From footwork to drill teams, dancers in the historic Bud Billiken Parade brought the latest steps to the streets of Bronzeville each year. From the 1940s-1960s, local filmmaker Ramon Williams captured the scene, and his rare footage is now preserved and publicly accessible through the South Side Home Movie Project digital archive.

This summer, young dancers in APL’s Choreographic Arts Program collaborated with the SSHMP and a host of choreographers and dancers to explore dance history as depicted in these films, and to create a contemporary performance inspired by the roots of South Side dance.

Join us for an evening of dance moves spanning decades of South Side history, and a glimpse of new steps in advance of this year’s parade on August 8.

SSHMP is proud to join the 97th annual parade this year with a mobile screen showing vintage film of the parade.