Swing, Cha-Cha, Salsa, Footwork, House and more, June 28–August 25, in Grant Park, Millennium Park and neighborhood parks throughout the City. Full schedule available here.
The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Event is pleased to announce the lineup for the 22nd Annual Chicago SummerDance, the largest annual outdoor live music and dancing series in the United States. DCASE invites dancers of all abilities to the Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park, Taste of Chicago, Millennium Park and Chicago Park District locations throughout the city. SummerDance is the city’s premier dance festival, bringing communities together in a unique, urban dance space all summer long.
The diverse lineup showcases various traditional and modern dance styles from all corners of the globe. The FREE programs in Grant Park take place each Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings from 6 to 9:30 p.m. and Sunday afternoons from 4 to 7 p.m., on most dates between June 28 and August 24 (see schedule below). In 2018, SummerDance events in Grant Park will be part of each evening of Taste of Chicago, July 11–15 at Buckingham Fountain Plaza, and culminating in Millennium Park on the final weekend on August 25 for the SummerDance Celebration.
The final weekend will feature, a SummerDance Celebration in Millennium Park on Sunday, August 25, featuring a full day of competitions, social dancing and performances from noon to 9 p.m. throughout the park. Highlights include: a House DJ Dance Party, footwork talent showcase and competition and “The Most Versatile Dancer” contest at Cloud Gate, Wrigley Square Dance Village, Circle Dance and Bollywood lessons on the Great Lawn, professional dance performances at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion and much more.
NEW for 2018, Dance Downs in the Park is a performance series hosted by Shkunna Stewart and The Era Footwork Crew. Dance downs are historic black Chicago talent showcase and today are inspired by modern dance styles like bopping, Chicago footwork, online dance challenges and TV shows like Bring It and America’s Got Talent. SummerDance will feature three dance downs at Hamilton Park Cultural Center on Saturday, July 21, Austin Town Hall Park on Saturday, August 18, and culminating at Cloud Gate in Millennium Park on Sunday, August 25, at the SummerDance Celebration.
The Dance Downs in the Park are part of the Year of Creative Youth programming throughout the City. During SummerDance, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events is collaborating with the Chicago Park District Teens in the Park program for which the Year of Creative Youth will be a featured theme for 2018.
SummerDance in the Parks, Wednesdays, July 11–August 22, will feature dancing at seven different neighborhood parks throughout the city including the Ping Tom Memorial Park, Humboldt Park Boathouse, Jackson Park Grove 6B, Willye B. White Park and Portage Park. Unless otherwise noted, dance lessons begin at 6 p.m., with live music and dancing from 7 to 9 p.m. SummerDance in the Parks is presented as part of an ongoing collaboration between the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and the Chicago Park District.
Presented by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) and sponsored by the Chicago Transit Authority, SummerDance brings people of all ages and skill levels together. The long-time home of the event in Grant Park’s Spirit of Music Garden (601 S. Michigan Avenue) features a 4,900-square-foot, open-air dance floor or Chicago Ground Cover is made of 100% recycled material and is part of the City of Chicago’s public art collection. At each location, the series offers free, introductory one-hour dance lessons by professional instructors followed by live music and dancing.
Updates and announcements (including weather-related announcements) will be shared on Facebook and on Twitter @SummerDanceChi, #ChicagoSummerDance. For more information, visit chicagosummerdance.org or call the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events at 312.744.3316.
