Join us at the first Footwork Youth Festival 2022! Bring all of your family and friends out to this interactive three-hour event curated by The Era Footwork Collective, showcasing the diverse range of art, culture, and expression that Footwork encompasses in Chicago. The Festival will be structured in three different "footwork stations" Youth will have the opportunity at the Festival to learn and interact with various forms of the culture, including battling, filming/video production, fashion design, education, and DJing. Family and friends alike who attend the event will also be able to enjoy the festivities while youth rotate freely between footwork stations for the first two hours of the Festival and then join together for a team four vs four battle for a trophey and cash prize and a youth performance to end the night, curated and choreographed by The Era Footwork Collective in partnership with Open The Circle .

Doors open at 5:30 PM

This is a FREE all-ages event

Early arrival is strongly suggested

Street parking available

Reserve your free ticket by clicking the link below

IN THE WURKZ is coming to the Walker Arts Center in Minneapolis this Fall!

“Richly layered and textured, this incendiary work begs to be seen again.” —Chicago Tribune

Feet fly at high speed to equally frenetic and rhythmically complex beats as the 5 performers of the Era Footwork Crew are enveloped in sound, video art, and poetry. The group unfolds the story of footwork dancing, from roller rink parties and Chicago basement battles to global stages in London and Japan. Dance and music from another dimension, IN THE WURKZ, represents a flourishing dance company and artist collective, rooted on Chicago’s South Side and gaining national and international acclaim. The show features live original music from pioneering Chicago DJs and producers, including Teklife-founder DJ Spinn and DJ Sydfalls.

See you there! Don’t miss out! Grab your tickets by clicking the link below

IN THE WURKZ is coming to the Walker Arts Center in Minneapolis this Fall!

“Richly layered and textured, this incendiary work begs to be seen again.” —Chicago Tribune

Feet fly at high speed to equally frenetic and rhythmically complex beats as the 5 performers of the Era Footwork Crew are enveloped in sound, video art, and poetry. The group unfolds the story of footwork dancing, from roller rink parties and Chicago basement battles to global stages in London and Japan. Dance and music from another dimension, IN THE WURKZ, represents a flourishing dance company and artist collective, rooted on Chicago’s South Side and gaining national and international acclaim. The show features live original music from pioneering Chicago DJs and producers, including Teklife-founder DJ Spinn and DJ Sydfalls.

See you there! Don’t miss out! Grab your tickets by clicking the link below

Catch The Era Footwork Crew performing LIVE!! at Red Bull Dance Your Style, which is a global all-styles street dance event series with a unique battle format. From hip hop to house, to locking to popping – dancers participating in Red Bull Dance Your Style will need to ‘wow’ the crowd and ultimately win their vote. Testing freestyle and musicality skills through unpredictable mainstream tracks ranging from recent global hits to classic beats, Red Bull Dance Your Style will have the crowd deciding who will rule the dance floor.

Reserve your tickets by clicking the link below, Don’t miss it!

After sheltering-in place for a full year Physical Theater Festival Chicago is ready to come out and play.

In collaboration with the Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parks series, Physical Theater Festival In the Park is a one-day family-friendly outdoor event featuring The Era Footwork Crew, 3AM Theater from NYC and pop-up acts from renowned Chicago artists with backgrounds in circus, puppetry, mask and music performance. Be there at 4 PM to catch The Era performing an exxagerated versino of their most recent single “She Pick The Speed”

"She Pick The Speed" is a representation of how masculine male energy can be supportive of the feminine presence that exists within dance and music, and recognizing that presence which allows them to be in control of the space, equal to their own. Through heavily improved body motions and short, but lyrical soliloquy, let The Era take you on a pathway to a space where men and women both meet and support one another equally.

Tickets/RSVP’s are available now, click the link below to reserve your seat for FREE!

The Era Footwork Crew co-founder, dancer, and activist Jamal “Litebulb” Oliver; writer, director, and editor Wills Glasspiegel; and dance group president Shkunna Stewart will discuss their work with the non-profit Open the Circle, whose programs have aimed to make space in the tightly-knit circles of power and resources in society for youth in divested communities on the South Side of Chicago since 2017, building relationships across segregated divides. Moderated by Assistant Professor of Dance Iddi Saaka.

Click the link below for information on reserving your tickets now!

"The Era has taken footwork back for Chicago."
--Chicago Tribune

Pioneers of the battle dance known as Chicago footwork since 2014, The Era Footwork Crew will teach the basics of the style to dancers of all backgrounds and experience levels. This virtual lab session includes introductions to the cultural history and meaning of the style with a focus on improvisation and teaching students to use the basics to find their own style within the form.

