Julie Cartier
Artistic Director, choreographer, teacher, dance fanatic. Julie has invested her last 25 years to all things dance. Julie first came to Chicago via the concert dance scene, performing with some of Chicago’s finest dance companies including Chi-town Jazz Dance, The Lynda Martha Dance Company, & River North Dance Company. She also dabbled in musical theater, trade shows & the like, & became a founding member of Especially Tap Chicago, one of Chicago’s oldest & most successful tap ensembles. In 2000, Julie took over leadership of the group as artistic director.
Julie’s diverse background has presented her with a wide range of theatrical projects both as performer & choreographer. She has performed with The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, & on a lark performed on The Today Show! She has recently choreographed for Celebrity Cruise Lines newest ships and continues to create new work for companies throughout the US. Julie started Soul-2-Soles Youth Tap Company at Dancenter North in Libertyville and continues to teach for some of the finest studios in the Chicagoland area & abroad, including a 10 year stint at Barat College, Dancenter Evanston, Danceworks of Milwaukee, Gus Giordano’s Dance Center, & the Lou Conte Dance Studio.
Julie’s latest voyage, The Cartier Collective allows Julie to finally present her true voice thru the fusion of rhythm & movement. After years of directing Especially Tap Chicago along with her rich & varied background as an independent jazz dancer & choreographer for both concert dance & musical theater, Julie has decided to push the parameters by blending her two loves, the pulse of rhythm dance & the beauty of movement together within the same energy. The Cartier Collective brings even more variety to the excitement of ETC’s repertoire in an intoxicating & clever way….see the music, hear the dance.
