By Gabrielle Speight-Leach
Winifred Haun & Dancers is a contemporary dance company located in Chicago. Founded by Winifred Haun in 1990 who gave it a particular purpose to focus on social justice and civil rights activism.
Winifred Haun’s inspiration behind the company is her father, Declan Haun, a civil rights photojournalist in 1960. He covered a plethora of stories in various states from North Carolina to Illinois.
Growing up, Winifred Haun looked up to her father and the work that he did.
“My father had a determination to do something and that was given to me and my brothers and sister,” Winifred Haun said.
“She started her company with a similar passion that her father had. She mentioned that as a white person, she understands her opportunity to make others aware of the issues within the community,”
“Even though the company has always had diversity in mind in casting, projects, and communities that we work with, I thought I could do more and it became a much more conscious effort,” she said.
However, just like her father, she tells current social justice stories in an artistic format that separates her from others.
“I’ve seen similarities in my work and my father’s work. I think what you see in his photographs is this emotional impact but it’s framed artistically. I think that’s sort of what I do with my work, so I don’t hit people over the head with it but it’s there.”
Haun has a new piece that she is currently developing intending to educate and influence the Chicago community.
“I’m premiering a new work and that work is going to be called Absent Moon and it is about the violence we have here in our society”
Haun said she has plans to leave the world better than how she found it. The Winifred Haun & Dancers Company will continue to shed light on current social justice issues. Creating artistic and emotionally impactful experiences through their performances.
For more information about the Winifred Haun & Dancers company visit here.
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