DANCE CENTER

NICK PUPILLO

Founder/Artistic Director

Nick Pupillo, Founder and Artistic Director of Visceral Dance Chicago, is an award winning choreographer recognized for the power and versatility in his work.

A graduate of Indiana University and former dancer with Giordano Dance Chicago, Pupillo’s focus quickly became concentrated on teaching and creating. 

In 2006, he decided to focus on training and mentoring young talent by developing the now reputable, pre-professional company, Visceral Studio Company. In 2007, he founded Visceral Dance Center to provide the Chicago community with a new venue for artistic and technical growth. This facility continues to be a Chicago dance landmark. TimeOut Chicago lists Visceral Dance Center as "A bustling, well-appointed facility...with instructors from top companies and in-demand guest teachers." Utilized by a number of Chicago-based companies, Visceral Dance Center is home to its resident company, Visceral Dance Chicago. 

Pupillo founded Visceral Dance Chicago in the fall of 2013. This repertory company presents his daring vision to explore the infinite possibilities of contemporary movement. The dancers of Visceral demonstrate this choreographic invention and are recognized for their technique, passion, and athleticism. Since inception, the company has developed a diverse and respected repertoire by new emerging voices and distinguished, world renowned choreographers. Visceral Dance Chicago has been named one of Dance Magazine's 25 to Watch, recognizing the company's accomplishments and potential in the national community. Pupillo has led the company in a forthright direction, establishing a repertoire described as "expertly devised and stylish as they come." (Chicago Tribune) He has created fifteen signature works for the company, as well as four collaborations with The Chicago Philharmonic.

Pupillo teaches master classes in the U.S. and around the world and has taught for the Jazz Dance World Congress, Culver Academies, Chicago Dance Connection and Chicago National Association of Dance Masters, where he received the 2018 Artistic Achievement Award. 

AUTUMN ECKMAN​

Autumn Eckman is an Assistant Professor of Dance at Kennesaw State University. A graduate of the Houston Ballet Academy, she had the privilege to dance with Giordano Dance Chicago where she also served as Assistant Artistic Director, Resident Choreographer and Director Giordano II, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Luna Negra Dance Theatre, Lucky Plush Productions, Ron De Jesus Dance, State Street Ballet and The Cambrians. Her choreographic commissions include original eleven original Giordano Dance Dance Chicago as well as for companies State Street Ballet (Artist-In-Residence), DanceWorks Chicago, Visceral Dance Chicago's 'Solus', The Cambrians, Chattanooga Ballet, Kit Modus, Big Muddy Dance Co., Wylliams-Henry Dance Company (supported by New Dance Partners), Mareck Dance, Gainesville Ballet, Washington & Lee University, Stephens College, Western Michigan University, Grand Valley State University, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Her choreography has been presented at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Bates Dance Festival, Performática (Mexico), Solo Duo Dance Festival (NYC), Detroit Dance City Festival, Charlotte Dance Festival, Blackbox International Theatre & Dance Festival (Bulgaria), Dance Gallery Festival (TX), Men In Dance Festival (WA), as a Finalist of the McCallum Choreography Competition (CA) and with JUNTOS Collective (Guatemala) where she served as Outreach Choreographer. She holds an MFA in Choreography from the University of Iowa. Autumn is dedicated to sharing her experience of over 20 years of performing, choreographing and teaching/mentorship and has served as master faculty for organizations including The Ballet Alliance Festival, Open Doors Dance Festival, Vitacca Vocational School for Dance, the Bates Dance Festival. A former Instructor of Dance at Northern Illinois University and Assistant Professor of Dance at the University of Arizona, Autumn recently returned to Atlanta and served as inaugural faculty at the School of the Arts at Central Gwinnett High School for the 2021-2022 academic year.

MONICA CERVANTES RODRIQUEZ

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Mónica Cervantes (Choreographer) studied at the Institut del Teatre de Barcelona until 2002 where she received the Best Dancer Award of her generation. As a dancer she performed at Abcdancecompany (Austria), Cia. Metros (Barcelona), Titoyaya Project (Valencia) and Luna Negra Theatre (Chicago, USA) where she also worked as a rehearsal director. She won the Lladró prize at the Festival Dansa Valencia 2007 and the award for best performer of the Choreographic competition Masdanza 2009. Mónica was honored By Dance Magazine (USA) as one of the dancers in their annual  "Top 25 to Watch" in 2013. She was also nominated for the award "2013.3Arts" (USA) in the category of dance. She also worked as an assistant for the world renowned choreographer Gustavo Ramirez Sansano at Budapest Dance Theatre, Ballet Met (Columbus, USA), Ballet Hispanico (New York)...

As a choreographer, Mónica was awarded first prize for "Regressió" at the Sabadell Choreographic Competition, 2006. In 2009 she choreographed "Pure Pleasure"  for the Cia. Mou Dansa (Valencia), winning first prize honors for choreography at the Sevilla Choreographic Contest. Pure pleasure also won the interpretation award in the Burgos-New York contest. Her choreographic works at the USA have been 

"Requiem" (2012), "Presente" (2013) for Luna Negra Dance Theatre; "Changes" (2013) and her recent choreography "Homage" (2019) for the company Visceral Dance Chicago.