An enthusiastic crowd of dance enthusiasts packed the historic Athenaeum Theatre to help Chicago’s dance community celebrate its second annual World Dance Day celebration. Presented by Chicago Music and Dance International and the Athenaeum Theatre, this mega-dance showcase featured 20 different dance groups from the Chicago area and brought to the Athenaeum stage a full array of dance styles.

The afternoon of dance included performance by ChiTappin / Nico Rubio and Awesome Style Konnection Crew; Nomi Dance Company; Chicago Dance Crash; Ensemble Espanol; Tommye Giacchino’s Latin and Ballroom Dancers; State Street Dance; The School of Performing Arts Ensemble; SPACE Conservatory; Joffrey Ballet; Mexican Dance Ensemble Juniors; Albanian Dance Ensemble; Dukati Chicago; Mexican Dance Ensemble Seniors; Horo Bulgarian Folk Dance Ensemble, among others.

Introduced in 1982 by the International Dance Committee of the UNESCO International Theatre Institute, International Dance Day is held every April 29th. International Dance Day was created to increase the awareness of the importance of dance among the general public as well as to persuade governments around the world to provide a proper place for dance in all systems of education.