Celebrate Chicago Dance Month at Old Town School this June!
Dance Month Kickoff Concert (All Ages!):
Sunday, May 28, · 4:30PM CT · 4544 N Lincoln Ave
National Tap Day with Reggio “The Hoofer” McLaughlin
America's Tap Treasure and National Heritage Fellow Reggio ‘The Hoofer' McLaughlin will lead you through a rousing celebration of footloose and fancy free tap dancing at this family-friendly event. This year's spectacular featured special quest, Shoehorn, is known for simultaneously playing sax and tap dancing. Expect a thrilling evening of tap inspired by the Prohibition era, classic Vaudeville, and the Big Band swing of the Roaring '20s accompanied by the lively beat of musical director Sid Brown.
TICKETS ▸Youth and Family Workshops and Events
Sunday, June 4 · 12:00PM CT · 4545 N Lincoln Ave
Summer Song & Dance Party Family Concert!
Join some of our outstanding Old Town School teaching artists — and something special from our guest, drag queen storytime artist Ginger Forest — for a song-centric, dance-heavy interactive family concert event! We'll be channeling some beach vibe for this uplifting celebration featuring songs you know, maybe some you don't and dances that make you want to participate.
TICKETS ▸Saturday, June 17 · 12:45PM CT · 4545 N Lincoln Ave
Family Dance Party
Join this action packed event where the whole family gets to have fun dancing and playing movement games together! Open to families with kids of all ages. Make sure to wear dance party clothes.
REGISTER ▸Adult Workshops and Events
Saturday, June 3 · 12:00PM CT · 4545 N Lincoln Ave
Introduction to Contemporary Partnering with Hannah Marcus
This workshop will introduce gentle touch and weight-sharing modalities. Students will practice giving and receiving physical input as well as exploring their bodies in relation to other participants. Class is beginner friendly with accommodations available to those who prefer to explore partnering concepts individually and without physical contact.
REGISTER ▸Saturday, June 3 · 2:00PM CT · 4545 N Lincoln Ave
Burlesque Chair Dance with Allison Grabarczyk
Ever wanted to channel your inner burlesque diva but didn't know how? Now is your chance! This body positive workshop is guaranteed to get your heart rate up and work muscles you didn't even know you had, all while allowing you to channel your inner cabaret queen. This class focuses on balance, core strength, muscle toning, and of course, building your confidence to be the fiercest you!
REGISTER ▸Monday, June 5 · 6:20PM CT · 4545 N Lincoln Ave
Irish Step Beginner Workshop - The Jig with Cheryl Ziemba
Learn the basics of Irish dance. Begin a traditional soft shoe dance - the jig.
REGISTER ▸Saturday, June 10 · 1:00PM CT · 4545 N Lincoln Ave
Veils and Tales Indian Dance with Radia Ali
A movement experience where you will learn to move and flow with silk veils. This workshop is designed to introduce you to the joy and art of dancing with silks veils while we enjoy tunes from around the globe. Props are a great way to tell stories while we dance - and we will create mini routines in each session. The workshop will explore themes from different cultures, and the music and movements will reflect those themes. Don’t worry, there is no prior experience needed and all are welcome.
REGISTER ▸Sunday, June 11 · 11:00AM CT · 4545 N Lincoln Ave
Contemporary Improvisation with Hannah Marcus
Students will be guided through imagery-based improvisational concepts that eventually build into structured phrasework. They will access a variety of textures and dynamics, exploring how improvisation can be used as a tool for navigating and designing space. Class will prioritize play, curiosity, and open-mindedness while de-emphasizing judgment of choices that emerge. Open to all levels and abilities!
REGISTER ▸Sunday, June 11 · 1:00PM CT · 4545 N Lincoln Ave
60’s Go Go with Krista Ortgiesen
Can you mashed potato? Can you do the twist? Pony and hully gully your way through an hour of '60s-inspired dance moves. Moves are modifiable to many levels of fitness, so it's a great way to get your shimmy shaking. We're pretty sure you'll like it like this.
