Move Your Body: The Evolution of House Music

May 21–March 16, 2015

Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago Rooms, 2nd Floor North

Chicago Cultural Center > Visual Art Program > Exhibitions > Past Exhibitions > Move Your Body: The Evolution of House Music

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The FREE exhibition Move Your Body: The Evolution of House Music celebrates more than 30 years of a homegrown art form that is now heard around the world. The exhibition on view at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington Street, this May 21 – August 16, traces the history of House Music as it developed in Chicago post “Disco Demolition” through the impact it continues to have on global electronic dance music. Memorabilia, timelines and first-hand interviews tell the stories of some of the genre’s originators and the cultural and socio-economic influences of the times.

Reception: Wednesday, May 20, 7-9:30pm in GAR Hall, 2nd Floor North

Preview: Wednesday, May 20, 7-9:30pm in Chicago Rooms, 2nd Floor North

Programming Schedule

Chicago SummerDance DJ Performance: Marshall Jefferson

Friday, July 10, 6–9pm
Grant Park, Spirit of Music Garden, 601 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago’s largest outdoor dance party with a DJ twist. Visit chicagosummerdance.org for more information.

Panel Discussion “Music Technology and the Rise of Electronic Dance Music”

Thursday, July 16, 6–9pm
Chicago Cultural Center, Claudia Cassidy Theater
Panelists DJ Pierre & Spanky of PHUTURE, DJ Derrick Carter and Joe Smooth will map out the parallel relationships among music, tech and dance music from early house to electronic dance music. How has technology shaped dance music and how has music influenced electronic instrument design and software. What has been the impact on the music industry in general?

Chicago SummerDance DJ Performance: DJ Pierre & PHUTURE

Friday, July 17, 6–9pm
Grant Park, Spirit of Music Garden, 601 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago’s largest outdoor dance party with a DJ twist. Visit chicagosummerdance.org for more information.

Workshop: The Art of House Dance

Thursday, July 30, 6–7:30pm
Learn the right moves at this fun class open to all levels of dancers. Basic foundation movements and footwork will be taught along with a progression of moves leading to what is now called House dancing – drawing influences from African, tap, salsa and capoeira forms. The workshop is led by Czarina and Carlos of FiveStar Boogie Dancers, whose class was awarded “Best Dance Class” by the Chicago Reader.

Jack to Juke: 25 Years of Ghetto House (Documentary)
Directed by Sonali Aggarwal, Studios - Chi City Films / Subterranean Playhouse

Saturday, August 1, 6:30pm (59 min.)
Chicago Cultural Center, Claudia Cassidy Theater
Chicago was the birthplace of House music as we know it. But Chicago House also gave birth to juke. Today, the influence of Chicago juke on everything from B-more to trap to Mad Decent’s discography is all too evident. This great documentary explains the history of “jack,” “juke,” “booty,” and “ghetto” with DJ Gant-Man, DJ Superman, DJ V-Dub, and plenty of others.

Film Screening & DJ Performance: The UnUsual Suspects: Once Upon a Time in House

Saturday, August 8, 7pm–2am
Elastic Arts Foundation, 3429 W. Diversey Ave. #208
Filmed and edited by Chip E And Kimmie D, this documentary about house music includes interviews with all the big names in house music history including Steve Hurley, Frankie Knuckles, Joe Smooth, Craig Loftis, Vince Lawrence, Victor Simonelli, Larry Heard, Jesse Saunders, Robert Owens, Glenn Underground and more. A DJ performance by filmmaker DJ Chip E will follow.

Panel Discussion “Making Safe Space & Counter Culture: Exploring Gender & Sexuality in Chicago House

Thursday, August 13, 6–8pm
Chicago Cultural Center, Claudia Cassidy Theater
Moderated by Meida McNeal of Honey Pot Performance, an intergenerational gathering of community practitioners will consider House’s roots in queer communities of color, its function as safe space and counterculture and its relationship to other musical forms of resistance. Together we will look at House’s future possibilities and the communities who continue to find this social music and dance from relevant.

Chicago SummerDance DJ Performance: Derrick Carter

Saturday, August 22, 6–9pm
Grant Park, Spirit of Music Garden, 601 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago’s largest outdoor dance party with a DJ twist. Visit chicagosummerdance.org for more information.

Visit us:

Admission is FREE
Open Daily, 10am–5pm
Exhibitions close 15 minutes before the building closes
(Closed Holidays)

Plan Your Visit

Find us:

Chicago Cultural Center
78 E. Washington St.
Chicago, IL 60602

Chicago Cultural Center Google Map

Take CTA to Chicago Cultural Center

From the elevated lines: exit at Washington/Wabash and walk east.
From the subway: exit at Lake (Red Line) or Washington (Blue Line) and walk east.
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