Your support is a vital investment in the future of contemporary dance.
Be the change.
PARA.MAR Dance Theatre is uniquely suited for this moment. We believe we can be a part of creating a permanent cultural shift within the dance and arts community so that diverse voices are always welcome and always empowered.
Your support is essential in making that change possible.
All are welcome.
PARA.MAR Dance Theatre was founded in the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic as a response to what Founder and Artistic Director, Stephanie Martinez identified as a displacement of extraordinary artists and the concern that the loss of these artists in our industry and our city would not recover for generations. While some more established companies shut their doors, Stephanie Martinez built a home and invited all to come in.
Using her unique vision, passion, and community connections – Martinez created a company and produced her first work to sold-out (socially distant) audiences desperate for connection and hope through live arts. The feedback and support was tremendous and the overwhelming message was to “keep going”.
Your support is fundamental to the sustainability of this promising new voice and vision in contemporary ballet.
Walking the Walk.
Access.
With access as the company’s north star, PARA.MAR is dedicated to removing any barriers to participating in high-quality dance experiences, importantly – one’s ability to pay.
Our pay-what-you-can model is designed for just that purpose. Donations are prioritized to create free community performance, programming, and training.
We are also committed to provide support and mentorship to any future dancer, choreographer, leader, or administrator who seeks to learn – regardless of antiquated barriers such as age, ability, training, or socio-economic status.
Representation.
Each choice we make aims to honor and reflect the unique identities of the audiences and communities it serves.
From the artists, to the audience, to the administrative team, and importantly to leadership, diverse representation is as essential and intentional as the art itself. From culture to creation, a voice and perspective like Martinez’s is an important addition to the cultural landscape of Chicago and the broader dance community at large.
Community.
We believe that dance can be essential in creating the connection and community that enrich our society and our bonds to one another.
Our programming, performances, and partnerships are designed to directly engage and uplift the communities in the neighborhoods we perform.
Our generous supporters.
An investment in PARA.MAR Dance Theatre is an investment in Chicago and the future of dance.
With your support, our commitment to access, representation, and community is the acknowledgement of your commitment as well. We hope you’ll join us.
Founding Pillars
($20,000 +)
Anonymous
Diane Matthews
Gloria Matthews
Jackson Legacy Foundation
Amy & Chad Williams
Founding Visionaries
($10,000 +)
Mica & Trent Alexander
Founding Innovators
($5,000 +)
DCASE
Ginger Farley
Tarah Hartung
Rachel Northway
John Seebeck
Mondira & Debarshi Sengupta
Shamrock International
Founding Circle
($2,500 +)
Steve Agase
John Bokina
Steve Cohen
Jennifer Edgcomb
Patti Eylar
Alice & Brad Geene
Keely Jones
Xavier & Khadija Laurens
Anna Lazar
Ivy Lerner
Mary Martinez
Beth & Jim Masterson
Katherine Puffer
Elizabeth Seebeck Memorial Gift
in remembrance of Lizzy
Megan & Reed Schuster
David Hahn & Vanessa Valecillos
The MacArthur Funds for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation
The Pritzker Group
Founding Pioneers
($1,000 +)
Rishi Agrawal
Sean, Teri & Zoe Bormet
