FOOTWORK SAVED MY LIFE: The Evolution of Chicago Footwork- Sizzle Reel

Chicago Footwork originated in the inner-city of Chicago in the 1980s. It is an urban dance style characterized by multiple combinations of rapid, improvised, syncopated movements of the feet, often accompanied by symmetrical hand gestures. The dance is inseparable from its music: “footwork tracks.” Tracks are continuous loops of kickdrums, claps, and basslines, offset by Hip Hop, R&B, and now Black Gospel samples, at 160 Beats Per Minute. Footwork has been dismissed as a “lower” form of art performed by Black youth on the South and West sides of one of the most segregated cities in the nation. The performance and study of Chicago Footwork now transcends racial, cultural, and national boundaries, and is performed on many World stages - most recently, The VMAs and Good Morning America.

Director & Executive Producer:
ShaDawn ‘Boobie’ Battle, PhD

More information coming soon!