House of DOV
Described as “fresh, fearless and honest… dangerous and exciting,” House of DOV is a family of artists working together to make performances across dance and music that are conceptual, entertaining, and highly physical.
Led by Drew Lewis, the company aims to advance expansive notions around genre, body-type, race and gender through performance, community classes, and rehearsals. Their work has been presented at proscenium theaters, art museums, urban farms, public parks and more.
Our History
Our namesake is Benjamin Dov Lebowitz, Drew’s ancestor who immigrated to Brooklyn, NY from Russia in the early 1900s. The ensemble exists as a vehicle to explore Drew’s work and heritage, while also providing talented yet under-utilized Chicago dancers with paid work in performance and practice.
Since our inaugural performance at the Adler Planetarium (Best Dance Production Finalist, Chicago Reader) House of DOV has performed throughout Chicago and beyond, including at the Steppenwolf Theatre, the Arts Club of Chicago, Navy Pier, Ragdale, Charlotte Street Foundation, and the John Michael Kohler Arts Center. The company has been in residence at the Chicago Cultural Center, Ragdale, the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts on University of Chicago’s campus, and many more. The company’s first multi-city tour, Circle of Apathy, in collaboration with soul-funk collective Family Junket was a Newcity Magazine Dance Top 5 in 2026.
Founder, Artistic Director
Drew Lewis, founder and artistic director of House of DOV, is a choreographer, creative director, educator and arts advocate originally from Oak Park, IL. His choreographic work has been commissioned by DanceWorks Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago CREATE, the Steppenwolf Theatre and many, many more. He has served on faculty at the University of the Arts (PA) and Common Conservatory (IL), and has been a guest lecturer at the University of Chicago, Western Michigan University and more. Most recently, Drew was awarded a two-year Fellowship by the Arts Club of Chicago, marking the first time in history a dance artist has received this role.
Prior to his work as an arts leader, Drew spent nearly a decade as a performer with dance companies in New York City, Chicago and beyond. He performed extensively with Sidra Bell Dance New York, Little House Dance, C-LS, Project 44, Attack Theatre, The Joel Hall Dancers, The Lyric Opera of Chicago, and in projects by Lucy Riner and Erin Kilmurray. He graduated magna cum laude with a BFA in Dance from Cornish College of the Arts in 2016.