Tum Balalaika @ Chicago Summerdance

The 14th annual Chicago SummerDance series presents free Freylekhs, Sher, Hora, Nigun, and Kolomeike Klezmer dance lessons by Ethnic Dance Chicago and live music by Tum Balalaika Klezmer Band, performing Traditional Russian, Yiddish, Klezmer, and Gypsy music.

Klezmer is a musical tradition which parallels Hasidic and Ashkenazic Judaism. Around the 15th century, a tradition of secular Jewish music was developed by musicians called klezmorim or kleyzmurim. Tum Balalaika Band have entertained Chicagoans with the traditions of this music for over 17 years.

Ethnic Dance Chicago is a multi-ethnic, multi-generational community of people who enjoy the dances and music of many countries from around the world. Since 1987, they have promoted the enjoyment, sharing, understanding, and preservation of the dance and music heritage of America's many ethnic groups, as well as traditional American dance and music.

This event is part of the 14th annual Chicago SummerDance festival, an eleven-week festival featuring 44 nights of one-hour dance lessons by professional instructors followed by two hours of live music and dancing on a open-air dance floor. SummerDance runs June 17 to August 29, every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening, from 6 to 9:30 pm, and each Sunday afternoon, from 4 to 7 pm, weather permitting.