Michigan’s longest-running swing and blues dance exchange returns for its 15th year! Don’t forget comfortable dance shoes, plus a swimsuit for the Sunday afternoon dance in the Huron River!
Schedule
Friday, July 18
Evening Dance
Time: 8pm-Midnight
Location: Concourse Hall
Featuring live music from Jonathan Stout and His Campus Five, featuring Hilary Alexander!
Late Night
Time: Midnight-late
Location: Concourse Hall
Dance the blues until the wee hours, or enjoy the DJ’d tunes, have some snacks and socialize.
Jonathan Stout and his Campus Five, featuring Hilary Alexander is one of the nation’s premier swing dance bands. Showcasing the small-group sound of the late 1930’s and early 1940’s, the Campus Five captures the true sound of the Swing-era, with all the energy and excitement that inspired millions to dance. Influences include the Benny Goodman Sextet, Artie Shaw's Grammercy Five, Count Basie's Kansas City Six, and the Harlem-based small groups of Illinois Jacquet, Cootie Williams, Coleman Hawkins, and Hot Lips Page.
Saturday, July 19
Afternoon Dance
2-5pm
Location: Concourse Hall
Get your midday dance fix with DJs at Concourse Hall.
Evening Dance
Time: 8pm-Midnight
Location: Concourse Hall
Jonathan Stout and His Campus Five is back for another fantastic evening of live music, featuring Hilary Alexander!
Late Night
Time: Midnight-late
Location: Concourse Hall
Late night snacks and DJ’d blues.
Sunday, July 21
1pm-4pm Social dance
4-5:30pm River dance!
Location: Island Park Pavilion
Rain Location: Concourse Hall
Don’t miss KISSME’s most iconic dance! Enjoy an outdoor dance at the Island Park pavilion with LIVE MUSIC from The Wolverines. Then we’ll don swimsuits and jump in the river to a DJ’d river set (water shoes recommended).
The Wolverines breathe new life into a musical canon with roots that reach back a hundred years or more—to the mouth of the Mississippi River and the cultural port city of New Orleans, the “birthplace of jazz.” Like the renowned 1920s territory band of the same name (pictured above), its members are based in the midwest—Christopher Tabaczynski leads the band and plays assorted woodwinds including C-Melody saxophone, Albert-system clarinet, and bass saxophone alongside Dave Kosmyna on cornet and clarinet while Alex Belhaj and Erik McIntyre pluck and strum guitar/banjo and Shannon Wade holds it down on string bass. Informed by recordings of jazz pioneers (ex: Louis Armstrong, King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, Johnny Dodds, Sidney Bechet, Jimmie Noone, Bix, Tram, & Lang), the Wolverines honor musical history without being limited by it. Each performance celebrates a spirit of collective spontaneity and creates a momentary experience that you must simply be there to enjoy.
Full Weekend Pricing
Buy the full weekend pass for complete access to all KISSME events: the dances, the bands, the snacks, the river and more! We do offer discounted admission for volunteering — scroll down to learn more!
Early Admission: $70 (price goes up to $80 on July 1st)
Early Admission for AACTMAD members or Students (must have a valid student ID): $60 (price goes up to $70 on July 1st)
Can’t spend the whole weekend with us? Come to an individual dance (or two or three)!
Friday Evening Dance & Late Night
$30
Saturday Afternoon Dance
$5
Saturday Evening Dance & Late Night
$30
Sunday Afternoon Dance
$25
A La Carte Pricing
Volunteer
Volunteers get $15 per shift, up to the cost of a KISSME pass. It’s a great way to get a discount while helping the dance community!
Volunteer opportunities include working the registration table and prepping snacks.
Please email team@kissmeinannarbor.com to get on the volunteer list.
Lodging
We have a hotel block at the Marriott Fairfield in Ann Arbor for KISSME attendees. Reserve a room using this link.
Rate: $189 per night
Available dates: July 17-20
Last day to book: Friday, June 20th
Safe Spaces Policy
The KISSME team is committed to maintaining a safe, welcoming and inclusive dance environment. Please view our Dance Etiquette Policy and the Safe Spaces policy for AACTMAD, our parent organization. Feel free to email any safe spaces concerns to team@kissmeinannarbor.com, or speak with an organizer at any time during the event.
Sponsor KISSME
Why Partner With KISSME?
Be a part of Michigan’s longest-running dance exchange and a vibrant, welcoming community, support the arts and live music, help keep dance accessible to all, and join us in welcoming 200+ dancers to Ann Arbor from throughout the country!
Jazz Hands Sponsor: $350
Free KISSME registration for your employees
Business name & details included in our welcome packet, given to all attendees
Spotlight Sponsor: $600
All of the above plus:
Dedicated acknowledgement during a dance
Rockin’ Robin Sponsor: $1000
All of the above plus:
Shoutout in our welcome email sent to all attendees immediately before the event
Social media shoutout
Name on marketing materials distributed to dance events throughout the midwest
Lindy Hop Hero Sponsor: $1500
All of the above plus:
Logo on event t-shirts
Dedicated acknowledgement during all dances throughout the weekend
Looking for something more customized? We are happy to talk about partnership ideas which would best fit your business goals — let’s chat!