Ah, to live in those days when performing arts troupes roamed from town to town and performed a stone’s throw away from one’s doorstep. Up until the early-20th century, you didn’t necessarily have to travel to the nearest big city to see theater, music and dance—they came to you!
Short of inventing a time machine, Chicagoans can still experience the magic of the itinerant dance troupe with Dance in the Parks (DIP), a long-running tradition of Chicago’s Night Out in the Parks (NOITP) program.
This summer, DIP returns July 9-July 26 with eleven performances at various parks throughout Chicago and Evanston. A company of six dancers will perform works by some of Chicago’s most respected and up-and-coming choreographers in a revised program, which includes local guest artists. For their 16th season, DIP continues its long history of public service and proves again why it has become a Chicago tradition.
Choreographers for the 2024 DIP season are well-known to Chicago dance devotees. Works will be set by: Sam Crouch, former dancer with Winifred Haun & Dancers and featured performer at Lyric Opera Chicago; Jessica Deahr, former company dancer and Artistic Director of Chicago Dance Crash; Ashley Deran and Emily Loar, Co-Directors and Founders of Project Bound Dance; Jackie Nowicki, Assistant Company Director at Extensions Dance Center and artistic director NOW Dance Project; Christa Smutek, Founder of Smutek Dance; and Brazilian dance artist Paula Souza, dancer and choreographer with Hedwig Dances.
DIP specializes in contemporary dance but has presented a wide range of styles in its sixteen seasons—tap, jazz, ballet and more. Past works in the program span a range of emotions from joy to melancholy and comedy. Eliciting feats of athleticism, DIP isn’t afraid to address serious topics, as in a piece by Souza for this season that focuses on the experience of immigrants— the bodies, the people, the journey. DIP revises ITS program every season to ensure performances remain fresh and cutting-edge.
DIP does more than bring its stage shows to communities; it brings the community up on stage. The company partners with local park districts, dance studios and community programs to give amateur dancers a chance to shine.
“If there’s a program in the park, we’ll start there,” says McCann. “If not, sometimes park management has connections in the neighborhood. Also, we have professional relationships with some dance studios and youth dance organizations—and if we’re looking for a new partner, there’s always Google Maps! (laughs)” The inclusion of local youth groups makes every DIP performance for the community and of the community.
A Brief History of Dance in the Parks:
Dance in the Parks 2023, with Sam Crouch and Stephanie Cihlar; Photo by A. Deran Photography
Dance in the Parks predates the Night Out in the Parks program by four years, beginning in 2013 when founding director Katie McCann noticed an absence of dance during the summer season. “At the time, there wasn’t a lot of dance happening in the summer,” says McCann. “Things really fell off in the spring and didn’t come back until the fall. I was like, ‘Somebody should do this!’ Turns out that somebody was me.”
For production assistance, McCann turned to the Chicago Park District. “I realized that we have a huge, old, established park district, a whole network that handles things that happen in the neighborhoods. I said, ‘I can do this! They said, ‘Sounds great!’ I said, ‘Is there any money?’ They said, ‘Mmm… But they let me do it; they helped me, they gave me space, gave me a stage and filed the paperwork, and now we’re a tradition in NOITP programming every summer.”
DIP has a short window with which to complete its work, made doable through the hiring of a tight knit ensemble, including mainstays like Crouch (5th season), Marco Clamente (5th season), Stephanie Cihlar (3rd season) and Assistant Director of DIP, Katie Fedrigon (8th season). Other performers include Kyra Laster, Ashley Johnson, Shaolin Cuevas and Kenyla Jackson. “This year, all of the company dancers are returning, and that helps,” says McCann. “The crew that comes back, I feel they are here for the mission of it.”
McCann is proud of DIP and its history of bringing dance to all parts of Chicago. “From both sides of the stage, it seems like everybody believes that this is a thing worth doing.” She is equally proud of the opportunity to provide opportunities for the dancers and choreographers to move and create. “I love that people get to explore and make dances—they don’t have to produce it and do all that work—they can just show up and I’ll take care of the rest of it.”
The days of traveling troupes of dancers may have dwindled, but there are those who keep the tradition alive—and Chicago’s got one! If you’re looking to take advantage of the summer weather and share a unique cultural experience suitable for the whole family, check out Dance in the Parks, coming to a neighborhood near you.
For information about Dance in the Parks and its summer schedule, click the company link below, or visit danceintheparks.org
