Photo Credit: Todd Rosenberg

Chicago Dancing Festival

The only free festival of its kind in the nation.

Established in 2006 by internationally renowned choreographer and Chicago native Lar Lubovitch and highly esteemed Chicago dancer Jay Franke, Chicago Dancing Company NFP produces the Chicago Dancing Festival each summer.

On August 22, 2007 at 7.30 pm, seven leading American dance companies from Chicago and across the nation took the stage at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park and 8,500 people came to see the presentation.

This was the beginning of the Chicago Dancing Festival.

After eight seasons, through the combined curatorial expertise of Lar Lubovitch and Jay Franke, the Festival has become synonymous with excellence.  Together, with the support of our donors, the Festival has presented more than 70 exceptional dance companies from Chicago and cities throughout the country as well as abroad, commissioned the creation of four new works, and performed before more than 80,000 people while maintaining free admission for all.

The Festival’s mission is to present a wide variety of excellent dance, enrich the lives of the people of Chicago and provide increased accessibility to the art form, thereby helping create a new audience.  Its vision is to raise the national and international profile of dance in the city, furthering Chicago as a dance destination.