Chicago SummerDance
Grant Park, Maxwell Street, Taste of Chicago and
Neighborhood Parks across the City
Select Dates through September 7, 2025 • Free Admission
DCASE Homepage > Chicago SummerDance
This free outdoor series offers dance and movement lessons for all skill levels taught by professional instructors, followed by music and social dancing.
(schedule is subject to change)
Wednesday, July 23, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Humboldt Park Boathouse, 1301 N. Humboldt Dr.
Theme: Sonidos del Barrio: Música, Memoria y Movimiento (Bomba & Salsa)
- 4:30 p.m. – Listening party: Classic Salsa, Reggaeton, & Bomba mix with DJ
- 4:30 p.m. – Community Collage Art Activation (bring your photos/ artifacts to contribute)
- 5:30 p.m. – Learn to Dance Salsa! with Bad Bunny's "Baile Inolvidable" by Becky Medina (Latin Rhythms)
- 6-7:15 p.m. – Learn to Dance Bomba with Africaribe
- 7:15-7:30 p.m. – DJ to close out
Presented in collaboration with the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture
Wednesday, July 30, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Riis Park, 6100 W. Fullerton Ave.
Theme: Samba
- 4:30 p.m. – DJ Fernando
- 5:30 p.m. – Dance instruction provided by Edilson Lima
- 6-7:30 p.m. – music by Chicago Samba
Presented in collaboration with the International Latino Cultural Center
Wednesday, August 6, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Harrison Park, 1824 S. Wood St.
Theme: Cumbia
- 4:30 p.m. – Creative Activity with The Fire House Community Arts Center
- 5:30 p.m. – Dance Instruction by Ricardo Villanueva
- 6-7:30 p.m. – Music by Rosalba Valdez
Presented in collaboration with The National Museum of Mexican Arts and The Firehouse Community Arts Center
Wednesday, August 13, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Calumet Park, 9801 S. Avenue G
Theme: Cumbia
- 4:30 p.m. – Creative Activities with Centro de Trabajadores Unidos
- 5:30 p.m. – Dance Instruction by Andres Meneses (Latin Street)
- 6-7:30 p.m. – Quinto Imperio
Presented in collaboration with Centro de Trabajadores Unidos
Wednesday, August 20, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Hamilton Park, 513 W. 72nd Street
Theme: Footwork
- 4:30 p.m. – DJ set and live painting by Kalief Dinkins and Ewrks
- 5:30 p.m. – Dance instruction by Mike D Chicago
- 6 p.m. – Live performance by Heavy Crownz
- 6:30-7:30 p.m. – DJ set
Presented in collaboration with Imagine Englewood If (IEI)
112 E. Balbo Dr. (Corner of Balbo Dr. and Michigan Ave.)
Visit our Plan Your Visit page for helpful information.
Thursday, August 7, 6-9 p.m.
Theme: Country 2-step
- 6 p.m. – Instruction by Cosmic Country Showcase
- 7:15 p.m. – Music by Cosmic Country Showcase
Friday, August 8, 6-9 p.m.
Theme: Latin Hustle & Cha Cha Cha
- 6 p.m. – Instruction by May I Have This Dance
- 7:15 p.m. – Music by ESSO Afrojam Funkbeat
Saturday, August 9, 6-9 p.m.
Theme: Bachata
- 6 p.m. – Instruction by Ronny Moran (Latin Street)
- 7:15 p.m. – Music by Yasser Tejeda
Thursday, August 14, 6-9 p.m.
Theme: Bomba & Plena
- 6 p.m. – Instruction by Melissa Duprey
- 7:15 p.m. – Music by Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center with Los Pleneros de Don Segundo, special guests Tito Rodríguez (AfriCaribe), and Viento de Agua’s Erik Noel Rosado (Puerto Rico)
Friday, August 15, 6-9 p.m.
Theme: Steppin
- 6 p.m. – Instruction by James “Pete” Frazier (Majestic Gents)
- 7:15 p.m. – Music by DJ Cross
Saturday, August 16, 6-9 p.m.
Theme: Ballroom & Swing
- 6 p.m. – Physically-integrated vintage swing lesson taught by Margot Toppen and Riley Wimes Jr. in collaboration with MOMENTA Dance Company
- 7:15 p.m. – Music by Nancy Hays & The Romance of Dance Orchestra
Thursday, August 21, 6-9 p.m.
Theme: Lindy Hop to Western Swing
- 6 p.m. – Instruction by Traffic Jam! Swing
- 7:15 p.m. – Music by Gina Marie & The Golden Bucks
Friday, August 22, 6-9 p.m.
Chicago SummerDance at Spirit of Music Garden hosts the Chicago House Music Festival
Theme: Chicago House Festival at SummerDance
- 6 p.m. – Instruction by Bravemonk
- 7:15 p.m. – Vince Adams & Lil John, hosted by Disco Toni Shelton
Saturday, August 23, 6-9 p.m.
Theme: Salsa
- 6 p.m. – Instruction by Laura Flores (La Mecca Dance)
- 7:15 p.m. – Music by Sylvia Lopez y Su Orquesta
Sunday, July 13, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Between S. Halsted St. and S. Union Ave.
- 11 a.m. – Country Line Dancing
- Noon – Cumbia & Street-Style Salsa
- 1 p.m. – Jitterbug/East Coast Swing
- 1:30-3 p.m. - Music for Swing, Cumbia, Salsa & Line Dancing
Music and Lessons by May I Have This Dance
For more information on Maxwell Street, visit the website.
Saturday, July 19, Noon - 4 p.m.
Pullman Park Pullman Park, 11101 S. Cottage Grove Ave.
- Noon – Bhangra / Meher Dance Company
- 1 p.m. – Merengue / Urbanity Dance Chicago
- 2 p.m. – Footwork / Christopher “Mad Dog” Thomas
- 3 p.m. – Swing (Lindy Hop) / Lindsey Longstreth (Steadfast Dance Center)
Music by DJ Miss Bhalla
Saturday, August 9, Noon - 4p.m.
Albany Park
4700 block of N. Kimball Ave. (between Lawrence Ave. & Leland Ave.)
- 1 p.m. – Cumbia (Gaita) / Los Gaiteros de Pueblo Santo
- 2 p.m. – Open Dance / DJ BMazed
- 2:30 p.m. – Bollywood / Bollywood & Culture Groove
- 3 p.m. – Mexican Folk / Sones de Mexico
Grant Park (at Buckingham Fountain), 301 S. Columbus Dr.
Friday, September 5, Noon - 4 p.m.
- Noon – Line Dancing / Just Jammin' with Janelle & Company
- 1 p.m. – Salsa / Maricza Valentin (Latin Rhythms)
- 2 p.m. – Dabke / Phaedra Darwish (Bellydance by Phaedra)
- 3 p.m. – Footwork / Christopher “Mad Dog” Thomas
Music by DJ Shon Roka
Saturday, September 6, 1-4:45 p.m.
- 1 p.m. – Cumbia / Teatro Tariakuri
- 2 p.m. – Swing / Sam Zorich and Neil Figuracion (Fizz Swing Dance)
- 3 p.m. – Disco / Chicago Dance Studio
- 4 p.m. – Footwork / Mike D Chicago
Music by DJ Jo-Z
Sunday, September 7, Noon - 4 p.m.
- Noon – Dappankuthu / Movement of Desis
- 1 p.m. – Mambo / KR Dance Studio
- 2 p.m. – Country 2-step / Swappin Boots
- 3 p.m. – Footwork / Prince Jron
Music by DJ Sandra Treviño
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