All are
Welcome Here
Our vision is to be a dance company known for breaking the barrier of dance culture and expanding the dance community to reach those who haven’t previously felt included or welcomed
How We Got Started
We aim to bridge the gap between dance lovers and the dance curious: people who have yet to see themselves in the world of dance or think that it is not for them. We believe in creating works that are diverse in subject and location, relate to both those ingrained in dance culture and on the outskirts. We create to inspire and entice our audience to act: to see more shows, take a class, or talk about dance to their community
Our Vision
Darvin Dances is inspired by founder Mariah Eastman’s passion for bringing dance to the people. She believes that dance is for everyone and ticket prices shouldn’t stand in the way of helping the general public see dance. The name Darvin comes from her grandmother (Goldy Darvin) and is also Eastman’s middle name. Goldy Darvin loved taking Eastman to see plays and dance shows when she was younger and made sure to see her dance performances when she could.
Mariah Eastman
A Seattle native, Mariah Eastman graduated in 2017 with a degree in Dance and Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University. In 2023, she decided to create her own company “Darvin Dances”
Recently in September 2022, Eastman presented “Navigating the After”, a production exploring recovery after sexual assault using live dance and audio interviews. She also collaborated with Resilience Chicago, & Rise Women and Self-Reclaimed to put on this production. In December 2020, she also started the annual Holiday Dance Carol in Chicago, a dance to holiday music performed on sidewalks in front of people’s houses in various Chicago neighborhoods. In June 2021, she presented Café Cortado, a collaboration with local Chicago coffee shops using live-stream dance, recorded interviews, and dance film. She premiered her first evening-length work “Patternalia” in September 2020 (during the COVID-19 pandemic), a virtual performance exploring the process of dreaming through live dance, dance film, and projections.
Earlier Performances & Honors:
Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble’s production of A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer February 2018.
Chicago debut at J e l l o: Let’s Get Technical (Live from Chicago!) in April 2018.
Choreographed for Project Bound Dance’s One Hour Project.
Tidbits and Beginnings” solo premiered at the Built On Stilts Dance Festival in Martha’s Vineyard.
“Efforts of Contemplation” solo presented at “The Performance Party” at Arts On Site in August 2018.
“Live From Chicago!” was chosen to be performed at Small Plates Choreography Festival in Brooklyn, NY in October 2018.
“A Look in the Mirror” solo was chosen for the BUILT production at Links Hall in Chicago.
“Gesturing Steps” was selected for the Trifecta Dance Collective’s A New Light Choreography Showcase.
“Efforts of Contemplation” was chosen through an adjudication process to be performed at Baltimore Dance Invitational in February 2019. It was selected for the 17th annual Mid-Atlantic Choreographers Showcase in Richmond, VA.
Choreographed for Simantikos 2nd Annual Choreo Kick-off in August 2019.
Artists
Amanda Milligan
She/Her
Mandy Milligan graduated from University of Cincinnati Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Ballet performance. She received additional training at the Graham School for Contemporary Dance, Beijing Dance Academy, Dance Works Chicago, Interlochen Center for the Arts, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance and Perry-Mansfield. She has worked with companies from all over the midwest such as Mamluft & Co., Dance Kaleidoscope, Winifred Haun & Dancers, Simantikos Dance, Cocodaco Dance Company and Kanopy Dance Company. Mandy is currently Rehearsal director and dance artist with Darvin Dances. She is also the founder/director of Mandy MIlligan Movement Project.
Since moving to Chicago in 2017 her choreographic work has been shown at the Links Hall, Pleasant Home, Dance Chance, Going Dutch Festival, First Draft, The Garage at Dovetail Studios and RADfest.
Sidney Valdez
She/Her
Sidney Valdez is a multidisciplinary dancer from Elmhurst, IL. After growing up dancing at DuPage Dance Academy in Elmhurst, Sidney furthered her interest in both dance and the mind-body connection at Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA where she graduated with a BS in Neuroscience and Dance. Sidney is a current Claire Bataille Legacy Program Student at Chicago Movement Collective and Staff Writer for See Chicago Dance. She also teaches dance to students of all ages in the western Chicago suburbs and is a physical therapy tech at Midwest Orthopedics at RUSH. Sidney is so excited to continue her dance career with Darvin Dances!
