773 Dance Project

Welcome to 773 Dance Project, a nonprofit organization that aims to increase accessibility to concert dance in underserved communities throughout Chicago. We are a passionate team of artists, educators, and community leaders who believe in the transformative power of dance. Our mission is to make dance accessible to all, regardless of socio-economic status, by presenting high-quality performances, providing arts education, and engaging with our communities.

Our Mission

At 773 Dance Project, we are dedicated to increasing accessibility to concert dance in underserved communities. We recognize that dance experiences offer unique emotional and psychological benefits that many disadvantaged communities are largely left out of. Our focus is on offering local and affordable concerts to make positive arts engagement more accessible to all. We hope that these efforts will inspire future dance organizations to look beyond outreach programs and begin to view marginalized communities as primary audiences for their work.

Artistic Directors

*Tyler Thompson, Executive Artistic Director*

Tyler Thompson, our Executive Artistic Director, received her dance training from Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center under the direction of Homer Hans Bryant. She went on to attain her BFA in dance from the Mason Gross School of Arts at Rutgers University. At Rutgers, while studying choreography under dance makers like Pam Tanowitz and Stephanie Batten Bland, she realized her own passion and talent for dance creation. Through 773 Dance Project, she's excited to use this talent to create accessible dance experiences for Chicago's underserved communities.

*Pauline Mosley, Artistic Director*

Pauline Mosley, our Artistic Director, was born and raised in Chicago, IL. She began her formal training under the direction of former Dance Theatre of Harlem's Homer Hans Bryant at the Chicago Multicultural Dance Center. While studying there, she had the opportunity to perform in Memoria with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center at the Auditorium Theater. In May of 2019, Pauline graduated from the Alonzo King LINES Ballet BFA at Dominican University, summa cum laude. While in the BFA she had the privilege of working with choreographers such as Alonzo King, Maurya Kerr, Christian Burns, Sidra Bell, Alex Ketley, and Kyle Abraham. She has performed works by Gregory Dawson, Laura O'Malley, Alice Klock, and Arturo Fernandez, among others.

Board of Directors

*Veronica Thompson, Board Treasurer*

Veronica Thompson is a proud Chicago native. She holds graduate degrees in early childhood and Advocacy and curriculum and supervision from National Louis University. With more than 25 years in education, including 16 years as a Chicago Public Schools principal on the city's south side, she is passionate about equity and opportunity for all children of color to be their very best selves in their educational and career paths. As a 773 Dance board member, she brings experience as an educator who believes in the educational and therapeutic value of the arts.

*Kaysi Gray, Board Secretary*

Kaysi Gray is a Chicago native passionate about communal health, wellness, medicine, and education. She is the co-founder of an organization, Seed Wellness, which aims to aid in the integration of wellness into the Black community. Kaysi strives to inspire others toward achieving total spiritual, mental, and physical wellness. She believes that all people should have the opportunity for arts engagement because such experiences are vital for growth and creativity. As a board member, she looks forward to growing communities through the mission of 773 Dance Project.

*Cynthia Wagner, Board Member*

Cynthia Wagner is a St. Louis, Missouri native. She began studying dance at 10 years old with the Pelagie G. Wren Dance Academy. She went on to dance with the Black Repertory Dance Company and the Creighton University Dance Company. She's also taught ballet, pointe, tap, and jazz at Best Talent Center. Cynthia continued her love for dance with the founding of Powerhouse Productions where she facilitated dance seminars led by talent such as Darrin Henson. Later, she returned to school to attain her bachelor's degree in business management and her master's in business administration. She is the founder of Creative Marketing Methods and a