Dance in the Parks

Dance in the Parks’ mission is to bring free, professional dance performances to new audiences in the most accessible venues in the Chicago-land area—neighborhood parks. We hope to expose first-time dance audiences to the art form as well as to local performers and choreographers in a relaxed, casual atmosphere, and build bridges for new audiences into the greater Chicago dance community. Dance in the Parks (DIP) aims to lower barriers to concert dance in neighborhoods underserved by professional dance organizations. Our mission embodies the Chicago Cultural Plan initiative of utilizing community spaces to showcase art. In partnership with the Chicago Park District and Mayor Lightfoot's Night Out in the Parks initiative, DIP hires professional choreographers and dancers currently working in the Chicago dance community to create a concert of works of different moods, themes, and dance styles. We hope to demonstrate the variety of movement genres included in the scope of professional concert-dance. Our artists have worked with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The Joffrey Ballet, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Visceral Dance Chicago, Giordano Dance Chicago, Thodos Dance Chicago, River North Dance Chicago, Lucky Plush Productions, Same Planet Different World, and Chicago Repertory Ballet. DIP aims to build bridges between its audiences and the rest of the vibrant dance community in the city. We invite youth dance performance groups from the venue park’s community to perform as guests on our programs. We want to offer an opportunity for young dancers to perform and practice their craft and to showcase the youth talent in each neighborhood. DIP hopes to create connections between audience members and the existing dance opportunities they can participate in near home. In order to lower economic barriers to the professional concert-dance community, DIP gives away donated pairs of tickets to other professional dance performances throughout the city. In its 13 performance seasons, DIP has reached over 12,000 audience members through over 100 performances in 53 parks throughout 37 Chicago neighborhoods. DIP has partnered with 48 different youth performance groups, hired over 150 artists and technicians, and performed 93 pieces of choreography. Dance in the Parks does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff and contractors, selection of volunteers, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, artists, volunteers, and audiences.