2018 CHICAGO SUMMERDANCE SCHEDULE
SUMMERDANCE AT THE SPIRIT OF MUSIC GARDEN
Thursday, June 28 – BRAZILIAN SAMBA
- Swing Brasileiro (Samba)
- Passistas Samba Dance Group (Samba, Axé, Samba-reggae)
Friday, June 29 – SWING
- Joel Paterson & The Modern Sounds (30s & 40s Swing)
- Big City Swing (East Coast Swing)
Saturday, June 30 – SALSA
- Son Veteranos (Salsa)
- Dance Academy of Salsa (Salsa)
Sunday, July 1 – ARGENTINE TANGO
- Duo Scofano-Minetti (Argentine Tango)
- Tango 21 (Argentine Tango)
SUMMERDANCE AT THE SPIRIT OF MUSIC GARDEN
Thursday, July 5 – DABKE
- Ahmed Hamad and Turath Ensemble present: Dabke is Life
- Ahmed Hamad (Palestinian Traditional Dances)
Friday, July 6 – HOUSE (6-9 p.m. – no break)
- DJ Jesse de la Peña
Saturday, July 7 – SWING
- The Fat Babies (‘20s & 30s Jazz and Swing)
- Margot Toppen & Riley Wimes, Jr. (Jitterbug)
Sunday, July 8 – ARGENTINE TANGO
- Mariano Barreriro Tango Duo (Argentine Tango)
- Tango 21 (Argentine Tango)
CHICAGO SUMMERDANCE IN THE PARKS
Wednesday, July 11 – CUMBIA
Ping Tom Memorial Park
- (((Sonorama))) DJ Collective (Cumbia)
- Latin Rhythms (Cumbia)
TASTE OF CHICAGO – BUCKINGHAM FOUNTAIN
Wednesday, July 11 – STEPPIN’
- DJ Eric “ET” Taylor (Chicago Steppin’)
- Majestic Gents (Chicago Steppin’)
TASTE OF CHICAGO – BUCKINGHAM FOUNTAIN
Thursday, July 12 – CAJUN
- Les Rôdailleurs (Cajun)
- Louie Stallone & Monica Vachlon (Cajun)
TASTE OF CHICAGO – BUCKINGHAM FOUNTAIN
- Friday, July 13 – HOUSE
- Queens of House Music
TASTE OF CHICAGO – BUCKINGHAM FOUNTAIN
Saturday, July 14 – CUMBIA
- Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto (Cumbia)
- Tierra Colombiana Folkloric Dance Company (Cumbia)
TASTE OF CHICAGO – BUCKINGHAM FOUNTAIN
Sunday, July 15 – SALSA
- Luis Palermo & The Brasa All Stars (Salsa)
- Latin Street Dance (Salsa)
CHICAGO SUMMERDANCE IN THE PARKS
Wednesday, July 18 – SALSA & MAMBO
Humboldt Park Boathouse
- Afinca’o (Salsa, Mambo)
- Denita Inez (Salsa, Mambo)
SUMMERDANCE AT THE SPIRIT OF MUSIC GARDEN
Thursday, July 19 – AFROBEAT
- Alma Afrobeat Ensemble (Afrobeat from Barcelona)
- Idy Ciss (Traditional West African Dance)
Friday, July 20 – STEPPIN’ & KIZOMBA
- DJ Eclipse (Steppin’ & Kizomba)
- Black Diamond Elite Steppers (Steppin’ & Kizomba)
Saturday, July 21 – SALSA
- Juan Pablo Díaz y su Orquesta (Salsa)
- Latin Rhythms (Salsa)
Sunday, July 22 – ROMANIAN FOLK MUSIC & DANCES
- Lorenzo Feraru and his Gypsy Band (Romanian Folk Music)
- Ethnic Dance Chicago (Eastern European & Balkan Folk Dances)
CHICAGO SUMMERDANCE IN THE PARKS
SUMMERDANCE DANCE DOWNS IN THE PARK
Saturday, July 21
Hamilton Park Cultural Center
2–5 p.m.
