Local newspaper publishers and Chicago dance impresarios.

Founders of the Harper Theater Dance Festival, Bruce and Judith Sagan met while students at the University of Chicago. Bruce Sagan, a publisher of local newspapers, bought the Harper Theater business block in Hyde Park and in 1964 he and Judith renovated the theater in order to present a cross-section of top dance companies, some of them new to Chicago audiences. The festivals provided a full week of performance opportunities at a time when most touring companies were subjected to one-and two-night stands while on the road. Although including both ethnic and classic dance at the beginning, the festivals soon specialized as a showcase for the best contemporary and experimental dance companies in the country, such as Merce Cunningham, Alwin Nikolais and Paul Taylor.

By the third season, Bruce Sagan gave up his active involvement in the dance festivals and Judith Sagan became sole producer. In 1971 the festival, now the Harper Dance Foundation, moved to downtown Chicago to the Civic Theater and then to the University of Chicago’s Mandel Hall between 1971 and 1975. After 1975, the foundation became dormant, but was reactivated in 1979 to bring the Paul Taylor Dancers back to the Civic Theater.

Judith Sagan, as president of the Harper Dance Foundation, was locally and nationally active in service to the dance world. She was on the Dance Advisory Panel of the National Endowment for the Arts, 1971-1974, and a member of the national board of the American Association of Dance Companies, 1972-1975. She also served on the dance panel of the Illinois Arts Council and the selection panel for SummerDance ’81 sponsored by the Chicago Central Area Committee (CCAC). Bruce Sagan has served on the board of the Illinois Arts Council and as president of the board of the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago.