CHICAGO — The city’s annual summer lineup of free dance lessons and live music kicks off next month.
SummerDance runs June 18-Sept. 17, with the Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park as the flagship location. Events are planned in Austin, Morgan Park, Pullman and Humboldt Park, too, as the program returns to a full in-person schedule after two years of reduced and virtual programs.
SummerDance also will have events at Taste of Chicago and the Maxwell Street Market, according to a press release.
“[W]e are more excited than ever to get back on the outdoor dance floor and celebrate how movement and music can bring us together,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement. “SummerDance is truly unique to Chicago and the expansive, diverse lineup of dance styles bring joy and healing to all neighborhoods of our city.”
The full schedule is below.
June 18
Pullman Park, 11101 S. Cottage Grove Ave.
Noon: Salsa/Urbanity Dance Chicago
1 p.m.: Line Dancing/Fre2Dance
2 p.m.: Steppin’/TBA
3 p.m.: Footwork/The Urban Ark
Music by The Urban Ark
July 6
Welles Park, 2333 W. Sunnyside Ave.
4:30 p.m.: Creative activities
5:30 p.m.: Aloha Center Chicago with 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)
July 8
Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park, 301 S. Columbus Drive
Noon: Line Dancing, featuring the Cha-Cha Slide/Janelle E. McGhee
1 p.m.: Steppin’/Shaun Ballentine
2 p.m.: Polka Hop/TBA
3 p.m.: Footwork/Christopher “Mad Dog” Thomas
Music by DJ Mwelwa
Guest emcee Jennifer Billock, author of Block Club article “Here Are 4 Dance Styles Born In Chicago To Mark The ‘Year Of Chicago Dance’”
July 9
Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park, 301 S. Columbus Drive
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.: A Walkie Talkie Dancey Party, presented by Chicago Children’s Theatre & The Q Brothers.
1 p.m.: Ballroom Basics (for kids and families)/Dancing With Class
2 p.m.: East Coast Swing/May I Have This Dance
3 p.m.: Merengue/May I Have This Dance
July 10
Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park, 301 S. Columbus Drive
Noon: Salsa/La Mecca Dance Chicago
1 p.m.: Kizomba/Shafeeha Monae
2 p.m.: Bachata/Chicago Dance
3 p.m.: Afrobeat/Stacy “Jukeboxx” Letrice
Music by DJ Kimani Rashad
July 13
Douglass Park, 1401 S. Sacramento Drive
4:30 p.m.: Creative activities
5:30 p.m.: Dance instructors TBA
6 p.m.: Music artist TBA
July 20
Willye B. White Park, 1610 W. Howard St.
4:30 p.m.: Creative activities
5:30 p.m.: Andrea Vinson from NAJWA Dance Corps (Boogaloo)
6 p.m.: Chicago Soul Spectacular (60s/70s Soul, Rock, R&B)
July 24
Maxwell Street Market, 800 S. Desplaines St.
11 a.m.: Bachata/Latin Street
Noon: Salsa/Latin Street
1 p.m.: Rueda de Casino (Cuban Salsa)/Latin Street
2 p.m.: Open Dance
Music by Vintage Wed DJ Papi
July 27
Palmer Park, 201 E. 111th St., 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Tanji Harper, Artistic Director of The Happiness Club, will lead community engagement with Kids Off The Block, The Urban Ark and Dance and Cheer of Excellence Academy to co-create the content of the overall program.
Aug. 3
Levin Park, 5458 W. Kinzie Pkwy.
4:30 p.m.: Creative activities
5:30 p.m.: Move Me Soul (Afrobeat, House)
6 p.m.: Music artist TBA
Aug. 10
Humboldt Park Boathouse, 1301 N. Humboldt Drive
4:30 p.m.: Creative activities
5:30 p.m.: Mayambo Dance Company (Salsa)
6 p.m.: Music artist TBA
Aug. 11
Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park, 601 S. Michigan Ave.
6 p.m.: Cumbia/Latin Street
7 p.m.: Cumbia/Quinto Imperio
Aug. 12
Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park, 601 S. Michigan Ave.
6 p.m.: Foxtrot, East Coast Swing/May I Have This Dance
7 p.m.: 1936 Pop Music/Alan Gresik Swing Orchestra
Aug. 13
Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park, 601 S. Michigan Ave.
6 p.m.: Steppin’/Dawud and Lura Shareef
7 p.m.: Steppin’/DJ Eric “ET” Taylor
Aug. 17
Ogden Park, 6500 S. Racine Ave.
4:30 p.m.: Creative activities
6 p.m.: Steppin’/DJ Myron
Aug. 18
Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park, 601 S. Michigan Ave.
6 p.m.: Country Two-Step, Waltz, Polka/Jeffrey Cannon & Meg Kindelin
7 p.m.: Country and Western/Wild Earp & The Free For Alls
Aug. 19
Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park, 601 S. Michigan Ave.
6 p.m.: Salsa/Latin Rhythms
7 p.m.: Salsa/Afinca’o
Aug. 20
Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park, 601 S. Michigan Ave.
6 p.m.: No Limits Latin, Fusion Adaptive Dance/Desueño Dance and MOMENTA Dance Company
7 p.m.: Disability-Led Fusion Grooves/Calculated Discomfort
Aug. 24
Davis Square Park, 4430 S. Marshfield Ave
4:30 p.m.: Creative activities
5:30 p.m.: Dance instructors TBA
6 p.m.: Music artist TBA
Aug. 25
Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park, 601 S. Michigan Ave., 6-9 p.m
Dances and instructors throughout the night: Indian Classical Hharatanatyam/Kinnari Vora, Flamenco/Leticia Aravena, Dabke/Phaedra Darwish, Mexican Folk/Lorena Iniguez
Aug. 26
Spirit of Music Garden, 601 S. Michigan Ave.
6 p.m.: House/DJ Wayne Williams
Aug. 31
Ada Park, 11250 S. Ada St.
4:30 p.m.: Creative activities
5:30 p.m.: House/DJ Sundance
Sept. 7
Portage Park, 4100 N. Long Ave.
4:30 p.m.: Creative activities
5:30 p.m.: Rueda/Edson de Cuba
6 p.m.: Salsa, Guaracha, Son Montuno/Orquesta Charangueo
Sept. 14
Jackson Park, Grove 6B, 1700 Columbia Drive (south of Museum of Science and Industry)
4:30 p.m.: Creative activities
5:30 p.m.: East Coast Swing/Louie Stallone & Susan Fox
6 p.m.: Jazz/Sam Fazio Quintet
Sept. 17
Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St.
Daylong celebration with free performances and activities. Details TBA.
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