Posted 6 months ago in Trending, Arts & Culture
7 MIN READ -- Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) recently announced the lineup for Chicago SummerDance, a beloved summertime tradition and cultural gathering hosted in parks across the city and downtown.
From June 15 through September 8 (select dates), the free outdoor series offers dance and movement lessons for all skill levels taught by professional instructors, followed by music and social dancing. Again this year, Chicago SummerDance’s neighborhood events will include a variety of creative activities for the whole family in addition to dance lessons and music. Full schedule enclosed and available here.
Showcasing the multicultural traditions of our vibrant city, Chicago SummerDance features more than 30 dance styles, including Salsa, Swing, Cumbia, Line Dancing, Ballet Folklorico, Steppin’, KPOP, and more. At its flagship location in the Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park, Chicago SummerDance brings an array of live music from a great roster of bands, including Shout Section Big Band (Swing), Funkadesi (Bhangra/Bollywood) and Club Crib (R&B/Steppin’). This year’s SummerDance programming offers several highlights:
- Chicago SummerDance returns to Taste of Chicago events this year, starting with Rogers Park (June 15) offering Vogue, Hip Hop, Swing and Bhangra lessons.
- Chicago SummerDance downtown in the Spirit of Music Garden will kick off August 8 with the Texas-based psychedelic Cumbia band, Money Chicha with dance instruction from Teatro Tariakuri. Money Chicha’s reverb-drenched and percussion-heavy style of music is inspired by the sounds of Peru and Colombia in the 60s and 70s.
- August 17 is Salsa night in Grant Park with physically integrated dance instruction led by Desueño Dance in collaboration with MOMENTA, and live music by the popular Flaco Navaja & the Razor Blades.
- Taste of Chicago Grant Park (Sept 6-8) will bring back an array of styles including Footwork, Hustle and Line Dancing, and introduce for the first time KPOP taught by Chemical X, along with popular Mexican Regional dance styles led by Ballet Folklorico de Chicago.
As in past years, the festival extends into neighborhoods as part of the Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parks Series. This year engaging programming will be featured in Austin, Calumet Park, West Ridge, North Lawndale and Back of the Yards, as well as at other DCASE events. For many of the neighborhoods, Chicago SummerDance is collaborating with community partners to develop content, including The Firehouse Community Arts Center, Move Me Soul and Front Porch Arts Center, Aao Mil Baithen (a project of the SpaceShift Collective), Free Street Theater and others.
Saturday, June 15 | 11:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Chicago SummerDance at Taste of Chicago Rogers Park
Touhy Park, 7348 N. Paulina St.
11:45 a.m. – Vogue / Summer Balmain (Texture Dance Studio)
12:45 p.m. – Hip Hop / Tone Wolf (GUS Giordano Dance School)
1:45 p.m. – Swing / May I Have This Dance
2:45 p.m. – Bhangra / Gopi Engineer (Meher Dance)
Music by DJ Nanoos
Wednesday, July 24 | 4:30 - 7:30pm
Chicago SummerDance in the Parks
Austin Town Hall Park, 5610 W. Lake St.
Theme: Drum Talk: Black Dance Evolution (West African, Steppin, Footwork)
4:30 p.m. – Creative Activities
5:30 p.m. – West African Instruction by Baba Eric and Footwork by Terrayne Ellis
6 - 7:30 p.m. – Music by DJ Sirprize
Presented in collaboration with Move Me Soul and Front Porch Arts Center
Saturday, July 27 | 11:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Chicago SummerDance at Taste of Chicago Marquette Park
Marquette Park, 6743 S. Kedzie Ave.
11:45 a.m. – Steppin’ / Shaun Ballentine (Effortless Stepping)
12:45 p.m. – Footwork / Mike D. (Creation Global/ Creative Netwerk)
1:45 p.m. – Afrobeats / Stacy "Jukeboxx" Letrice (Jukeboxx Dance LLC)
2:45 p.m. – Cumbia/ Latin Street
Music by DJ Ca$hEra
Sunday, July 28 | 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Chicago SummerDance at Maxwell Street Market
Maxwell Street between S. Halsted St. and S. Union Ave.
10 a.m. – Bachata / May I Have this Dance
11 a.m. – Latin Hustle / May I Have this Dance
12 p.m. – West Coast Swing / May I Have this Dance
12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. – Music and social dancing for West Coast Swing, Hustle, Bachata and other Latin, Swing & Ballroom styles
Wednesday, July 31 | 4:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Chicago SummerDance in the Parks
Calumet Park, 9801 S. Avenue G
Theme: Afrobeats & Cumbia
4:30 p.m. – Creative Activities
5:30 p.m. – Instruction by Urbanity Dance Chicago
6 - 7:30 p.m. – Music by ¡ESSO! Afrojam Funkbeat
Wednesday, August 7 | 4:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Chicago SummerDance in the Parks
Green Briar Park, 2650 W. Peterson Ave.
Theme: Kathak Dance and Dabkeh Dance
4:30 p.m. – Creative Activities
5:30 p.m. – Kathak Dance and Dabkeh Dance instruction working in tandem with music throughout the evening.
Presented in collaboration with Aao Mil Baithen, a project of SpaceShift Collective.
Thursday, August 8 | 6 - 9 p.m.
Chicago SummerDance at Spirit of Music Garden
Grant Park, 112 E. Balbo Dr. (Corner of Balbo Dr. and Michigan Ave.)
Theme: Cumbia
6 p.m. – Instruction by Karla Galvan / Teatro Tariakuri (Cumbia)
7:15 p.m. – Music by Money Chicha (Psychedelic Cumbia)
Friday, August 9 | 6 - 9 p.m.
