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2022 Year of Chicago Dance Continues this Summer with
Hundreds of Performances and Events Across the City

 

Chicago SummerDance Returns for its 25th Year!

Celebrate with Free Dance Lessons and Music Throughout the City
June 18 – September 17 (select dates)

SummerDance is back with a robust lineup and expanded programming in Chicago neighborhoods

 

CHICAGO—Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) today announced the lineup for Chicago SummerDance, a beloved summertime tradition hosted in parks across the city and downtown. After two years of virtual and reduced offerings, this year Chicago SummerDance returns in full force with an incredible array of in-person dance lessons by professional instructors followed by music and dancing. Dancers of all ages and skill levels are invited to enjoy this free programming.

SummerDance takes place on select dates between June 18 – September 17, 2022. Free admission. Schedule enclosed, visit ChicagoSummerDance.org for updates.

“With 2022 being the 'Year of Chicago Dance' we are more excited than ever to get back on the outdoor dance floor and celebrate how movement and music can bring us together," said Mayor Lightfoot. “SummerDance is truly unique to Chicago and the expansive, diverse lineup of dance styles bring joy and healing to all neighborhoods of our city.”

SummerDance brings an exciting lineup of dance styles and music to its flagship location in the Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park. In addition, the festival expands its footprint to reach more neighborhoods than ever before including Austin, Roseland, Morgan Park, Pullman and Humboldt Park, as well as programming at other DCASE events including Taste of Chicago and the Maxwell Street Market. For many of the neighborhoods, SummerDance is collaborating with community partners to curate content, including The Firehouse Community Arts Center, Free Street Theater, Move Me Soul, and others.

Among the many new collaborations this year, SummerDance is working with Tanji Harper, Artistic Director of The Happiness Club, a diverse group of Chicago kids who encourage positive values and social change through original hip-hop, to cocreate the activities for the July 27th Palmer Park SummerDance. Details enclosed; programming to be shared in the coming weeks.

Tanji Harper shared, “It’s been two years since our young people have had any outside program opportunities. I am most excited to find out what they want to experience at SummerDance in Palmer Park. I think merging some of the activities we participated in as kids with any ideas our young creatives have will be a fun generational bridge to build together.”

“As we mark the 25th year of dancing together at Chicago SummerDance and 2022 being the Year of Chicago Dance, we’re especially proud to bring the joy of dance to dozens of neighborhoods this summer. We’ve collaborated with local partners and dance studios to curate lineups that each community can be excited about. These relationships are long-lasting, and we look forward to building on them over the festival’s next 25 years,” said DCASE Commissioner Erin Harkey.

Nino DiGiulio of May I Have This Dance, longest running social dance studio in Chicagoland, has been teaching SummerDance classes since its inception. He shared, “SummerDance has become part of what defines Chicago in my eyes. It's such a strong tradition and something that people of all skill levels, walks of life and music and dance tastes look forward too. Whether you’re dancing or just listening to the music, there's no substitute for in-person and we can’t wait to strut our stuff under the sun, stars, and city lights together this summer!”

In deep partnership with the local dance community, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) have designated 2022 as the Year of Chicago Dance. This citywide, year-long focus on dance is the first of its kind in the U.S., offering performances, events and artist opportunities throughout the year. Learn more at YearofChicagoDance.com.

Not only is it the Year of Chicago Dance but See Chicago Dance, the city’s leading dance service organization, celebrates the 10th anniversary of Chicago Dance Month this June. Featuring a rich schedule of performances, classes, and events throughout June (many of which are free or deeply discounted through Hot Deals). More details at SeeChicagoDance.com.

In honor of the Year of Chicago Dance and the nationwide “National Dance Day,” there will be a special day-long SummerDance Celebration in Millennium Park on September 17. Details to be announced.

 

2022 Chicago SummerDance Schedule

Subject to change. Updates (including weather-related announcements) will be shared on Facebook, Twitter @SummerDanceChi and ChicagoSummerDance.org

Saturday, June 18 | 12–4pm
Chicago SummerDance at Taste of Chicago Pullman
Pullman Park, 11101 S. Cottage Grove

12pm - Salsa / Urbanity Dance Chicago
1pm - Line Dancing / Fre2Dance
2pm - Steppin’ / Dawud and Lura Shareef
3pm - Footwork / The Urban Ark
Music by The Urban Ark

 

