THE ERA FOOTWORK COLLECTIVE
FOUNDED: 2014
The Era Footwork Collective is a multidisciplinary artist collaborative representing the dance, music, film, graphic and fashion design, and culture known as Chicago Footwork. We use the wisdom and practices passed down from our ancestors to create experiences of rhythm and soul that act as spiritual forces towards creative self-definition and individual and community transformation. Through education, workshops, public performances, community raves, and battles with fellow dancers throughout the city of Chicago and beyond, the Era Footwork Collective serves as culture bearers of footwork and features some of the primary artists continuing to evolve and grow the dance, music, and street culture of Chicago Footwork.
COMPANY LEADERSHIP
Pictured left to right: Jamal “Litebulb” Oliver, Jemal “P Top” De La Cruz, Brandon “Chief Manny” Calhoun, and Sterling “Steelo” Lofton
PC: The Era Footwork Collective Leadership by Rachel Neville Studios
Jamal “Litebulb” Oliver,
CEO
Jamal “Litebulb” Oliver is a dancer and dance activist at the forefront of footwork culture in Chicago. Known for the intricacy and creativity of his dancing, Litebulb has performed with leading artists such as Chance the Rapper and DJ Rashad. Since 2009, he has traveled to international stages, from PS1 MoMA to the Barbican in London. Litebulb co-founded The Era in 2014. His practice is both intensely local and broadly international. In 2017, he co-founded Open the Circle, a nonprofit organization devoted to channeling financial resources into low-income communities through the arts. He has received awards and grants for his innovative work, including recognition as a “dancer of the year” in Dance Magazine, and artist grants from Chicago Dancemakers Forum, the Field Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, the New England Foundation for the Arts, and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.
Brandon “Chief Manny” Calhoun,
CEO
Brandon K. Calhoun aka “Chief Manny” (director, writer, editor, animator) is a Chicago footwork dancer, dance educator and filmmaker. As a filmmaker, Brandon’s direction and hand-drawn animations accentuate footwork’s rhythms and phrases, revealing dance as a visual language. His animations drive the recent projection, Footnotes, a video made for large scale display on the facade of the Merchandise Mart (the Mart) in Chicago. As a dance filmmaker, Brandon has produced and edited dozens of short videos for Chicago Dancemakers Forum, beginning in 2017. His dance films and videos have screened at the Chicago Cultural Center, University of Chicago, Theaster Gates’ Stony Island Arts Bank and other respected venues. A cultural organizer and multidisciplinary artist, Brandon also performs poetry and footwork in an award-winning new multimedia footwork performance by The Era, In the Wurkz, touring to Wesleyan University in Connecticut and the Walker Art Center Minneapolis in 2021.
Jemal “P-Top” De La Cruz,
Member
Jemal “P-Top” De La Cruz, or “Legendary Top” as he’s known widely in Chicago, is an icon of footwork dancing. A bonafide “hometown hero,” P-Top represents the Uptown neighborhood on the north side of Chicago footwork. P-Top danced in the film Manglehorn with Al Pacino and has performed footwork across the world and in several countries. P-Top has also performed alongside Chance the Rapper. Before joining The Era, P-Top was affiliated with the dance group Goon Squad. Beyond dancing, P-Top has worked a multitude of jobs from crossing guard to caring for the elderly. He has four young sons, footwork dancers of the future. P-Top runs a regular footwork dance event in Chicago known as "The Ring," which targets and empowers youth in low-income communities.
Sterling “Steelo” Lofton,
Member
Sterling “Steelo” Lofton is recognized among the top footwork dancers in the world. He came to prominence as a battle dancer in the legendary clique Terra Squad. In 2014, Steelo co-founded The Era Footwork Crew and began to tour internationally. He has danced at festivals such as Pitchfork and Lollapalooza. Steelo was recognized as a choreographer of the year (New City Magazine) and cultural organizer of the year (FADER Magazine) alongside The Era. Steelo is focused on the fashion side of dancing, helping to design merchandise and visual art to represent footwork and The Era. He created "footwork saves lives'', a campaign to help bring awareness to footwork as a positive outlet for youth in Chicago. Steelo recently started his own fashion line called "Stiched by Steelo." He was awarded an honorary doctorate from South Shore High School for his community service through dance. Steelo’s rapping and lyricism has been featured on several mixtapes and he was interviewed in multiple documentaries from The Chicago Tribune to VICE. “Footworker’s boots,” a pair of Timberland boots customized by Steelo, was featured in The Era’s art gallery show at the Hokin Project in 2014. He lives and works on the east side of Chicago.
Syd Falls Syd,
Member
Syd Falls Syd Is a multifaceted DJ and artist and also an accomplished photographer and fashion model. Their photographs can be seen on the NTS website and in the book, The Southside, by Natalie Moore. As a model, Syd appears in campaigns by leading designers like Fenty and Burberry.