Chicago SummerDance is back for 2022, returning with live dance in Chicago parks and Spirit of Music Garden

Chicago SummerDance returns this summer in full force, live and in person, how appropriate for 2022 being the Year of Chicago Dance. The schedule, announced Wednesday by Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, kicks off in June and includes events for Taste of Chicago in July. Many of the early events are SummerDance in the Parks, with dancing and music in city parks around Chicago.

SummerDance returns to the Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park Aug. 11 with eight events on the outdoor dance floor through the end of the month, with Swing, Salsa, Steppin’ and more. Coming Sept. 17 will be a National Dance Day celebration in Millennium Park.

Saturday, June 18: Chicago SummerDance at Taste of Chicago Pullman (Pullman Park, 11101 S. Cottage Grove Ave.)

12 p.m. Salsa / Urbanity Dance Chicago

1 p.m. Line Dancing / Fre2Dance

2 p.m. Steppin’

3 p.m. Footwork / The Urban Ark

Music by The Urban Ark

Wednesday, July 6: Chicago SummerDance in the Parks (Welles Park, 2333 W. Sunnyside Ave.)

4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Haki Kino / Hawaiian fitness and dance exercises, including Aloha Center Chicago with Lanialoha Lee, Kuma Hula (Hula teacher) of Ke Kula Kupa`a O Ka Pakipika at 5:30 p.m.

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

Friday, July 8: Chicago SummerDance at Taste of Chicago at Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park

12 p.m. Line Dancing, featuring the Cha-Cha Slide / Janelle E. McGhee

1 p.m. Steppin’ / Shaun Ballentine

2 p.m. Polka Hop

3 p.m. Footwork / Christopher “Mad Dog” Thomas

Music by DJ Mwelwa

Saturday, July 9: Chicago SummerDance at Taste of Chicago at Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park

11:30 a.m. A Walkie Talkie Dancey Party! Presented by Chicago Children’s Theatre and The Q Bros

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

Sunday, July 10: Chicago SummerDance at Taste of Chicago at Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park

12 p.m. 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

Wednesday, July 13: Chicago SummerDance in the Parks (Douglass Park, 1401 S. Sacramento Drive)

4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Latin and Hip Hop

Wednesday, July 20: Chicago SummerDance in the Parks (Willye B White Park, 1610 W. Howard St.)

From 4:30 p.m., Peace, Love and Unity Dance Party

5:30 p.m. Andrea Vinson from NAJWA Dance Corps (Boogaloo)

6 p.m. Chicago Soul Spectacular (’60s and ‘70s Soul, rock, R&B)

Sunday, July 24: Chicago SummerDance at Maxwell Street Market (800 S. Desplaines St.)

11 a.m. Bachata / Latin Street

12 p.m. Salsa / Latin Street

1 p.m. Rueda de Casino (Cuban Salsa) / Latin Street

2 to 3 p.m. Open dance

Music by Vintage Wed DJ Papi

Wednesday, July 27: Chicago SummerDance in the Parks (Palmer Park, 201 E. 111th St.)

4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tanji Harper of The Happiness Club will lead community engagement with Kids Off the Block, The Urban Ark and Dance and Cheer of Excellence Academy.

Wednesday, August 3: Chicago SummerDance in the Parks (Levin Park, 5458 W. Kinzie)

4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Afrobeat and House, including Move Me Soul (Afrobeat, House) at 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday, August 10: Chicago SummerDance in the Parks (Humboldt Park Boathouse, 1301 N. Humboldt Drive)

4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Salsa, including Mayambo Dance Company at 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, August 11: Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park (Cumbia)

6 p.m. Latin Street (Cumbia)

7 p.m. Quinto Imperio (Cumbia)

Friday, August 12: Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park (Swing)

6 p.m. May I Have This Dance (Foxtrot, East Coast Swing)

7 p.m. Alan Gresik Swing Orchestra (1936 pop music)

Saturday, August 13: Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park (Steppin’)

6 p.m. Dawud and Lura Shareef (Steppin’)

7 p.m. DJ Eric “ET” Taylor (Steppin’)

Wednesday, August 17: Chicago SummerDance in the Parks (Ogden Park, 6500 S. Racine Ave.)

4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Steppin’ including Majestic Gents at 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, August 18: Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park (Country and Western)

6 p.m. Jeffrey Cannon and Meg Kindelin (Country Two-Step, Waltz, Polka)

7 p.m. Wild Earp and The Free for Alls (Country and Western)

Friday, August 19: Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park (Salsa)

6 p.m. Latin Rhythms (Salsa)

7 p.m. Afinca’o (Salsa)

Saturday, August 20: Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park

6 p.m. Desueño Dance and MOMENTA Dance Company (No Limits Latin/Fusion Adaptive Dance)

7 p.m. Calculated Discomfort (Disability-Led Fusion Grooves)

Wednesday, August 24: Chicago SummerDance in the Parks (Davis Square Park, 4430 S. Marshfield Ave.)

4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Cumbia and House

Thursday, August 25: Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park (Global Music and dance traditions)

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

Friday, August 26: Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park (House)

6 p.m. DJ Wayne Williams (House)

Wednesday, August 31: Chicago SummerDance in the Parks (Ada Park, 11250 S. Ada St.)

4:30 to 7:30 p.m. House including DJ Sundance at 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 7: Chicago SummerDance in the Parks (Portage Park, 4100 N. Long Ave.)

5:30 p.m. Edson de Cuba (Rueda)

6 p.m. Orquesta Charangueo (Salsa, Guaracha, Son Montuno)

Wednesday, Sept. 14: Chicago SummerDance in the Parks (Jackson Park, Grove 6B, 1700 Columbia Drive south of Museum of Science and Industry)

5:30 p.m. Louie Stallone and Susan Fox (East Coast Swing)

6 p.m. Sam Fazio Quintet (Jazz)

Saturday, Sept. 17: National Dance Day SummerDance Celebration in Millennium Park, a daylong celebration of free performances and activities.

All events are free. Updates (including weather-related announcements) will be shared on Facebook, Twitter @SummerDanceChi and ChicagoSummerDance.org

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: ChicagoSummerDance.org