Hedwig Dances creates, performs, and cultivates contemporary dance theater within communities of audiences, dancers, and artists with the goal of provoking human connection and wonder. To achieve this, Hedwig works in collaboration with prominent artists from a variety of mediums and cultural backgrounds, trains and mentors dance artists, and creates corporeal works of emotional insight and beauty — engaging its communities in a process of artistic creation and reflection Hedwig Dances (HedwigDances.Com) is a contemporary dance theater ensemble celebrating 35 years under the artistic direction of its founder, Jan Bartoszek. An Artist In-Residence at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, Hedwig Dances’ bold, interdisciplinary collaborations combine poetic choreography with sculptural artifacts, projected images and haunting original music. The Company is named in honor of Ms. Bartoszek’s grandmother. Hedwig Dances distinctively infuses a multicultural blend of dance artistry into its lyrical and poetic performances.  Stellar in technique, the dancers’ dynamism is deeply-rooted in their rigorous years of training in modern dance and ballet. Individually, their prowess is enhanced by drawing upon rich tapestry of world dance traditions and somatic studies. Many company members studied at the Escuela Nacional de Arte in Cuba and performed professionally on international tours with the world-renowned, Havana-based Danza Contemporanea de Cuba. The critically acclaimed and award-winning dance ensemble has presented over 1,500 performances at prestigious venues throughout the Chicago metropolitan area, the Midwest and beyond.  The Company has twice performed in exclusive performances at Joyce SoHo (New York City).  Additional engagements include Bauhaus Dessau (Dessau, Germany), Teatro Nacional De Cuba Sala Avellaneda (Havana, Cuba), Teatro Diana (Guadalajara, Mexico), Grace Street Theater (Richmond, Virginia), Margaret H’Doubler Performance Space (Madison, Wisconsin), Lee Theater (Spring to Dance Festival, St. Louis, Missouri), among myriad other residencies and outreach programs over the past four decades. Hedwig Dances and its associated artists have been honored with two Ruth Page Awards and a Chicago Dance Award. For 20 years (1992 – 2011), Hedwig Dances served as the Dance Company-In-Residence at the Chicago Cultural Center under the visionary leadership and invitation of the late Lois Weisberg (Commissioner, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, 1989–2011).