Nana Shineflug facts for kids
Elizabeth "Nana" Shineflug (1935 - 15 January 2015) was an American dancer and choreographer. A choreographer is someone who creates dance routines. She started and led the Chicago Moving Company, a modern dance group. Her dance style was unique and not traditional. One critic said she "nurtured our God-given right to weirdness." Nana Shineflug's original name was Elizabeth Strohmeier. She grew up in Evanston, Illinois.
Nana Shineflug's Dance Journey
Nana Shineflug first graduated from Northwestern University. She earned a degree in mathematics there. Later, in 1986, she received a master's degree. She also got a special certificate in Laban Movement Analysis. This is a way to understand and describe human movement.
In 1972, Nana started her own dance company. It was called the Chicago Moving Company. She taught at Columbia College Chicago. She taught in the Interdisciplinary Arts Graduate Program. She also taught in the Theater Department. Nana also taught modern dance and Qi Gong. Qi Gong is a traditional Chinese practice. It combines movement, breathing, and meditation. She taught these through her company. Nana also performed and taught her dances in other countries.
Awards and Honors
Nana Shineflug received many awards for her work. These awards recognized her talent and dedication.
- She earned four Choreographic Fellowships. These were from the National Endowment for the Arts.
- She received The Katherine Dunham Award. This award honored her excellence in the arts.
- She got the Chicago Dance Coalition/Ruth Page Lifetime Service Award. This was for her long service to dance.
- She received three Illinois Arts Council Choreographic Fellowships.
- She earned a Chicago Dance Award. This was for her outstanding contributions.
- She received an Honorable Mention for the Dance Legacy Project. This was part of the Ruth Page Award.
- She was given the Boulevard Arts Center's Presidents Award.
- She received two Illinois Alliance for Arts Education Service Recognition Awards.
- She earned a prestigious National Endowment for Arts Arts-Plus Partnership.
- Columbia College Chicago gave her a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Nana Shineflug died from cancer in her Glenview, Illinois home. She passed away on 15 January 2015. She was seventy-nine years old.