Chicago SummerDance at Spirit of Music Garden
Grant Park, 112 E. Balbo Dr. (Corner of Balbo Dr. and Michigan Ave.)
Theme: R&B, Steppin’
6 p.m. – Instruction by James "Pete" Frazier/ Majestic Gents (Steppin’)
7:15 p.m. – Music by Club Crib (R&B, Steppin)
Saturday, August 10 | 6 - 9 p.m.
Chicago SummerDance at Spirit of Music Garden
Grant Park, 112 E. Balbo Dr. (Corner of Balbo Dr. and Michigan Ave.)
Theme: Swing (Lindy Hop/Charleston)
6 p.m. – Instruction by Brennan Bowman / Fizz Swing Dance (Lindy Hop/ Charleston)
7:15 p.m. – Music by Shout Section Big Band (Swing)
Wednesday, August 14 | 4:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Chicago SummerDance in the Parks
Douglass Park, 1401 S. Sacramento Dr.
Theme: Reggae and Salsa
4:30 p.m. – Creative Activities
5:30 p.m. – Instruction by Tyjah (Reggae) and Miguel Mendez (Dance Academy of Salsa)
6 - 7:30 p.m. – Music by DJ Papa G
Presented in collaboration with Firehouse Community Arts Center and the National Museum of Mexican Arts.
Thursday, August 15 | 6 - 9 p.m.
Chicago SummerDance at Spirit of Music Garden
Grant Park, 112 E. Balbo Dr. (Corner of Balbo Dr. and Michigan Ave.)
Theme: Zydeco, 2 Step
6 p.m. – Instruction by Louie Stallone (2-step, Waltz)
7:15 p.m. – Music by Le Travaillant (Zydeco, Cajun)
Friday, August 16 | 6 - 9 p.m.
Chicago SummerDance at Spirit of Music Garden
Grant Park, 112 E. Balbo Dr. (Corner of Balbo Dr. and Michigan Ave.)
Theme: Line Dance
6 p.m. – Music by Shon Roka in collaboration with line dance leaders Fre2Dance (Line Dancing)
Saturday, August 17 | 6 - 9 p.m.
Chicago SummerDance at Spirit of Music Garden
Grant Park, 112 E. Balbo Dr. (Corner of Balbo Dr. and Michigan Ave.)
Theme: Salsa
6 p.m. – Instruction by Denita/Desueño Dance, Sarah Najera/ MOMENTA Dance Company (Physically Integrated Salsa)
7:15 p.m. – Music by Flaco Navaja & the Razor Blades (Salsa)
Saturday, August 17 | 11:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Chicago SummerDance at Taste of Chicago Pullman
Pullman Park, 11101 S. Cottage Grove Ave.
11:45 a.m. – Salsa / Latin Street
12:45 p.m. – Shuffle Dance / Chicago Shufflers
1:45 p.m. – Reggaeton / Latin Street
2:45 p.m. – Open Dance Party / Chicago Shufflers
Music by DJ Momami
Wednesday, August 21 | 4:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Chicago SummerDance in the Parks
Davis Square Park, 4430 S. Marshfield Ave.
Theme: Cumbia and House
4:30 p.m. – Creative Activities
Prelude to Cumbia Lesson Performance by America Powers
Prelude to House Lesson Performance by Free Street Youth
5:30 p.m. – Instruction provided by Free Street Theater
6 - 7:30 p.m. – music by DJ Karenoid
EMCEE: America Powers
Presented in collaboration with Free Street Theater and Plant Chicago
Friday, August 23 | 6 - 9 p.m.
Chicago SummerDance at Spirit of Music Garden
Grant Park, 112 E Balbo Dr. (Corner of Balbo Dr. and Michigan Ave)
Theme: Afrobeat
6 p.m. – Instruction by Bobbi Ponder (Afro Dance)
7 p.m. – Music by Occidental Brothers (Afrobeat, Soukous)
Saturday, August 24 | 6 - 9 p.m.
Chicago SummerDance at Spirit of Music Garden
Grant Park, 112 E. Balbo Dr. (Corner of Balbo Dr. and Michigan Ave.)
Theme: House
6 p.m. – Instruction by Tre Daniels / Jus Be Collective
7 p.m. – Music by A Party Called Tribe (House)
Friday, September 6 | 11:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Chicago SummerDance at Taste of Chicago
Grant Park (at Buckingham Fountain) 301 S. Columbus Dr.
11:45 a.m. – Salsa / Laura Flores (La Mecca Dance)
12:45 p.m. – Hustle / Nino DiGiulio (May I Have This Dance)
1:45 p.m. – Flamenco / Amanda Ramirez
2:45 p.m. – Footwork / Mike D. (Creation Global)
Music by Jo-Z
Saturday, September 7 | 1 - 4 p.m.
Chicago SummerDance at Taste of Chicago
Grant Park (at Buckingham Fountain) 301 S. Columbus Dr.
1 p.m. – Bachata / Latin Rhythms
2 p.m. – Bhangra / Ajanta Chakraborty (Bollywood & Culture Groove)
3 p.m. – Afrobeats / Imania Detry (Ayodele Druman Dance)
4 p.m. – Hip Hop / Nathalie (Urbanity Dance Chicago)
Music by DJ Miss Bhalla
Sunday, September 8 | 12 - 4 p.m.
Chicago SummerDance at Taste of Chicago
Grant Park (at Buckingham Fountain) 301 S. Columbus Dr.
11:45 a.m. – Line Dance / Vero Sagredo (Steadfast Dance Center)
12:45 p.m. – KPOP / Chemical X
1:45 p.m. – Regional Mexicano / Ballet Folklorico de Chicago
2:45 p.m. – House / Vero Sagredo (Steadfast Dance Center)
Music by Ranee
