Dear Friends and Supporters,
For over a decade, Forward Momentum Chicago (FMC) has believed that every young person should have access to dance. Twelve years ago, we envisioned creating spaces where movement could inspire joy, discipline, confidence, and community. Reflecting on our journey, I am proud to share our first annual report and how far we have come.
From our early classes in school gyms to now serving thousands of students across Chicago, we make dance accessible. Our programs have now expanded, providing students with performance opportunities, artistic exploration, enthusiasm and joy!
Our work goes beyond dance steps; it creates pathways for young people to discover themselves in neighborhoods with limited arts programming. This report highlights our students’ resilience, our teaching artists’ dedication, and the belief that art transforms lives.
As we share our first annual report, I invite you to celebrate our achievements and future possibilities. This would not be possible without our community of supporters who invest in our mission and believe in every child we serve. Thank you for being with us on this journey.
With deep gratitude and forward momentum,
Pierre Lockett Executive Director Forward Momentum Chicago
Our mission is to empower Chicagoland youth in schools and communities with limited arts access by utilizing dance to build lifelong skills that foster pathways to success.
Our vision is to be a leader in arts education, developing children into positive change-makers.
Our Programs
Forward Momentum Chicago offers programs in four categories: School Program, Summer Dance Camps, Power Up! Dance Classes and partnerships with After School Matters.
Our approach to developing the FMC Way 1 of teaching is designed to assist with the development of the whole child by laying a solid foundation that lead to pathways of success, and career and college readiness. This “whole child” approach focuses on the mental, emotional, and artistic development growth of children. This methodology is vital for success in today’s fast-paced society and helps create more wellrounded individuals. This philosophy also emphasizes the unique physical and socio-emotional benefits of dance on the children we serve
FMC’s curriculums align Chicago Public Schools (CPS) mandates for academics, arts, and physical education including National Dance Standards 2 , National Common Core Standards 3 , National Arts Standards 4 , and 21st-Century Learning 5 .
Recognizing the ongoing challenges of youth in communities we serve, we combine Social Emotional Learning6, Trauma Informed Arts Learning 7 , and Healing Center Engagement8 into our programs at various levels to ensure we meet the needs of our students. This adds an additional layer of support for our students by creating a more holistic approach to learning.
We believe that combining the benefits of these standards and skills helps to create communities that are built around principals of respect, trust and empowerment. Thereby creating a sense of global awareness which inspires our youth. FMC is committed to developing the next generation of productive, responsible leaders and artists.
We believe children deserve access to high-quality arts experiences and dance.
Dance education not only offers physical and artistic benefits but also fosters crucial character traits such as cooperation, collaboration, respect, confidence, and creativity. FMC is committed to promoting movement, health, fitness, and emotional wellness.
According to the new CPS Arts Education Plan 2.0, as of the 2023–24 school year, 39% of CPS schools were rated “Excelling” in arts education, up from 30% in 2019–20. However, many of these schools are concentrated in the North and Northwest sides, with fewer “Excelling” schools in South and West Side neighborhoods. Our aim is to work with PS to bridge that gap.
By utilizing a “whole child” approach to instruction, our students have shown improved academic performance and higher levels social engagement which result in lower levels of stress and fewer conduct problems.
The Populations We Serve
FMC is dedicated to making arts learning accessible to all youth, especially those in BIPOC communities. We welcome children with special needs, physical limitations, language barriers, and those from the LGBTQ+ community.
We aim to create a safe space for children to grow, fostering acceptance, individuality, and compassion. We eliminate participation barriers by offering programs in or near the neighborhoods of the schools we serve. We also address challenges that might prevent children from pursuing dance careers by providing conservatory style dance classes free of charge to youth ages 5-16.
The schools we serve have a student population that is almost 80% low-income and reflect Chicago’s ethnic diversity. According to the Illinois Policy Institute CPS’ current racial makeup for 2024 was
47%
34%
11%
05% 02%
FMC gave me the foundation to believe in myself and pursue my dreams, even through life’s challenges... being able to perform professionally is a dream realized, and I hope to inspire the next generation to do the same.”
Mekeba Malik
Proud Alumni, Forward Momentum Chicago
Dance provides our students with confidence, teamwork, and creativity,” says Principal Para. “FMC has been instrumental in helping our students thrive.”
Gabriel Para Principal, Linne Elementary
01 School Programs
FMC is a recognized leader in Dance Education across Chicago’s public and private sectors. We provide high-quality, affordable dance programs in Chicago schools, park districts, and other youth service providers, primarily on the south and west sides. We use dance to help students build lifelong skills that foster pathways to success.
Annually, FMC Teaching Artists provide approximately 150 classrooms with dance instruction. Providing 60-minute classes for year-round classes as well as long- and short-term residencies. Our tailored programs are available for both in-school and after-school sessions.
During the 2024-2025 school year, we served approximately 3,000 students in 35 schools and employed 11 contract teaching artists who delivered nearly 3,000 hours of instruction.
3,000 Students
35 Schools
02 Summer Dance Camps
FMC Summer Dance Camps addresses the critical need for safe, affordable, and accessible summer programs for children aged 5-14 in underserved Chicago communities where dance programming is seldom offered.
Committed to equitable arts access, we host the camps in the Englewood and Avondale neighborhoods. Since its inception in 2016 with 65 students, the camp has grown to 212 campers in summer 2025, reaching capacity at both locations and giving students an opportunity to experience a conservatory style summer dance experience.
