Chic-A-Go-Go

Chic-A-Go-Go is an unique dance show for kids of all ages on Chicago cable access television hosted by myself and rat puppets Ratso, Rattina, L'il Ratso and Bratso.

Since its 1996 debut, CHIC-A-GO-GO has been one of the most original and entertaining shows on Chicago television. Drawing from legendary dance programs like Soul Train and American Bandstand, as well as Chicago's own 1960s shows Kiddie-A-Go-Goand Red Hot and Blues, CHIC-A-GO-GO combines classic TV entertainment with an original, quirky style. And unlike its dance show ancestors, CHIC-A-GO-GO takes advantage of its non-commercial home on the Chicago Access Network to create a diverse TV world that does not have to focus on a single demographic. People of all ages, colors, and backgrounds, linked by their love of music, dance together in harmony on the CHIC-A-GO-GO set. The dancers, who range in age from newborns to youthful seniors, move to the latest Hip Hop music, as well as classic R&B, Rock & Roll, Punk, Funk, and all points in between.

I've loved hosting "Chic-A-Go-Go" since 1998 and I was a dancer on the very first show in 1996. My main job on the show is to facilitate fun! Our program is a childrens' dance show that is also an eclectic showcase for performers in a variety of musical genres. For me, participation in music means more than composing and performing original works. As hostess of "Chic-A-Go-Go", my aim is to challenge typical customs of presenting music that segment music into genre categories and separate audiences from performers and different audiences from one another. I want to promote the universality of music by crafting an unique art space that allows musicians to perform in new ways that they're not accustomed to and to promote their talents and perspectives to a community that would otherwise not experience it. I see myself as a musical ambassador. I try to bring together different communities of music appreciators by bridging gaps between social experience, age and culture. In addition, I connect live performers and audience members together and invite the viewers at home to enjoy "Chic A Go Go" as much as the in-studio participants.

Thanks for twenty years of dancing and music fun. Check here for the Chic-A-Go-Go Youtube channel. Here is our Facebook page.

Here are just a few of my favorite highlights from this amazing show of musical celebration: