Guest artists provide an invaluable cultural, educational, and professional resource to our students--and we offer abundant opportunities for this kind of learning. We stay connected with our successful alumni, and many of them return to campus to teach master classes and lead workshops with our students. Hancher Auditorium, our university's world-class presenter of interdisciplinary performing arts, books performances by nearly every nationally known dance company, and many international companies, connecting those preeminent artists with students in our classrooms and studios. We also collaborate with UI Arts Share to offer additional opportunities for students to see live performances, observe rehearsals, and receive master classes from touring companies and dance professionals. 

Previous guest artists

2023-24
Alyssa Alber
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
LaTasha Barnes
Danielle Beeman
Dr. Shamell Bell
Natalie Bentway
Ayodele Casel
Julia Cooper
Khush Das
Martha Graham Dance Company
Mathanki Kalapanthy
Ana Laidley
Zoe Miller
Noel Price-Bracey
Katy Pyle
Damon Rogers
serpentwithfeet: Heart of Brick cast
Margaret Steimel
Emily Trapnell
Carly Vanderheyden
Reggie Wilson/Fist and Heel Performance Group

2022-23
Shannon Alvis
American Ballet Theatre
Bevara Anderson
Lena Blou
Alex Bush
DanceWorks Chicago
Kirven Douthit-Boyd
FLOCK
Laila Franklin
Dr. Irvin Gonzalez
Mary Hagerty
Kayla Hamilton
Jennifer Harge
Keith Hennessy
Ishmael Houston-Jones
Jonathan Hsu
Inaside Chicago Dance
Robert McKee
Julie Nakagawa
Eiko Otake
PILOBOLUS
Anthony Pucci
Jess Spinner
Pam Vail
Carly VanderHeyden

2021-22
Chloe Angyal
Zachary Bird
Dr. Terrell Brown
A'Keitha Carey
Janet Charleston
Kurt Chiang
Jeremy Cline
Trevon Coleman
Thomas DeFrantz
Kurt Douglas
FLOCK
Tara Gragg
Mary Hagerty
Xandra Ibarra
Mark Morris Dance Group
Sydnie Mosley
Joshua L. Peugh
Anthony Pucci
Alvon Reed
Katie Skinner
Daniel Smith
Jason Snell
Jess Spinner 
Step Afrika!
ShawnT Stone
Brenda Serrata Tally
Donnell Williams

2020-21
Charlotte Adams
Jeffery Bullock
Kurt Chiang
Tyler Clark
Jeremy Cline
Thomas DeFrantz
FLOCK
Marjani Forte Saunders
Jennifer Harge
Sabrina Madison Cannon
Bianca Medina
Robert Moses
Sydnie Mosley
Lionel Popkin
Priscilla Potter
Anthony Pucci
Zachary Rochester
Meredith Stapleton
Maya Taylor
Lauren Vanchina
Elizabeth Westra
A. Raheim White
S Ama Wray
Sojourner Wright

2019-2020
Charlotte Adams
DanceWorks Chicago
Joy Davis
Matthew Davis
Alice Klock
Rubberband Dance
A. Raheim White

2018-2019
Ailey II Dance Company
Shannon Alvis
Batsheva Dance Company
Brian Enos
The Karen L. Charles Threads Dance Project
Kimberly Chmielewski
Heidi Henderson
Kristina Isabelle
Chris Masters
Love Muwwakkil (Urban Bush Women)
Priscilla Potter
Nancy Raffa and Clinton Luckett (American Ballet Theatre)
Matthew Ragan
Peter Schmitz
Anthony Tribe
Ben Wardell

2017-2018
Kyle Abraham
Shannon Alvis
Monica Bill Barnes & Anna Bass
Sean Boyt
Hanna Brictson
Camille A. Brown & Dancers
Peter Carpenter
Beth Corning
Simone Ferro
Holly Handman-Lopez
Dr. Claire Hiller
Johnathan Hollander
Sarah Hook
Marisha Johnson
Liz Lerman
Lauren Linder
Debra Loewen
Michael Medcalf
Julie Nakagawa and DanceWorks Chicago
Anthony Orrico
Anthony Pucci
Marta Renzi
Mitsu Salmon
Kara Wilkes
Robyn Mineko Williams

2016-2017
Abraham.In.Motion (sponsored by Hancher)
Ellen Bromberg
Jane Comfort
Jessica Lang Dance (sponsored by Hancher)
Takao Kawaguchi
Pricilla Potter
Oscar Ramos
Step Afrika! (sponsored by Hancher)
Benjamin Wardell
Robyn Mineko Williams

2015-2016
Chad Michael Hall
Rennie Harris
Mario Zambrano

2014-2015
Esther Baker-Tarpaga
Nicholas Leichter
Liz Lerman

2013-2014
Esther Baker-Tarpaga
Melinda Myers
Nicholas Leichter

2012-2013
Nicholas Leichter
Jennifer Muller

2011-2012
Alexandra Beller
Trisha Brown
Alejandro Cerrudo
Lindsey Dietz Marchant

2010-2011
Julie Bour
Maria Gillespie
Clebio Oliveira
Vladmir Conde Reche
Glen Edgerton
Taryn Kaschock Russell
Madhavapedii Murthy

2009-2010
Karen Burns
Jaime Camarena
Carl Flink
Nina Watt

2008-2009
Thaddeus Davis
Tanya Wideman-Davis
Dawn Poirier
Harrison McEldowney
Gina Patterson
Sara Semonis

2007-2008
Bill de Young
Brad Garner
Jimmy Peters

2006-2007
David Dorfman
Donald McKayle

2005
Gabriel Masson

2004
Kevin Schroder

2003
Lucas Crandall
Miguel Guiterrez

2002
Peggy Baker
Nicholas Leichter

2001
Susan Toumine

2000
Joan Buttram
Diane Coburn-Bruning
Billy Siegenfeld

1999
Fernando Bujones

1998
Gail Gilbert

1997
Luis Fuente

1996
Randy Duncan

1995
Susan Marshall

1994
Bebe Miller

1993
Doug Varone

1992
David Parsons Company

1988
Dan Wagoner and Dancers

1987
Joffrey Ballet Company & Joffery II Dancers

1985
Rachel Lampert & Dancers

1984
Alwin Nikolais Dance Theatre

1983
Mme. Shu Qiao