Studio Stories: Reminiscing on Twin Cities Dance with Joe Chvala - Season 13, Episode 147

Joe Chvala has created over 30 original works for the
stage that have toured from New York to Paris and from Jacob's
Pillow Dance Festival to Litle Falls, MN. He is the founder and
artistic director of the highly acclaimed percussive dance
company, Flying Foot Forum. Articles and reviews of his work have
appeared in national and international magazines and newspapers
including the New York Times, La Monde, the Chicago Tribune,
Dance Magazine, and the Village Voice. The range of his work has
been described as "somewhere between Sammy Davis, Jr. and Samuel
Becket" and has
earned such accolades as "Fred Astaire on acid" and "the Agnes
DeMille of the tap." 


Chvala has also choreographed, directed, and/or been commissioned
to create new work for a variety of venues including the Walker
Art Center, The Ordway Center, the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre,
The Guthrie Theater, the Minnesota Opera, Arkansas Repertory
Theatre, The Children’s Theatre Company (to name a few). He has
received Ivey and Minnesota SAGE Awards for theater and dance, as
well as numerous other awards, fellowships, and grants from
organizations including the National Endowment for the Arts,
Minnesota State Arts Board, Target, and McKnight Foundation.
Chvala also choreographs and directs dance for films. His first
short film, COOKAPHONY, has been chosen as an official selection
at 14 film festivals, winning four awards at various festivals
including Paris Short Film Festival, Sedona International Film
Festival, Vasteras International Film Festival (Sweden) and the
Minneapolis/St. Paul Internatonal Film Festval.