About Relevé Soirée
Thank you for your support and for making this year's event the best one yet! Because of YOU, Forward Momentum Chicago can continue to reach youth all across Chicago and provide opportunities for growth and leadership through dance!
When: Thursday, June 8, 2023
Time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Where: Chicago Cultural Center
77 E. Randolph St
(the Randolph Entrance)
Price: Tickets $125
Forward Momentum Chicago (FMC) presents its annual Relevé Soirée on Thursday, June 8 at the Chicago Cultural Center! We are excited to host this event in such a beautiful Chicago landmark. We hope you join us as we celebrate the talents and resilience of the young people from our programs. 
Ailey II's Travon M. Williams. Photo by Nir Arieli
Relevé Soirée is Forward Momentum Chicago’s gala fundraiser to support its city-wide dance education programs. The evening will feature student performances, cocktail reception including passed & heavy hors d'oeuvres, paddle raise, and online silent auction to help fund FMC's Epstein Family Foundation Summer Dance Camp and yearlong youth dance programs. *Dress attire is business casual. We're thrilled to have a special performance by FMC Alum and Alvin Ailey II company member, Travon Williams!
If you are unable to join us in person at the Chicago Cultural Center, you can still be part of this celebration by bidding on the exciting items in the online silent auction, and making a donation. Please know that however you are able to participate, your support is deeply valued by us all!
Relevé Soirée Co-Chairs: Cortney Hall & Matthew Rodrigues
Cortney Hall, Emmy-nominated host & Matthew Rodrigues are the co-hosts of NBC Chicago’s lifestyle show "Chicago Today." They enjoy taking viewers on a journey through the vibrant neighborhoods and suburbs of Chicago, exploring the latest hotspots, chatting with celebrities and digging into trends in beauty, fashion, food and entertainment.
Relevé Soirée Committee
Sharen & Marc Berman
Nancy Gottlieb Bauer & Jerry Krivitsky
Kelly V. Carter
Dr. Phyllis West
We are grateful for our co-chairs and committee members for their support and hardwork to make this an event to remember! Our goal is to raise $100,000 to further FMC's mission to provide high quality dance education programs to schools and communities with limited arts access, which can only be done BECAUSE OF YOU and your support.
We cannot wait to see you and hope you will help us ensure that young people in the Chicago communities are supported. Thank you for your continued partnership and belief in Forward Momentum Chicago and the transformative power of its dance education programs!
About FMC
Mission: to inspire possibilities through dance education programs that strengthen schools and communities with limited arts access.
Founded in 2013 by Pierre Lockett, Forward Momentum Chicago transforms the lives of youth through dance. We don't just teach dance. We encourage our students to see possibilities and seize opportunities, building the next generation of leaders.
Students gain the confidence to try new things and are inspired to achieve goals and dreams they may not have thought possible for themselves or their communities.
FMC partners with Chicago Public Schools and community organization to provide affordable programming through four unique settings that increase learning opportunities for children to engage in dance: In-School/After-School Programs, Saturday Classes, Summer Dance Camp, and After School Matters.
Dance is utilized to help students build life skills for individual success, and we strive to remove the barriers that would limit or prevent youth in BIPOC communities from pursuing a career in dance. At the heart of FMC's work is a commitment to diversifying the field of dance by creating equitable opportunities for any child to learn and pursue dance, regardless of race, abilities, or financial standing.
Pierre Lockett is a passionate arts advocate and leader among dance educators with an illustrious career spanning four decades including twenty years as a professional dancer with The Princeton Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, and The Joffrey Ballet.
As someone who has experienced the lack of dance opportunities in his community, Pierre strongly believes in the benefits of arts learning and is committed to removing barriers that limit or prevent youth in low-income black and brown communities from having access to dance education.
He combines his passion and expertise for dance with his desire to motivate Chicago’s youth by developing affordable and innovative arts programs designed to inspire creativity, critical thinking and nurture the development of the whole child.
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
Platinum Level
Dianne Blanco
Mark Tatro & Margarita Chavez
Silver Level
Karin Bell & Myles Toomey
Marvin & Elaine Gottlieb Family Foundation
Bronze Level
Nancy Gottlieb Bauer & Jerry Krivitzky
Sharen & Marc Berman
Liquor Sponsor
