CMDC & Hiplet Ballerinas - Give 2024-2025

In 1990, Mr. Homer Bryant founded the Bryant Ballet School and Company (now known as the Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center) to create a neoclassical ballet technique which integrates a diversity of dance styles and honors the richness of our varied multicultural heritage. Bryant and his team have been changing lives through dance for over 30 years by providing a safe and welcoming environment for students of all abilities & socioeconomic backgrounds to pursue serious dance training. CMDC has been instrumental in helping dancers find careers as professional artists with companies such as DanceWorks Chicago, Deeply Rooted, Cirque Du Soleil, Charlotte Ballet and Alvin Ailey.

For the past 30+ years, CMDC has continued to create a space where all cultures, but especially black dancers could receive equitable dance education, and THRIVE. Our establishment in the south loop of Chicago, allows dancers from poverty stricken communities to come out of their areas and into the same type area/environment that more privileged ethnicities are fortunate to experience. Our relevance is in the impact that we have on underserved and underrepresented communities. We also provide a sense of community to many of our students who face mental health crises. We have received feedback from many of our parents regarding the positive impact attending CMDC has had on their Dancer who is struggling with depression and other mental health needs.  Lastly, our performances, in Chicago and beyond speak to the relevancy of our programming, from the school to the professional company. which helps to expand our community reach

The vision of CMDC is to help students develop their dance skills as well as identify a sense of self-awareness, responsibility, and purpose. CMDC’s initiative is to not only develop “good dancers”, but to develop good human beings as well. Our programs are strategically designed to foster cultural diversity, self-awareness, discipline, and most importantly, fun.