212
Summer Campers
Our six-week dance immersion camps offer daily instruction in Ballet, Modern, Hip Hop, African, and Latin dance from 9 AM to 4 PM, for a low registration fee. Beyond dance technique, the curriculum also includes Social Emotional Learning activities such as journaling, character development, and health education. We provide dance attire, lunch, and snacks, with weekly field trips to various Chicago cultural attractions.
Campers perform annually at Navy Pier’s Fresh Fest and the program culminates with the final showcases at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts (Englewood campus) and Steinmetz College Prep High School (Avondale campus) for families, friends and members of the community
03 Power Up! Dance Classes
FMC provides free dance classes to students aged 5-16 through our Power UP! Dance Classes for dancers who participate in our Summer Dance Camps, School Programs and families from the community. Classes are held on Thursdays and Saturdays and include beginner and intermediate level Ballet, Hip Hop, West African and Latin.
Conservatory style classes meet Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hamilton Park (Englewood) and Linne Elementary School (Avondale). Participants have an opportunity to train year-round and continue to advance their technical dance skills. Dancers often receive scholarships from our community dance partners, Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre and Visceral Dance Center. Participants also attend professional dance performances through our partnership with the Auditorium Theatre at Roosevelt University, Ballet Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance and Visceral Dance.
FMC Dance Ensemble – FMC DE is comprised of 100 dancers from both sites and offer unparalleled performance and dance opportunities with various organizations and venues throughout the city including: The Chicago Black Dance Legacy Program, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Joel Hall Dancers and Center, Chicago Live at Navy Pier, Arts in the Dark Parade, Millennium Park, The Harris Theatre, South Shore Cultural Center.
04 After School Matters
The FMC Dance Collaborative, in partnership with After School Matters, offers a paid apprenticeship for Chicago high school students. This year-round program focuses on youth development, leadership and, career and college readiness through advanced dance training, choreography, and performances.
With Fall, Spring, and Summer sessions, the program has trained more than 750 students. Apprentices work with professional dancers, refine their skills, attend concerts, perform city-wide, and explore dance as a post-secondary path. Additionally, we employ approximately 50 students each summer from this partnership to serve as mentors and counselors for our Summer Dance Camps.
Students
To our partners: we sincerely appreciate your unwavering commitment and collaboration, which have been crucial in expanding dance access for students throughout Chicago.
We partner with organizations and individuals who share and actively align with our values. Service: Our actions and decisions are guided by a commitment to enhancing the lives of all of our stakeholders. Respect: All of our work is conducted with understanding and appreciation for people, ideas and experiences. Flexibility: We proactively adapt our activities to meet the dynamic needs of our stakeholders. Inclusion: We wholeheartedly seek opportunities to promote equity and opportunity for all people. Competency: Our ability to serve our constituents is based on demonstrated abilities and skills. We are excited about building on our progress and starting new values-aligned initiatives in 2026 to deepen our impact.
Endnotes
1 FMC Way: The FMC Way is all about students growing through movement, connection, and creativity. It helps them build confidence, express themselves, and discover their power — in dance, in school, and in life. Every class is a chance for students to learn, try again, and shine brighter together.
2 National Dance Standards: The National Dance Standards provide a framework for high-quality dance education, outlining what students should know and be able to do at each grade level. They guide teaching, learning, and assessment in dance, fostering creativity, technique, and artistic expression.
3 National Common Core Standards: The National Common Core Standards provide a clear, consistent framework for what students should know and be able to do in English Language Arts and Mathematics at each grade level. They are designed to ensure students across the country are prepared for college, careers, and lifelong learning by emphasizing critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication.
4 National Arts Standards: The National Arts Standards outline what students should know and be able to do in the arts—dance, music, theater, visual arts, and media arts—focusing on creating, performing, responding, and connecting to foster artistic literacy and creative growth.
5 21st-Century Learning: 21st-Century Learning emphasizes critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication, preparing students to navigate and contribute meaningfully to an ever-changing, interconnected world.
6 Social Emotional Learning (SEL): Social Emotional Learning helps students develop self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making, supporting both personal well-being and academic success.
7 Trauma Informed Arts Learning: Trauma-Informed Arts Learning integrates awareness of trauma’s impact with creative practices, using the arts as a safe space for expression, regulation, and empowerment.
8 Healing Center Engagement: Healing-Centered Engagement goes beyond trauma response by focusing on collective well-being, cultural identity, and agency, encouraging joy, connection, and holistic healing through creative and community-based experiences.
Our Team
Pierre Lockett, Executive Director
Christina Bourné, Director of Development
Bradlee Lathon, Director of Education & Community Partnerships
Leon Evans, Operations Manager
Jamerial Goss, Staff Instructor
Board
Officers
Kimberly Norwood-Ingram, President, Owner, Balanced Books Management, Inc.
Christopher Egger, Vice President/ Treasurer Senior VP, Strategy, Engagement & Growth, Quatrro BSS
Nancy Gottlieb Bauer, Secretary Chicago Philanthropist
Board
Directers
Renee Begy, Talent Development Senior Manager, Boston Consulting Group
Kelly V. Carter, Commercial Counsel, iManage; Adjunct Law Professor, Loyola University; Arts Advocate
Bruce Cook, Owner & Principal, Law Office of Bruce L. Cook PC
Dana Thomas, CPA Vice President, Quatrro BSS
Thank you for being part of our community. Together we are creating new opportunities and opening doors of access and creativity for children across Chicago.
We appreciate your donation