The dance workshop will be followed by a conversation with Hartford-based street dance collective 860MVMNT directed by Jolet Creary, an alumna of The School at Jacob’s Pillow, exploring differences in regional styles of dance and how a community’s culture gives rise to dance forms. Other panel participants will include Pete Boggie and Tyler Brown.

860MVMNT is the fall Dance Artist in Residence at the University of Saint Joseph, where they are developing a work in response to COVID-19/Black Lives Matter which will premiere in December 2020 at the Autorino Center for the Arts in West Hartford.

Click the link below to reserve your tickets now!

Mark your calendars for July 17 at 7 PM CDT

Be ready for a new video premiere at Physical Festival online at home from yours truly, The Era.

Physical Theater Festival at Home will feature three days of online shows, workshops, and panels from around the world.

"Physical Theater Festival At Home" was born out of a desire to connect local and international Physical Theater Artists with our audiences during these unusual times. All the works being presented were recently created by Artists especially for you to watch from the comfort of your home. This year's festival will feature works from Brazil, Portugal, South Africa, UK, and Chicago.

For the full lineup, how to purchase tickets, and donate, visit www.physicalfestival.com or click the link below.

See you there!

In partnership with Rebuild Foundation, The Era will be bringing IN THE WURKZ back to Chicago after their performance/workshop in New York earlier this year! Be ready for an exclusive showing of The Era’s new signature project IN THE WURKZ at Theaster Gates: Stony Island Arts Bank on the south side of Chicago! Tickets are moving fast; don’t miss out!

(Limited seating)

IN THE WURKZ is a touring dance project based on the lives and dreams of dancers on the west and south sides of Chicago.

About this Event

Drums, bass, and synthesizers shake the room to life. Dancers appear under spotlights on stage and in the audience, kicking their legs in slow motion. Smoke billows from the side stage. Dancers recite a poem: “In Chicago/” in the land of flame / there was born a dance / without a name.” IN THE WURKZ is a touring dance project based on the lives and dreams of dancers on the west and south sides of Chicago. This evening-length show unveils a history of footwork dancing, tracing its development from “the holy ghost” – the first footwork dance move inspired by the motion of ghosts and spirit possession in the church – to a citywide, black teenage dance culture. IN THE WURKZ expounds on this dance history through the movements, films, and poetry of The Era Footwork Crew with original music from Chicago's Teklife DJs and Jana Rush.

See you there! (Seats are limited)

Please click the source to the link below to reserve Tickets/ RSVP’s

The Era Footwork Crew and Teklife present a footwork popup shop with Re:Build at the Dorchester Art and Housing Collaborative from 4-8pm on 1.17.20. This event will feature exclusive fashion, music and art created by dancers and DJs in the Chicago footwork community, including new work from Stitched by Steelo, Teklife, The Era and other Chicago designers and artists associated with this long-running dance and music movement.

RSVP’s available now via Eventbrite (Limited Space)

Doors Open @4pm

Free Entry (All donations accepted)

Refreshments will be available, see you there!

Click the link below to reserve your entry now!

RIght after their performance of IN THE WURKZ at SOB’s January 10th , The Era Footwork Crew (The Era), pioneers of Chicago’s footwork dance tradition, teach the basics and cultural history of Chicago footwork in an immersive dance workshop for all ages and backgrounds.

Tickets avaialble now! Click the link below to register!

New York! Grab your tickets to see selections from The Era’s stage show IN THE WURKZ at Winter Jazz Fest apart of our upcoming dates for 2020! dont miss out!

In the Wurkz is a touring dance project based on the lives and dreams of dancers on the west and south sides of Chicago. This show unveils a history of footwork dancing, tracing its development from “the holy ghost” – the first footwork dance move inspired by the motion of ghosts and spirit possession in church – to a citywide, black teenage dance culture that keeps kids safe in dangerous neighborhoods across Chicago. In the Wurkz expounds on this dance history through the movements, films and poetry of The Era Footwork Crew with original music from Chicago's Teklife DJs.

Click the link below to purchase tickets! See you there

Planned in collaboration with The Era Footwork Crew and other OTC partners, the footwork workshop and panel discussion will allow our broader community to experience and engage with different elements of our work .

Footwork workshop will include will cover the basics of footworking, its connection to the music and the underground battles scene. Learn from the best as they teach you Erks, Skates, Dribbles, Ghosts—and how to form combinations from these basic moves to create your own style. Class is taught by Jamal “Litebulb" Oliver, Sterling “Steelo” Lofton, Jemal “Ptop” De La Cruz, Brandon “Chief Manny” Calhoun, Elisha "ELeelee" Chandler, Diamond Hardiman.

Panel discussion will conclude the evening with members of Open the Circle and The Era Footwork Crew sitting down to discuss the future of In the Wurkz, our other projects and answer questions.

