Posted by Kimberly Downs, guest blogger of Endicott College

The summer season is usually considered a time to relax, unwind, enjoy the sun, and dance?! Although it may not be a part of your typical summer routine, many dance-based festivals and events are happening this summer across Massachusetts. These events will allow you to immerse yourself in the world of dance, and some may even ask you to participate. Dance is a great way to get exercise, express yourself, and have fun, so check out these events this summer ’17 and get moving!

Jacob’s Pillow Festival

Doug Varon and Dancers, photo credit Nikki Carrara

This summer-long dance festival will have you glued to your seat instead of wiggling out of it. This year marks the festival’s 85th anniversary, which promises a captivating performance from the dance masters. Jacob’s Pillow is America’s longest-running international dance festival making it definitely worth the trip to Western Mass.
jacobspillow.org | June 17th- August 27th, 2017 in Becket

Beantown TapFest

photo credit Karen Campbell

Come enjoy this Cambridge event centered around a classic style of dance – tap! This event began in 2007 as an occasion to celebrate and pay tribute to tap dancing. Beantown TapFest is a weekend of tap madness, featuring master classes from professional tappers. This event has specified classes for youth, evening, and weekend, with limited class sizes. So breakout your tap shoes and register online!
beantowntapfest.com |  July 31st – August 6th, 2017 in Somerville and Boston

New England Dance Festival

This whirlwind festival will have you wondering how many styles of dance you can learn. This weekend-long event will take place in Newton and showcases country, swing, and ballroom styles. Participants are welcome to hop from different styles by simply switching ballrooms. The New England Dance Festival will give you the opportunity to practice, compete, and socialize!
nedancefestival.com | August 3rd-6th, 2017 in Boston

Boston Contemporary Dance Festival

photo credit Lynn Lane

This festival was born in 2012 in order to showcase and celebrate the new style of ‘contemporary’ dance. BCDF aims to wow their audience with a diverse array of contemporary performers from across the country. This expressive and moving style will leave you wanting more as it showcases unique and personal experiences and stories through movement. Tickets are available online for this August festival.
bostoncontemporarydance.org | August 12th, 2017 in Boston

The Dance Mile

On Saturday, September 16th, The Dance Mile will be moving its way through the streets of Boston. The event is in part with Mayor Martin Walsh and is an interactive festival that includes a one hour dance parade through the city of Boston. The event begins with performances by dance acts and a warm up, followed by the hour long dance party through the streets, and ending with a cool down. This event is fun, fit, and FREE.
eventbrite | September 16th, 2017 in Boston