The Willingham Project

About Us

The Willingham Project was founded in 2001 under the direction of Lisa Johnson-Willingham, former dancer of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Realizing there was a lack of professional training and performance opportunities in underserved communities, Lisa embarked upon a journey to make a difference. The Willingham Project has been featured at Dance Chicago annual festival and has directed several dance camps with the Chicago Park Districts. Our sole existence is based upon creating opportunities for dance to be accessible to financially challenged communities.

The Willingham Project is a dance experience that embodies an astonishing sense of spirituality and soulfulness. Our company is dedicated to providing education through dance among the underserved community by providing affordable dance training and performance opportunities. The Willingham Project will encourage the development of self-confidence, self empowerment and creative expression through teaching our students to achieve their fullest potential mentally, physically, and socially.

About Lisa Johnson-Willingham

Lisa Johnson-Willingham has taught dance at various studios in and around the Chicago area including the Joel Hall Dance Center, the Joffrey Academy of Dance, Columbia College and Olive Harvey College. She is the former director of the dance department at Whitney Young H.S. and is currently the Dance Department Head for the Chicago High School for the Arts (Chi Arts). She spends her summers as director of Ailey Camp Chicago.

Ms. Willingham is a former dancer of Alvin Ailey American DanceTheater and has also performed with the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Deeply Rooted Productions, and the Joel Hall Dancers. She has also staged works for AAADT, Congo Square Theater, Impact Theater, River North Chicago Dance, Hubbard Street II & the Goodman Theater among many others. As director of The Willingham Project she focuses on creating performance opportunities for local artists as well as making dance more accessible to Chicago's youth and underserved communities. The Willingham Project major productions are

"A Bronzeville Nutcracker" and "Rocka' My Soul"

(which tours the chicagoland area during Black History Month).