

About The Shirley Mordine Dance Maker Award 

Shirley Mordine was a visionary dancer, performer, choreographer, and educator. The Shirley Mordine Dance Maker Award provides Chicago-area early-to-mid career choreographers with unrestricted grants via a short application and process. The Award honors Shirley Mordine’s dedication and prolific contributions to Chicago dance and her prodigious and life-long love of dance making.

Recognizing the many roles required to make dance, unrestricted $1,000 grants are awarded to assist choreographers in paying for the essentials in creating and producing, including but not limited to music recording, music rights, costume design or construction, operations, marketing, space rental, childcare, dancer wages or honoraria, etc.

In addition to financial support, the Award provides access to established dance professionals for guidance, advice, and mentorship.

About Shirley Mordine

Shirley Mordine's five-decade career in Chicago included founding the Dance Department at Columbia College Chicago, the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago, and originating the college’s revered Dance Presenting Series. A prolific artist, Shirley founded and served as Artistic Director of Mordine & Company Dance Theater from 1969 to 2019. Her contributions sparked and encouraged a vibrant, enduring Chicago dance community.

Eligibility

Early-to-mid career choreographers living in the greater Chicago area are invited to apply. Applicants may have, but are not required to have, an association with Columbia College Chicago. Current faculty, staff, and students at the time of application are not eligible.

Follow Up and Reporting

Applications are reviewed and funds awarded by a committee of active dance peers and professionals in December 2026.

Awarded choreographers are expected to premiere their proposed new work in 2027. Working within the Awarded choreographer’s timeline and proposed workflow, a virtual mid-project update and end-of-project recap will be scheduled. The intent of these meetings is to support the awarded choreographers and to learn more as to how The Shirley Mordine Dance Maker Awards can be adapted for greater impact. By design, the meetings will be conversational and helpful without placing undue burden on awarded choreographers. No written final report will be required.

The Shirley Mordine Dance Maker Award Fund

Shirley Mordine lived and created from 1936 to 2025. The Shirley Mordine Dance Maker Award Fund was established in 2026 by her family, friends and colleagues to honor and continue her dedication to dance education adn performance and to the City of Chicago. The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago facilitates The Shirley Modine Dance Maker Awards through the support of the Fund.

 

Please provide as much detail as needed to give the reviewers a sense of where you are in your artistic growth, your choreographic process, and the expected impact that The Shirley Mordine Dance Maker Award will have in bringing your work to fruition. Be direct and succinct in your replies, but feel free to take the space needed to make your case for support.

Include in your artist statement where you are in your artistic growth (early or mid-career) and describe your choreographic process.

State directly and succinctly how a $1,000 award will help bring your work to fruition.

Keep in mind that The Shirley Mordine Dance Maker Award is to help a choreographer complete a specific dance work within 12 months from when it is received.

Under "Link to Portfolio" provide links to your body of work since 2023 on your website, YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram, or other online platforms. 

Indicate your role and where and when the work was performed. (Only include work that you choreographed or that you contributed significantly as a performer to the choreography.)

Documentation of the project you are proposing is NOT needed or required.