Photos by Michelle Reid
Claire Bataille Legacy Program
The Claire Bataille Legacy Program is a scholarship program that offers an opportunity for advanced pre-professional or early career dancers to train in a variety of dance dialects with some of the most qualified teachers in Chicago at a fraction of the cost. Applicants are accepted through audition only. Our training model is to bring equity to as many dance styles as possible, so we offer Ballet, Modern, Contemporary, and Commercial tracks within our overall studies. Accepted dancers take a minimum of 8 technique classes a week while receiving personalized mentoring from current and former performing professionals. Each dancer creates an personalized schedule to help reach their personal goals, in addition to nourishing their choreographic voice and expanding their professional network by working with current, established choreographers.
Interested applicants should email ChicagoMovementCollective@gmail.com with:
-A letter of intent for joining the program and long term goals afterwards
-A video or a link to a video performing their favorite or most comfortable style of movement
ALL genres are applicable. The next stage of auditioning is attending a CMC class in a technique that is different than the one presented in the video. Accepted CBLP dancers work with Founder Ethan R. Kirschbaum to curate their individualized schedule aimed to enhance their specific capabilities and grow toward their goals.
Hear from CBLP Alumni
Blake Campbell
“A huge goal of mine is to be able to get sustainable income from a contemporary dance company. This program helped me by offering incredible training at a drastic discount. It’s very easy to mold the schedule to fit your needs. With multiple classes offered everyday, it’s not hard to reach the goal of 8-10.”
Emily Horowitz
“This program was exactly what I needed for where I was with life and dance. I knew nothing about the dance scene in Chicago and had no connections here. I hadn't been dancing as much or at the level I was wanting to before moving. I knew I wasn't ready or confident enough to face the audition scene yet. CMC/ WHD got me back in shape and refreshed, refined, and broadened my technique. I feel stronger, more confident, and have found more artistry in my movement than ever before and I would not have been able to afford the number and quality of classes I have been taking through CMC without this scholarship.”
All photos by Michelle Reid
Ava Trpeski
“I plan to be a commercial dancer and CMC’s scholarship program offered many different styles of dance, training and helping me to reach my goals. Trey Alexander’s advise has completely changed my dancing, teaching me the difference between dancing and preforming like a professional verses a student. Noelle Kayser taught me to really observe and absorb every detail. Alysia Johnson’s improv class helped me improve my movement quality and gave me a wider sense of movement.”