Mikaela Dalton
She/They
Mikaela Dalton initially started dancing after she saw an episode of Angelina Ballerina at age 3 and subsequently begged her mom to sign her up for classes. Once in the studio, Mikaela developed a deep and enduring passion for dance as an art form. Throughout her childhood, Mikaela trained intensively in ballet, and was fortunate enough to dance alongside professional dancers in productions such as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and Sleeping Beauty. In 2016, she moved to Florida to attend Jacksonville University where she began training in styles such as contemporary, commercial jazz, and contact improvisation. Upon receiving her BFA in dance in 2020, Mikaela moved back home to Rhode Island to dance as a trainee with Festival Ballet Providence during the pandemic before moving to Chicago in 2022 to pursue her teaching and choreographic career.
Emily Carroccio
She/Her
Emily Carroccio is a Chicago-based dancer, choreographer, and teacher originally from Cleveland, OH. She moved to Chicago to pursue a BA in dance and BS in molecular biology from Loyola University Chicago. Since graduating, Emily has had the privilege to perform with The Humphrey-Weidman Artists Collective and Kindred (THWACK), the Lucid Banter Project, and Rasa Dance Chicago. She has also had her original choreography commissioned and presented throughout the Chicago area. Emily shares her love of dance by instructing youth classes and wedding dance lessons, and she is an active member of the Chicago swing dance community! IG: @_emilycar
Blake Campbell
She/Her
Blake Campbell was born in Elkhart, Indiana. At age 16, Blake got her G.E.D. and moved to Chicago to pursue contemporary dance training with COMMON Conservatory. In the past 4 years, Blake has performed works by choreographers: Terence Marling, Katlin Michael Bourgeois, Alysia Johnson, Ethan Kirschbaum, Robyn Mineko Willams, Meredith Dincolo, Jackie Nowicki, and many more. Blake had the honor of being cast in New Dances 2023 in collaboration with DanceWorks Chicago. Along with dancing, Blake is passionate about writing poetry and has won a few poetry competitions.
Our Repertoire
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![Four dancers performing in front of lake Michigan]()
Navigating the After
In "Navigating the After" Eastman explores the multifaceted recovery process after sexual assault using live dance and anonymous interviews from survivors. From the initial grieving process to wrestling with the identity of a survivor, she uses gesture phrases and partnering to delve into recovering from sexual assault.
Choreographer: Mariah Eastman
Dancers: Robin Davis, Alissa Heroux, Carly Liegel and Mandy Milligan
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Holiday Dance Carol
An annual Chicago tradition, the Holiday Dance Carol goes from house to house delivering this short holiday dance. The idea is to knock on people's doors and, instead of singing a carol, proposing a holiday dance.
Choreographer: Mariah Eastman
Dancers: Angela Risi, Emily Rice, Robin Davis, Sarah Stearn, Heather Kristan and Lynda Piatt
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Cafe Cortado
It's an accepted fact that Chicago has delicious coffee and a captivating dance scene. What hasn't been done before is a combination of the two: using dance to highlight the individuality of Chicago's coffee shops and shine a light on the well deserving small shop owners. Café Cortado focuses on the perseverance of PiniPico Brazilian Café and Sputnik Coffee Company. This piece is a virtual performance that takes place in both coffee shops and includes interviews from the shop owners.
Choreographer: Mariah Eastman
Dancers: Ashley Chung, Keila Hamed - Ramos, Abigail Roberts, Angela Risi and Julia Schaeffer
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Patternalia
Patternalia is a production choreographed by independent choreographer Mariah Eastman exploring the process of dreaming using live dance, projections and dance film inside a virtual performance experience. The music includes repertoire by Kevin Macleod and "End" by Ryan Davis. Eastman has collaborated with Krista Zozulia (who filmed the dances) and Jordan Kunkel (editor and videographer) to create the dance films. The cast is composed of 6 dancers: Kalina Bartlett, Amanda Boike, Delia Constantino, Keila Hamed Ramos, Julia Schaeffer and Angela Vecchione. New York graphic designer Tess Havas created the illustrations for the projections.
Choreographer: Mariah Eastman
Dancers: Kalina Bartlett, Amanda Boike, Delia Constantino, Keila Hamed Ramos, Julia Schaeffer and Angela Vecchione
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Efforts of Contemplation
Efforts of Contemplation features a solo dancer wandering the landscape of her life decisions and contemplating if she made the right ones. Through a series of slides, rolls and falls – the dancer looks through the lenses of alternate universes and reflects about the life she has versus the one she could have had if she had made different choices.
Choreographer: Mariah Eastman
Dancer: Meredith Williams
Want to book us?
We would love to work with you! Darvin Dances has several kinds of bookings - we can come teach a class and perform a short work, present one of our evening-length works, or come by your holiday party with the Holiday Dance Carol!