Chicago may be known as the home of deep-dish pizza, the blues, and modern architecture.
But an international dance capital? It turns out a lot of famous dances were created in the city’s clubs and on its streets. The hops, skips, twists and turns took form in just about every corner of the city.
We started digging into this part of Chicago’s cultural history after we received a question from a couple of teenagers who stopped by a Curious City outreach event at the Dunning branch of the Chicago Public Library. They didn’t give their names, but they did give us a lot to think about when they asked: What dances were invented in Chicago?
Our reporting found dozens of moves that were born in the Chicago area, from a slowed-down, Chicago-style polka to a wedding reception favorite, the “Cha-Cha Slide.”
To tell their stories, Curious City tracked down several creators and pioneers of these Chicago-area dances — many of whom were still alive and grooving. They include band members, musicians, and dancers who helped create or popularize five dances we focused on: Polka Hop, Steppin’, el Pasito Duranguense (the little step from Durango), the “Cha-Cha Slide,” and Footwork.
