The largest annual outdoor live music and dancing series in the United States will culminate with an all day-long celebration August 26th at Chicago’s town square, Millennium Park!
The day will include interactive “citizen dancer” options such as circle dance lessons and the amateur Most Versatile Dancer Contest®, complimented with performances from some of the City’s most inspiring professional troupes, crews and companies at the Wrigley Square “Dance Village” and Jay Pritzker Pavilion. The night will crescendo as professionals, amateurs, and patrons alike can all enjoy a house DJ dance party at Cloud Gate. The event is FREE and is the FIRST of an annual Chicago dance celebration!
To view Chicago SummerDance Celebration's full schedule, click here.
SummerDance-Off Steppin' Event at Cloud Gate
12–1:30pm
Learn to ‘step’ by the Bean! Join us for a ½ hour lesson with the Majestic Gents and then an hour of open dance.
SummerDance-Off Footwork Competition Finale
1:30-3pm
Finalists from footwork neighborhood competitions will battle on the dance floor. The winners will perform at Millennium Park’s Jay Pritzker Pavilion as part of the Mainstage Show later that evening!
SummerDance Competition at the Cloud Gate Stage
4–6pm
The Most Versatile Dancer Contest® is an all-style dance competition with May I Have This Dance. This is an amateur dance contest where couples must prove that they know the most dance styles by dancing whatever the emcee announces for 20 to 30 seconds song clips. To stay alive they should be able to dance at least 3 basic steps, the correct timing, and clear knowledge of each dance. The winners will be selected after the last couple(s) are tapped out and/or have the most cards left.
House DJ Dance Party at Cloud Gate Stage
8–9:30pm
After the show, the audience will be led back out to the Cloud Gate Stage where house DJ Kenny Ray will spin music alongside voguers and other local dancers, while attendees dance in front of Cloud Gate.
In an effort to spread dancing throughout the city, SummerDance Chicago is the city’s premier dance festival, bringing communities together in a unique, urban dance space all summer long. Chicagoans can take part in dancing and live music every Friday-Sunday, June 23-September 10, in the Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park and on Thursdays and Saturdays, July 13-September 14 in neighborhood parks throughout the city.
