The Era Footwork Collective is a multidisciplinary artist collaborative representing the dance, music, film, graphic and fashion design, and culture known as Chicago Footwork. We find freedom, community, and agency through footwork, and learned our craft from artists and mentors who gave rise to the style. Dance is more than an art form in our underserved and disinvested communities of Chicago’s South and West sides; footwork is a means of reclaiming space, of building community, of collectively processing and healing trauma, and a vehicle of opportunity for our people. Our motto, Footwork Saves Lives, speaks to the power of our practice and our dedication to cultivating future generations of footworkers.

The Era serves as culture bearers, featuring some of the foremost artists dedicated to preserving the craft, while continuing to evolve and grow the culture through mentorship, education, performance, raves, and battles.