Emilie Leriche Named as the 2026 Sybil Shearer Fellow at Ragdale
Choreographer Emilie Leriche has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Sybil Shearer Fellowship at Ragdale. This honor recognizes Leriche's exceptional contributions to contemporary dance and her innovative approach to movement and choreography. The Sybil Shearer Fellowship, funded by the Morrison-Shearer Foundation and established to honor the legacy of…
Dance/USA in Chicago
This year, the Morrison-Shearer Foundation joined a distinguished group of funders as a Platinum Sponsor of the bi-annual Dance/USA Conference that was held in Chicago, June 17-20, 2025. Other lead sponsors included Abby O’Neil & D. Carroll Joynes, Alphawood Foundation Chicago, Driehaus Foundation, Field Foundation, The Joyce Foundation, MacArthur Foundation,…
The Morrison-Shearer Collection at Chicago Film Archives
The Morrison-Shearer Collection is an extensive group of dance films that are preserved by and housed at Chicago Film Archives. The collection represents one of the most significant dance film archives in the Midwest, documenting a remarkable artistic partnership between photographer-filmmaker Helen Balfour Morrison and pioneering modern dancer-choreographer Sybil Shearer.…
Sybil Shearer’s Legacy Soars Anew:
Without Wings The Way Is Steep Now Available for Free Digital Download. Three-Volume Autobiography Reveals Nearly a Century of Dance and the Full Arc of a Dancer’s Life. Sybil Shearer's three-volume autobiography, Without Wings The Way Is Steep, is now available as a free digital download. This treasure trove of…
Christopher Williams named as the 2025 Sybil Shearer Fellow at Ragdale
The acclaimed choreographer, Christopher Williams, has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the Sybil Shearer Fellowship Residency at Ragdale, a nonprofit artist residency program and community in Lake Forest, IL. This prestigious opportunity, which we're proud to fund, continues our commitment to nurturing visionary dance artists. Described by the…
Announcing the Morrison-Shearer Foundation and 3Arts Partnership: Celebrating Dance Excellence
We at the Morrison-Shearer Foundation are thrilled to announce a new funding partnership with 3Arts for this year's Dance Award. The recipient is Robby Lee Williams, who embodies the spirit of innovation and dedication that both our organizations seek to foster. “The partnership between Morrison-Shearer Foundation and 3Arts is a…
Sybil Shearer Honored by John Neumeier and the Hamburg Ballet
In the fall of 2022, the Foundation discovered that the Hamburg Ballet would perform in Chicago at the Harris Theater in 2023 as part of a special tour celebrating John Neumeier’s 50th anniversary as its artistic director. MSF's Executive Director, Scott Lundius, called the Harris Theater’s CEO, Lori Dimun, setting…