REGISTER ▸Monday, Jun 12 · 6:20PM CT · 4545 N Lincoln Ave
Irish Step Advanced Beginner - Hard Shoe Basic with Cheryl Ziemba
Learn the basics of hard shoe dancing. We'll practice trebles, tips, clicks, bangs, etc.
REGISTER ▸Thursday, June 15 · 6:20PM CT · 4544 N Lincoln Ave
Irish Step Beginner Workshop - The Reel with Cheryl Ziemba
Learn the basics of Irish dance. Begin a traditional soft shoe dance - the reel.
REGISTER ▸Saturday, June 17 · 1:00PM CT · 4545 N Lincoln Ave
Improvisation Exploration with Rebecca Crystal
This workshop will be an exploration of movement and dance improvisation. Dancers will warm up through guided imagery, body awareness activities (somatics) and improvised creative movement. The second half of the class will explore partner work and contact-improvisation in an engaging and affirming dance experience.
REGISTER ▸Sunday, June 18 · 3:00PM CT · 4545 N Lincoln Ave
Contemporary Hip Hop with Dylan Wray
Students will focus on performing choreographic based hip hop dance styles mixed with elements of Contemporary dance. The two dance dance styles will be fused together to create a fun and refreshing flow dancing for the participants. Teen friendly!
REGISTER ▸Monday, June 19 · 6:45PM CT · 4544 N Lincoln Ave
The Three Elements of Ballet with Sandra Adrian
Learn the three elements of ballet, become more aware of your body when in movement, develop light stretching techniques and to have fun in a group ballet class.
REGISTER ▸Thursday, June 22 · 7:00PM CT · 4544 N Lincoln Ave
“Such Partnering” with Such Creatures
Such Partnering is an open level workshop exploring Such Creatures’ signature partnering style. Existing at the intersection of acro partnering, dance partnering, and contact improvisation, Such Partnering invites participants to explore curious new shapes, pathways and relationships with Co-Founders Luke Greeff & Ashaand Simone as your guides. Such Partnering, as with all Such Creatures work, approaches movement from a trauma-informed, all-bodies inclusive, gender expansive, and neurodiverse lens.
REGISTER ▸Sunday, June 25 · 12:00PM CT · 4545 N Lincoln Ave
Reggio “The Hoofer” McLaughlin presents Everything’s Copasetic Tap Dance Workshop
National Treasure tap dancer Reggio “The Hoofer” McLaughlin will lead a workshop celebrating the history of American tap dance. This year’s workshop will focus on difference variations of the tap dancer’s national anthem, “The Shim Sham” - a dance that any level can learn from. The Shim Sham is a dance that originated in the late 1920s. It is a particular tap dance routine that is regarded as the tap dancer’s national anthem. Since then, there have been many different variations.
REGISTER ▸Thursday, June 29 · 7:00PM CT · 4544 N Lincoln Ave
Queer Flowing with Such Creatures
An improvisation & flow class that seeks to dismantle gendered restrictions on movement. "Queering Flow" assists movers in breaking colonial gender movement standards in support of a more fulfilling movement practice. Through this class, dancers will gain tools to explore & curate their relationship to themselves and the world around them through their movement practice. Rather than ignoring the constructs of gender within movement language, this class seeks to broaden and inform the spectrum of movement language beyond codified expectations.
REGISTER ▸Saturday, July 1 · 3:00PM CT · 4545 N Lincoln Ave
Motown Modern Dance with Dylan Wray
Prominent Modern dance technique created by well known modern dancers such Lester Horton, Katherine Dunham, Ailey, and Merce Cunningham will be explored in this workshop class. Students will create expressions of movement to Motown songs by artists such as, The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Mary Wells, Dianna Ross and many more great artists.
REGISTER ▸
