Terry Fox - performer, director, writer, teacher
Terry Fox, founder and artistic director of the Underground Arts Connection, brings more than 20 years of professional experience back to Chicago, offering aspiring performers and professionals a unique and innovative environment to learn, create, collaborate, and redefine the world of performing arts.

Born and raised on Chicago's northwest side, Terry cultivated an early appreciation for entertainment as a child. During high school, he was involved with Inner City Impact, a local program focused on engaging inner city youths in performing arts. It was through this organization where Terry gained his first experience in acting, script writing, and directing theater productions. After graduating from high school at the age of 17, Terry moved to New York City where he attended Columbia College and then New York University with a dual major in performance arts and medicine. He landed acting roles in several prestigious productions, including the role of Leroy in Columbia University's 1988 tour of "Sing, Black Hammer." He was also featured in the special cast of "First Breeze of Summer," which was awarded a playwright award in 1989. Terry's acting repertoire includes several productions featured on PBS arts programs, as well as numerous films and television programs.

Establishing himself as a versatile and accomplished actor, Terry's professional dance repertoire gained momentum. Over the course of several years, Terry performed at galas with NYC Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and San Francisco ballet. Terry joined Ballet Hispanico's international company, working with acclaimed choreographer Ann Rienking. He later returned to Chicago to join Ballet Chicago as an ensemble soloist, working and studying with NYCB’s Daniel Duell. Following Ballet Chicago, he toured with the American company (Las Vegas Premier) of Notre Dame de Paris as a featured performer, working with Martino Mueller of the Netherlands Dance Theatre.

Terry's national and international acclaim as a performer naturally segued into frequent opportunities to contribute to the creative development and production side of performing arts. He worked on the casting team for Cirque de Soleil, and was part of Cirque’s creative production team for Zumanity. Terry has done production work for several major record labels, including Manhattan and Atlanta, as well as contemporary jazz/blues singer Kerri Noble, Chicago-based jazz/blues gospel singer Terisa Griffin, Dallas-based gospel blues singer Krista Taylor, and Wisconsin-based rock band, Reveal. In 2008, Terry partnered with Charlene Campbell of the Rocky Mountain Ballet Theatre to choreograph and produce performances for the pre-Olympic festivals, sponsored by the China Arts and Entertainment Group, in Beijing, China.

In 2000 Terry’s focus turned to fulfilling his lifelong dream - to found a performing arts company, production studio, and training center. Today, Underground Arts Connection represents a new concept of classical and contemporary performing arts. Through his studio, young dancers learn technique and discipline in a professional training environment, led by guest artists from the top companies in the world. From his pre-professional and professional companies, to original choreography and productions, to international seminars, Terry continues to gain worldwide momentum in his vision to ignite spirit in his students, to create art through his professional company, and to move audiences through unique and thought-provoking performances.