Joel Hall Dancers & Center

Joel Hall Dancers & Center is a pioneering dance organization that has been awakening the dancer in everyone’s soul for over 50 years. Located in Chicago’s Sheridan Park neighborhood, the organization is dedicated to highlighting and spotlighting the Black and Brown LGBTQIA+ experience through comprehensive dance education, artistic expression, and professional performance. The center specializes in Urban Jazz, a distinctive dance style developed by founder Joel Hall that translates life experience through movement.

The organization offers classes seven days a week for students of all ages and abilities, from youth programs through adult classes. Youth classes provide age-appropriate instruction in various dance styles including Urban Jazz, ballet, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, and modern dance techniques. The Youth Company offers young dancers opportunities to perform professionally and develop their artistry. Adult classes welcome dancers of all experience levels, with options for beginners through advanced students in multiple dance styles.

Joel Hall Dancers & Center operates three company tiers: the First Company, Second Company, and Youth Company, providing pathways for dancers to develop from students into professional performers. The organization is committed to making dance accessible and affordable, working to break down barriers and challenge oppressive systems through performance and education. Classes emphasize not just technical training but also understanding dance history, cultural significance, and the broader legacy of dance.

The center hosts special events, workshops, and camps throughout the year, including day off camps for Chicago Public Schools closures. Community engagement programs bring dance education to underserved communities and schools. The organization maintains a strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, creating a welcoming space where people of all backgrounds, abilities, and identities can come together through the power of dance.