Wednesday, July 6 | 4:30–7:30pm
Chicago SummerDance in the Parks
Welles Park, 2333 W. Sunnyside Ave
Haki Kino / Hawaiian fitness and dance exercises

4:30pm - Creative activities
5:30pm - Instruction by Lanialoha Lee, Kuma Hula (Master Hula Teacher) of Ke Kula Kupa`a O Ka Pakipika

Music by Pacific Soundz & Friends of Aloha (Music of Hawaii and South Pacific)

Presented in collaboration with Aloha Center Chicago

 

Friday, July 8 | 12–4pm
Chicago SummerDance at Taste of Chicago - Kicking off a bite-sized Taste with four dance styles born in Chicago!
Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park

12pm - Line Dancing, featuring the Cha-Cha Slide / Just Jammin' with Janelle & Company
1pm - Steppin’ / Shaun Ballentine
2pm - Polka Hop / Arletta Gromek
3pm - Footwork / Christopher “Mad Dog” Thomas
Music by DJ Mwelwa
Guest emcee Jennifer Billock, author of “Here Are 4 Dance Styles Born In Chicago To Mark The ‘Year Of Chicago Dance’” (Block Club Chicago; April 18, 2022), and Historic Chicago Bakeries (Arcadia Publishing; 2021)

 

Saturday, July 9 | 11:30am–4pm
Chicago SummerDance at Taste of Chicago
Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park

11:30am–1pm - A Walkie Talkie Dancey Party! Presented by Chicago
Children’s Theatre & The Q Brothers
Followed by 30-minute dance lessons every hour and more music
1pm - Ballroom Basics (for kids and families) / Dancing With Class
2pm - East Coast Swing / May I Have This Dance
3pm - Merengue / May I Have This Dance
1-4pm - Music by May I Have This Dance

 

Sunday, July 10 | 12–4pm
Chicago SummerDance at Taste of Chicago
Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park

12pm - Salsa / La Mecca Dance Chicago
1pm - Kizomba / Shafeeha Monae
2pm - Bachata / Chicago Dance
3pm - Afrobeat / Stacy “Jukeboxx” Letrice
Music by DJ Kimani Rashad

 

Wednesday, July 13 | 4:30–7:30pm
Chicago SummerDance in the Parks
Douglass Park, 1401 S. Sacramento Dr.
Latin + Hip Hop

4:30pm - Creative activities include a community visual arts project with Haman Cross and information on the Folded Map™ Action Kit by artist Tonika Johnson
5:30pm - Dance Instruction by Chi T of The Firehouse Community Arts Center and Jessica “Jay” Romero of Steadfast Dance Center (Latin + Hip Hop)
6pm - DJ Janesita (Latin + Hip Hop)

Special to this event: The Douglass 18 will be open! This conservation-themed miniature golf course is a community led, youth-designed course with obstacles and sculptures inspired by the 205 species of migratory birds that pass through the park each year.

Presented in collaboration with The Firehouse Community Arts Center

Program takes place directly west of the Douglass Park Cultural Center/Fieldhouse

 

Wednesday, July 20 | 4:30–7:30pm
Chicago SummerDance in the Parks
Willye B White Park, 1610 W. Howard St.
Peace, Love and Unity Dance Party

4:30pm - Creative activities include a drum circle led by New Rhythm Arts Center, a flower crown making table with Theatre Above the Law and more
5:30pm - Dance Instruction by Andrea Vinson from NAJWA Dance Corps (Boogaloo, Madison, Twist and more)
6pm - Chicago Soul Spectacular (60s/70s Soul, Rock, R&B)

Presented in collaboration with the Willye B. White Park Advisory Council

 

Sunday, July 24 | 11am–3pm
Chicago SummerDance at Maxwell Street Market
Maxwell Street Market, 800 S. Desplaines St.

11am - Bachata / Latin Street
12pm - Salsa / Latin Street
1pm - Rueda de Casino (Cuban Salsa) / Latin Street
2-3pm - Open Dance
Music by Vintage Wed DJ Papi

 

Wednesday, July 27 | 4:30–7:30pm
Chicago SummerDance in the Parks
Palmer Park, 201 E. 111th St.

