We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jamal “Litebulb” Oliver a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jamal “Litebulb” thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is The Era’s upcoming “Footwork Youth Festival” on December 4th this year. It’s a great project that holds value because it highlights some of my key skills alongside The Era’s to coach/ mentor, choreograph and create impactful events centered around youth development and the future of Chicago Footwork. The Era Footwork Collective won a grant this past spring for $20-$25k to create a performance from the Arts Works Fund, a great opportunity for us. We had plans of just creating a new piece that included kids but decided to take it a step further and create an actual Youth Festival that included “Footwork Stations” or Booths that featured all aspects of Chicago Footwork on top of choreographing a new piece that only featured kids in our home town Chicago.

With this grant were we able to hire a handful of talented kids to participate and learn the ins and outs of being Full-time Footwork Artists, its history, and all of the opportunities Chicago Footwork can provide if pursued. It’s very meaningful to a collective like ours because these types of opportunities do not come often to communities like Footwork and it opens the door for even more opportunities and real-life training to help the youth develop in ways that are unimaginable.

Jamal “Litebulb”, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

To most people who know me, I go by “Litebulb”. I’ve been a Footwork dancer for about 15 years and a full Chicago Footwork artist for the past 8 years altogether. I got into the dance community here in Chicago like most, joining my local high school dance team then migrating to a more known but still local dance troupe outside of my high school now called “Empire” then joining my first Footwork crew “Terra Squad”. I worked my way up the ranks in the Footwork community making a name for myself by battling all over the city, winning large events, and studying profusely with the original creators, and legends of our culture’s dance. In 2011, I was offered the opportunity to travel and perform alongside the pioneers of our culture’s music, DJ Spinn and DJ Rashad which allowed me the chance to create a real lane for Footwork dance through our collective we started a few later in 2014, The Era Footwork Crew, which was on a more professional level with my closest friends. We offer live performances, workshops, music, videos, and community events we host and collaborate with partners to produce. We serve as torchbearers and are responsible for keeping Footwork grounded/ thriving in Chicago, the states, and beyond through our work. I’m also the Co-founder/ co-executive director of my own non-profit, Open The Circle, which was started in 2017, and the mission focuses on community organizing and racial justice through the arts. Our current projects are driven by Chicago footwork dancing and electronic music. OTC is working with footwork dancers and DJs in three areas: dance education, documentary film, and performance.

Through all of my work with my team, I’ve been recognized by leading foundations, including Theaster Gates’ Rebuild Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, the University of Chicago, and the Field Foundation of Illinois. Recognized as a “dancer of the year” in Dance Magazine (2016) and a “cultural organizer of the year” in FADER Magazine (2016)and also received a National Dance Project Grant from the New England Foundation for the Arts (2019).

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

In the climate we’re currently in with the multiple industries that will be affected, I’m leaning more toward financial education than anything. I could say provide more opportunities in grant accessibility, performance, and visibility but I feel as though those things have already been in place and steadily improving as time goes on, but financial literacy and how to manage those said funds or opportunities when artists/ creatives receive them is drastically overlooked in most cases. We as artists need sustainability, and in my practices, financial literacy and how to obtain wealth through those practices will create the proper ecosystem where artists can maintain a sustainable living in the current environment.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, it will always be seeing the culture grow to new heights and being a part of that process because through that channel, I’m able to find new ways of innovation to push the dance/ music form itself no matter how old I get.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.theerafootworkcrew.com/
• Instagram: @bulbtheera
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bulbtheera
• Twitter: @bulbtheera
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/THEERAFootworkCrew
• Other: Here are the event details and link the Eventbrite where people can reserve their spots for FREE 4116 N Hamlin Ave 4116 North Hamlin Avenue Chicago, IL 60618 Doors open at 5:30 PM This is a FREE all-ages event Early arrival is strongly suggested Street parking available https://www.eventbrite.com/e/footwork-youth-festival-2022-tickets-443312087387

Image Credits
Trey Savage, Wills Glasspiegel