CHICAGO SUMMERDANCE IN THE PARKS
Wednesday, July 25 – MOTOWN & R&B
Jackson Park Grove 6b
- Lynne Jordan & The Shivers (Motown & R&B)
- Dawud and Lura Shareef (Chicago Bop)
SUMMERDANCE AT THE SPIRIT OF MUSIC GARDEN
Thursday, July 26 – AFRICAN HIGHLIFE & SOUKOUS
- Occidental Brothers Dance Band Int’l (African Highlife, Soukous)
- Kimosha P. Murphy (African Expressions)
Friday, July 27 – BLUES, WEST COAST SWING & HUSTLE
- The Cash Box Kings (Chicago Blues)
- May I Have This Dance (West Coast Swing & Hustle)
Saturday, July 28 – STEPPIN’
- DJ Mellow Khris (Chicago Steppin’)
- Dawud and Lura Shareef (Chicago Steppin’)
Sunday, July 29 – SWING
- Sons of Susan (Jazz, Blues, Swing, Western Swing & Hokum)
- Kasper Dance Studio (Swing, Jive)
AUGUST
CHICAGO SUMMERDANCE IN THE PARKS
Wednesday, August 1 – FOLK DANCES & MUSIC FROM INDIA
Willye B. White Park
- Ishti presents Pulse of India: An Evening of Folk Dance & Music
- Ishti Dance (Bhangra and Giddha of Punjab, Raas-Garba of Gujarat, Kalbelia and Ghoomar of Rajasthan, Sambalpuri from Odisha)
August 2 – 5
No Summerdance programming in the Spirit of Music Garden due to Lollapalooza.
CHICAGO SUMMERDANCE IN THE PARKS
Wednesday, Aug 8 – SALSA
Portage Park
- Carpacho y Su Super Combo (Colombia, Salsa)
- Denita Inez (Salsa, Cha-cha)
SUMMERDANCE AT THE SPIRIT OF MUSIC GARDEN
Thursday, August 9 – BOMBA
- Bomba con Buya (Bomba)
- Ivelisse Diaz with La Escuelita Bombera de Corazon (Bomba)
Friday, August 10 – HOUSE (6-9 p.m. – no break)
- Forever Monna
Saturday, August 11 – BACHATA
- El Caobo Internacional (Bachata DJ Set)
- Stephanie “La Lobita” Wolfson (Bachata)
Sunday, August 12 – COUNTRY
- The Hoyle Brothers (Honky-Tonk Country)
- Jeffrey Cannon (Country Two-Step)
CHICAGO SUMMERDANCE IN THE PARKS
Wednesday, August 15 – STEPPIN’
Jackson Park Grove 6b
- National Steppers Society (Chicago Steppin’)
- Ken Watkins (Chicago Steppin’)
SUMMERDANCE AT THE SPIRIT OF MUSIC GARDEN
Thursday, August 16 – WORLD MUSIC & BOLLYWOOD
- Funkadesi (Bollywood, Bhangra, Reggae & Funk)
- Bollywood Groove (Bollywood)
Friday, August 17 – CONTRA & SQUARE DANCE
- Golden Horse Ranch Band (Country & Square Dance)
- Annie Coleman (Square and Contra Dancing, Line Dancing, Polka, Waltz)
Saturday, August 18 – SALSA & MAMBO
- Mannix Martinez: A Tribute to the Legends featuring Yvonne Curet & Jeffrey Martinez (Salsa)
- Mixed Motion Art (Mambo)
Sunday, August 19 – BALLROOM
- Teddy Lee Orchestra (Ballroom)
- Fred Astaire Dance Studio – West Loop (Waltz, Bolero)
CHICAGO SUMMERDANCE IN THE PARKS
SUMMERDANCE DOWN
Saturday, August 18
Austin Town Hall Park
2–5 p.m.
CHICAGO SUMMERDANCE IN THE PARKS
Wednesday, August 22 – SALSA, MAMBO & CHA-CHA
Humboldt Park Boathouse
- Agúzate DJ Crew (Vintage Salsa DJ Set)
- Dance Academy of Salsa (Mambo & Cha-cha)
SUMMERDANCE AT THE SPIRIT OF MUSIC GARDEN
Thursday, August 23 – ARGENTINE TANGO
- Redwood Tango Trio (Argentine Tango)
- American Tango Institute (Argentine Tango)
Friday, August 24 – SALSA, MAMBO & CHA-CHA
- Charanga Tropical (Salsa with Strings)
- Arthur Murray Dance Center (Salsa)