Dance company established in 1981 by Artistic Director Tara Mitton which primarily performed repertory of dances by internationally renowned artists such as Paul Taylor, George De La Pena, and Paul Sansardo. Barbara Stein served as the Executive Director and Associate Artistic Director. The purpose of the Dance Ensemble was to “perform a spectrum of contemporary dance that will challenge and entertain both those familiar with dance and those new to the art form; to communicate dance through education; and to represent the best of Midwest dance throughout the nation.”

In 1984, the Dance Ensemble shifted its focus to a “Made in Chicago” artistic philosophy that invested in the promotion and growth of Chicago choreographers exclusively and took up residency in the Ruth Page Center for the Arts. The shift was partly inspired by their annual New Dances choreography project, which began in 1983, and was a major source of new choreography for the company’s repertory.

Educational and outreach programs included participation in Young Audiences, Inc. and Urban Gateways, a Branch Artists program that allowed company members to perform their own works, and Dance in the Parks in collaboration with the Chicago Park District. The Dance Ensemble toured both nationally and internationally, with appearances in Australia, Switzerland, France, and residences in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Alaska, Utah, and New Mexico.

Like other Chicago area dance companies, the Dance Ensemble experienced legal and financial difficulties in the late 1980s. They continued to perform in 1991, and officially dissolved in 1992.