SummerDance XPerience

4:30pm - Creative activities include Double Dutch, board games, chalk drawing, dance games and more
4:30-6pm - Drop-in dance lessons for Hip-Hop, Steppin’, Footwork, and Majorette Dance, with instructors from The Urban Ark
4:30-7:30pm - DJs TBA (House, R&B, Hip-Hop)

Presented in collaboration with The Urban Ark and Tanji Harper

 

Wednesday, August 3 | 4:30–7:30pm
Chicago SummerDance in the Parks
NEW LOCATION: Austin Town Hall, 5610 W. Lake St.
Afrobeat + House

4:30pm - Creative activities with Front Porch Arts Center, Alexandra Antoine (artist-in-residence at Legler Library), and Move Me Soul
5:30pm - Dance instruction by Move Me Soul (Afrobeat, House)
6pm - DJ Dr. McCoy (Afrobeat, House)

Presented in collaboration with Move Me Soul

 

Saturday, August 6 | 11am–3pm
Chicago SummerDance in the Parks
Davis Square Park, 4430 S. Marshfield Ave.

Special program of dance and performance as part of Plant Chicago’s weekly market.

• 11am - Footwork dance lesson with Mocha
• 12pm - Afrobeat dance lesson with Mocha
• 1pm - Flamenco lesson with Wendy Clinard

Free Street Theater presents live storytelling, drag performances, and more every hour.

Dance lessons organized by Clinard Dance.

Learn more about Plant Chicago vendors at the market website: https://www.plantchicago.org/farmers-market

Presented in collaboration with Plant Chicago and Free Street Theater

 

Wednesday, August 10 | 4:30–7:30pm
Chicago SummerDance in the Parks
Humboldt Park Boathouse, 1301 N. Humboldt Dr.
Salsa

4:30pm - Creative activities include drop-in demos with La Vuelta (circus arts) and La Escuelita Bombera de Corazón™ (Bomba)
5:30pm - Dance instruction by Mayambo Dance Company (Salsa)
6pm - Flaco Navaja and the Razor Blades (Salsa)

Presented in collaboration with UrbanTheater Company

 

Thursday, August 11 | 6–9pm
Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park
Cumbia

6pm - Latin Street (Cumbia)
7pm - Quinto Imperio (Cumbia)

 

Friday, August 12 | 6–9pm
Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park
Swing

6pm - May I Have This Dance (Foxtrot, East Coast Swing)
7pm - Alan Gresik Swing Orchestra (1936 Pop Music)

 

Saturday, August 13 | 6–9pm
Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park
Steppin’

6pm - Dawud and Lura Shareef (Steppin’)
7pm - DJ Eric “ET” Taylor (Steppin’)

 

Wednesday, August 17 | 4:30–7:30pm
Chicago SummerDance in the Parks
Ogden Park, 6500 S. Racine Ave.
Steppin’

4:30pm - Creative activities include a Teen-led Poster Printmaking Station by the Hyde Park Art Center’s Youth Board and a short dance performance by Quimaya “Maya Unique” Sewell, an Englewood Arts Collective United Still grantee
5:30pm - Dance instruction by Majestic Gents (Steppin’)
6pm - DJ Myron (Steppin’)

Presented in collaboration with Englewood Arts Collective and hosted by Rob Smooth, EAC Co-founder and Hip-Hop Artist, Producer and Audio Engineer; special thanks to RAGE member Michell N. for poster station

 

Thursday, August 18 | 6–9pm
Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park
Country & Western

6pm - Jeffrey Cannon & Meg Kindelin (Country Two-Step, Waltz, Polka)
7pm - Wild Earp & The Free For Alls (Country & Western)

 

Friday, August 19 | 6–9pm
Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park
Salsa

6pm - Latin Rhythms (Salsa)
7pm - Afinca’o (Salsa)

 

Saturday, August 20 | 6–9pm
Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park
A Dance Party for Every Body!

6pm - Desueño Dance and MOMENTA Dance Company (No Limits
Latin/Fusion Adaptive Dance)
7pm - Calculated Discomfort (Disability-Led Fusion Grooves)

** Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) live captioning and ASL offered.

Wednesday, August 24 | 4:30–7:30pm
Chicago SummerDance in the Parks
Davis Square Park, 4430 S. Marshfield Ave.
Cumbia + House

4:30pm - Creative activities
5:30pm - Dance Instructors TBA
6pm - El Caveman (Cumbia, House)

Presented in collaboration with Free Street Theater and Plant Chicago

 

Thursday, August 25 | 6–9pm
Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park
Global Music and Dance Traditions

6–9pm - Dance lessons and music by Surabhi Ensemble (Global Fusion)
Dance styles to be taught throughout the night: Kinnari Vora (Indian Classical Hharatanatyam); Leticia Aravena (Flamenco); Phaedra Darwish (Dabke); Lorena Iniguez (Mexican Folk)