“Footwork, if you’ve been living under a rock in Chicago and are somehow unfamiliar, is the frenetic, hyper-repetitive, locally-born dance music that has become the city’s biggest sonic export since house music, with a global scope and staggering international profile.” - Chicago Tribune

To purchase tickets, click the link below!

CHICAGO! See you this Decemeber for In The Wurkz! Tickets available now!

Drums, bass and synthesizer sounds shake the room to life. Dancers appear under spotlights on stage and in the audience, kicking their legs in slow motion. Smoke billows from the side stage. One of the dancers recites a poem: “In Chicago / in the land of flame / there was born a dance / without a name.”

In the Wurkz is a touring dance project based on the lives and dreams of dancers on the west and south sides of Chicago. This evening-length show unveils a history of footwork dancing, tracing its development from “the holy ghost” – the first footwork dance move inspired by the motion of ghosts and spirit possession in church – to a citywide, black teenage dance culture that keeps kids safe in dangerous neighborhoods across Chicago. In the Wurkz expounds on this dance history through the movements, films and poetry of The Era Footwork Crew with original music from Chicago's Teklife DJs.

Performances of In the Wurkz at Links Hall represents “the community debut” of this long-developing project by The Era Footwork Crew. In the Wurkz will premier nationally and tour throughout 2020-21.

To purchase tickets, click the link below!

CHICAGO! See you this Decemeber for In The Wurkz! Tickets available now!

Drums, bass and synthesizer sounds shake the room to life. Dancers appear under spotlights on stage and in the audience, kicking their legs in slow motion. Smoke billows from the side stage. One of the dancers recites a poem: “In Chicago / in the land of flame / there was born a dance / without a name.”

In the Wurkz is a touring dance project based on the lives and dreams of dancers on the west and south sides of Chicago. This evening-length show unveils a history of footwork dancing, tracing its development from “the holy ghost” – the first footwork dance move inspired by the motion of ghosts and spirit possession in church – to a citywide, black teenage dance culture that keeps kids safe in dangerous neighborhoods across Chicago. In the Wurkz expounds on this dance history through the movements, films and poetry of The Era Footwork Crew with original music from Chicago's Teklife DJs.

Performances of In the Wurkz at Links Hall represents “the community debut” of this long-developing project by The Era Footwork Crew. In the Wurkz will premier nationally and tour throughout 2020-21.

To purchase tickets, click the link below!

Join The Era footwork crew this Saturday for their first masterclass workshop with Healthy Hood Chicago! Don’t miss out on this special event and your chance to lab with some of Chicago’s best.

• All ages event

• Doors at 6:30PM

• Entry Fee $10

• Exclusive merchandise will be available by “Stitched by Steelo”

This will be wake’s firs time ever opening shop in the city of Chicago. This will alo be one of The Era’s first pop up shops in collaboration with “Stiched By Steelo”. This show will feature limited pieces from both companies plus many more exclusive pieces specified for this one time shop.

Early arrival is suggested!

Join The Era footwork crew this Saturday for their first masterclass workshop with Healthy Hood Chicago! Don’t miss out on this special event and your chance to lab with some of Chicago’s best.

• All ages event

• Doors at 6:30PM

• Entry Fee $10

• Exclusive merchandise will be available by “Stitched by Steelo”

Tuesday, September 24th from 6:30pm-7:45pm for the next class in this series at Fuller Park. We will host the amazing Jamal "Litebulb" Oliver teaching Chicago Footwork Classes are $12 per person. Ages 18 and older. Pre-Registration is strongly encouraged! See you there

Our partners, Open the Circle is co-hosting a dance down as part of YAS! Fest: Youth Arts Showcase.

Exact details will be shared as soon as we have them.

Last year's inaugural event was capped off by headlining sets from Ravyn Lenae and Desiigner.

DANCE DOWNS IN THE PARK is a performance series. Each event brings youth dancers to center stage for dance and pom-pom performances, alongside legendary Chicago house DJs, local celebrities and esteemed musician guests.

Stay tuned for final confirmation of timing and participants.

DANCE DOWNS IN THE PARK is a performance series. Each event brings youth dancers to center stage for dance and pom-pom performances, alongside legendary Chicago house DJs, local celebrities and esteemed musician guests hosted by The Era Footwork Crew

Stay tuned for final confirmation of timing and participants.

Our partners, Open the Circle is teaming up with Navy Pier to present a youth-focused Dance Down featuring some of the top youth dance companies in Chicago. Join us for this special event.

The event is part of Fresh Fest!, a two-day, Pier-wide performance program featuring young performers of Chicago. This free festival is open to the public, and includes multiple performances on July 11th and 12th at various stages and spaces at Navy Pier (Crystal Garden, Fifth Third Bank Family Pavilion, Polk Bros Park and Performance Lawns, Wave Wall platform, and Pier Park).