Chris Brannan with
a matching grant from Pritzker Group
Sue & Randy Braverman
Tehra Buntrock
Jose Cerda
Pamela Crutchfield
Mark Dow
Melissa Erke
John Freiburger
Tom & Mark Ferguson Gomez
The Ami and Ilongo Gopalan Legacy Trust
Venu Gupta
David & Rhonda Henricksen
Karen Jones
Terri & Chris Kayser
Christine Kerber
Kimberly LaBounty
Catherine & Joe LaPlante-Guine
Ramiro Martinez
Renee McFalls
Elizabeth McNicholas
Eileen Moss
Massimo Pacilli
Monica C. Stevens
David Tilghman
Angel Torres
Catherine Villinski
Michael Wilczynski
Mike & Marcia Yocum
Founding Champions
($750 +)
Anonymous (2)
Claire Boardman
Julie Burman-Kaplan
Jane Cahill
Rey Candelaria
Sarita Connelly
Antonia Contro
Ruslana & Felix Friedman
Dr. Paul Glickman
Patrick Gonder
Barbara Reed
Founding Partners
($500 +)
Kyrsten Bryant
Katharine Burns
Helen Castro
Kathryn & Todd Gierke
Gwendolyn Hatten-Butler
Hannah Johnson
Dini Li Knicker
Billy Lawless
Stanley Matthews
Julie O’Connell
Sterling Richards
Sheryl Schulze
Kaja Stiglic
Joseph Stinton
Anthony Stull
Hanh Thuc Nguyen
Daniel Tyrrell
Jeanine Urnbanski
Founding Advocates
($250 +)
Anonymous (4)
Douglas Altschul
Alexia Bauer
Bob Bennitt
Jason Burrell
Art Carpenter
Sandi Cooksey
Ron De Jesus
Boni Fine
Tiffiny Flaim
Carla Goldstein
Veronica Guadalupe
Elyssa Hartman
Seth Hoff
Kenny Ingram
Jennifer Kaiser
Rosalyn Kalantari
Janet Kiefer
Scott Ladue
Toni Larson
Winita Lau
Eunia Lee
Mary Lou Marinas
Kevin McGirr
Julia Mellow
Carol Montag
Eddy Ocampo
Margaret & Collin Palmer
Bradley Potter
Irma Reyes
Betsy Tilghman
Tara Tometich
Daniel Tyrrell
Ana Carolina Sachs
Paul Sack
Elizabeth Shaw
Kia Smith
Thomas Sinkovic
Samuel Stern
Lisa Swaney
Thomas Thorne-Thomsen
Amy Vaughn
Stephanie Villinski
Brannon Wiles
Kimberly & Atlas Wong
Edmund Yomtoob
Sherry Zunker
Founding Friends
($100 +)
Anonymous (7)
Jonathan Alsberry
Bre Flory-Altschul
Ulf Anvin
Joanne Armenio
Tamra Armour
Elaine Arnst
Bryan Ashley
Claude Battat
Jessica Beauchemin
Sofia Bello
Adam Blyde
Thomas Bordenkircher
Dominique Boyde
Anita Brewton
Anthony Cannon
John Caroll
Sooyeon Chung
Kerry Cleland
Stefany Cotton
Lucas Crandall
Patricia Culbertson
Deborah Darr
Nancy DeDakis
Scott Deininger
Martina DeLaurentis
Emily Dick
Paul Do
Jen Donohoo
Willard Dumas
Grace Esler
Benji Feldheim
Chappell Ferrin
Anthony Flaim
Debbi Flores
Kelly Fidrick
Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell
Sarah Fluegel
Kathleen Flynn
Carol Fox
Sissy Funk
Leslie Garcia
Elizabeth Gleason
Jonathan Goldman
Robert Gosnell
Christina Greif
Joanne Haas
Jeff Hancock
Meredith Harrill
Nancy Hawkins
Jeremy Hill
Suzanne Hisler
Matthew Hoffman
Jennifer Iverson
Joseph Kayser
Marina Khusid
Mackenzie King
Ethan Kirschbaum
Karen Koval
Park Krausen
Phyllis Kuhlman
Laura Lakin
Olivia Lemmenes
Jason Loffredo
Scott Lundius
Terrence Marling
Ryan Martin
George Marquisos
Tom Mattingly
Harrison McEldowney
Declan McGovern
L. Heather Mitchell
Andrew Murdock
Jay Nowak
Regan O’Brien
Kat O’Connor
Thomas O’Keefe
Josephine Pavlisan
Miguel Perez
Michael Pietrzak
Pliny The Elder
Joanna Quealy
Heather Ramsey
Megan Rhoads
Eryn Richard
Fernando Rodriguez
Hadassah Rosen
Ihsan Rustem
Julia & Patrick Ryan
Cesar Salinas
Lisa Salvatore
Wade Schaaf
Sara Stewart-Schumann
Tom Segal
Jeffery Sellers
Kevin Shannon
Scott Silberstein
Silvino da Silva
Sara Slawnik
Kenneth Sliwa
Jonathan Sloven
C. Bradford Smith
Kathryne Starzec
Drew Stern
Jonathan Stern
Kaili Story
James Tennant
Linda Thompson
Braden Tilghman
James Tilghman
Matt & Jiwon Tilghman
Mike Tomas
Anat Unruh
Karthik Velu
Dennis Vos
Sally Wagenmaker
Eric Wallbruch
Donna & Jay Williams
Meredith Wilson
Gina Wrolstad
Jessy Wu
Linda Yeh-Ostrinsky
Ahmad Zabad