 

Friday, August 26 | 6–9pm
Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park
House

6pm - DJ Wayne Williams (House)

 

Wednesday, August 31 | 4:30–7:30pm
Chicago SummerDance in the Parks
Ada Park, 11250 S. Ada St.
House

4:30pm - Creative activities
5:30pm - DJ Sundance (House)

Presented in collaboration with Ada Park Advisory Council

 

Wednesday, September 7 | 4:30–7:30pm
Chicago SummerDance in the Parks
Portage Park, 4100 N. Long Ave.
Rueda de Casino (Cuban Salsa)

4:30pm - Creative activities
5:30pm - Edson de Cuba (Rueda)
6pm - Orquesta Charangueo (Salsa, Guaracha, Son Montuno)

 

Wednesday, September 14 | 4:30–7:30pm
Chicago SummerDance in the Parks
Jackson Park, Grove 6B, 1700 Columbia Dr. (south of Museum of Science and Industry)
Swing

4:30pm - Creative activities TBA
5:30pm - Louie Stallone & Susan Fox (East Coast Swing)
6pm - Sam Fazio Quintet (Jazz)

Program takes place in Grove 6B directly southeast of the Museum of Science and Industry

 

Saturday, September 17
National Dance Day – SummerDance Celebration Millennium Park
Daylong celebration of free performances and activities. Details TBA.

 

Accessibility
All programming in the Spirit of Music Garden and Chicago SummerDance in the Parks events will have ASL interpretation. The Sat. Aug. 20 performance will also have Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) live captioning. For more information, visit ChicagoSummerDance.org.

 

Year of Chicago Dance
In deep partnership with the local dance community, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) have designated 2022 as the Year of Chicago Dance. This citywide, year-long focus on dance is the first of its kind in the U.S. The collaborative initiative will activate Chicago’s dance industry to address critical issues facing dancers and the field of dance including funding, space, and capacity building — and to consider the sustainability of this work. The Year of Chicago Dance, of course, includes dance performances, social dancing, and special events for the public in dozens of venues throughout the city. 2022 Year of Chicago Dance follows the successes of 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020/21 initiatives, which highlighted Chicago's public art, our creative youth, and the city's vibrant theatre and music scenes. Partners include dance service organizations Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project, Chicago Dancemakers Forum, and See Chicago Dance — as well as Art on theMART, Night Out in the Parks at the Chicago Park District and many other presenters and funders. For updates throughout the year, visit YearofChicagoDance.com and join the conversation using #YearofChicagoDance.

 

Chicago Park District
The Chicago Park District has served Chicago residents for more than 85 years. It is a Gold Medal Award-winning organization, which recognizes excellence in park and recreation management across the nation. For more information about the Chicago Park District’s more than 8,800 acres of parkland, more than 600 parks, 26 miles of lakefront, 12 museums, two world-class conservatories, 16 historic lagoons, nearly 50 nature areas, thousands of special events, sports and entertainment programs, please visit www.chicagoparkdistrict.com or contact the Chicago Park District at 312/742.PLAY or 312/747.2001 (TTY). Want to share your talent? Volunteer in the parks by calling, 312/742.PLAY. Follow us at facebook/chicagoparkdistrict, on Instagram/chicagoparks and on Twitter @chicagoparks.

 

Year of Chicago Healing
The Mayor's Office of Equity and Racial Justice is proud to present Year of Healing 2022, an extension of the city's Together We Heal initiative to build racial healing and transformation in Chicago. The Year of Healing 2022 also includes a series of engagements aligned with three pillars: Reflect on Our Past, Reclaim Our Present, Reimagine Our Future as well as $6 million in funding for community-based activities to advance racial healing. SummerDance is collaborating with the Year of Healing to offer crossover programming at the Palmer Park and Douglass Park locations this summer; visit ChicagoSummerDance.org for updates.

 

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Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events
The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) is dedicated to enriching Chicago’s artistic vitality and cultural vibrancy. This includes fostering the development of Chicago’s non-profit arts sector, independent working artists and for-profit arts businesses; providing a framework to guide the City’s future cultural and economic growth, via the Chicago Cultural Plan; marketing the City’s cultural assets to a worldwide audience; and presenting high-quality, free and affordable cultural programs for residents and visitors. Visit chicago.gov/dcase.

DCASE programming is supported by the Chicago Transit Authority.