Our statement on Mission and Philosophy can be found below...

Percussive Dance is sweeping the globe - witness "Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk", "Stomp", "Riverdance", "Tap Dogs". We kindled this bonfire of contemporary rhythmic dance and have made Chicago the epicenter of this international cultural phenomenon.

Over the last 17 years, CHRP has grown from a one-week summer festival into the first year-round presenting organization dedicated to the American art form of tap. Our commitment to inclusion, bridge building, long term collaborative efforts, education, performance, innovation and, perhaps most importantly, economic investment in the local communities has been the key to our phenomenal growth.

The Rhythm Project brings people together from around Chicago, the Midwest, the nation and the world to celebrate a basic human impulse Rhythmic Movement. Rhythmic dance is present in every culture and we highlight this fact to emphasize our similarity as human beings. As we approach the new millennium, we must focus on our similarities and not our differences.

The Project gives scholarships to deserving Chicago area youth, presents world class concerts with the greatest artists of the day, offers an unparalleled array of residencies / seminars / master classes and commissions the creation of new art and makes a vital investment in our community and economy.

The Eighth Annual Human Rhythm Project is proud to announce three new initiatives - the Youth Tap Ensemble Conference, The Elder Project and a collaboration with Pulse Inc, to film and distribute a world class video production of the Project for International Distribution.

Help us bring our celebration to Chicago and the world.

Mission Statement

Our goals have been clear from the very beginning:

The Chicago Human Rhythm Project (CHRP) presents, promotes and fosters a greater understanding of American tap dance by producing world-class concerts, educational forums and community outreach programs. CHRP builds bridges between diverse communities of dancers and audience members by preserving traditional choreography, creating new work through local, national and international collaborations and by giving scholarships to deserving young dancers to study with elders. CHRP advocates for the acknowledgment of tap dance as a recognized American art form.

The Project invests energy and financial resources into the Chicago tap and percussive dance community to assure the mission's long term viability. We cannot build a world class cultural infrastructure without significant financial investment. We annually pump tens of thousands of dollars into Chicago tap companies, give almost $10,000.00 in scholarships to deserving Chicago area youth, commission the creation of new art, present highly acclaimed performances and have built the largest educational forum for tap art in the world.

The Chicago Human Rhythm Project preserves and Promotes the American Art of Tap Dance while simultaneously nurturing new and innovative approaches to this icon of American Culture.