[DISCLOSURE: As of the time of this writing, I have no direct affiliation with Future Zouk Chicago Congress other than being an attendee and have not been hired to promote Future Zouk Chicago Congress in any way. As of the time of this writing, I am not affiliated with nor have been hired by any other companies or organizations whose services I mention in this article – everything you read from me regarding both the festival and the above companies is my objective advice and is presented as is with no liability to #FrugalCongressLife or the author.]

For today’s #FrugalCongressLife Survival Guide, we’re going back to Chicago to cover the Future Zouk Chicago Congress, a brand new Brazilian Zouk festival happening the third weekend of July at Dance Center Chicago, hereafter referred to as DCC. Those who attended the Chicago edition of this past year’s DCBX Ultimate Tropical New Year’s Eve will recognize DCC as the host venue for that event. Along the same lines, anyone who read my DCBX Tropical New Year’s Eve guide will notice large sections lifted from the Chicago section of that guide. Although the venue is the same, the circumstances of this congress (not on New Years Eve) warrant a new updated guide rather than me just pointing attendees to the NYE guide, and hey, any opportunity to repurpose old content into something new is fine by me.

Future Zouk features a comprehensive educational program for both zouk and sensual bachata with beginner tracks for both dances, classes for DJing and production, and multiple master classes and choreo challenges for advanced dancers. Parties happen each night in a zouk ballroom, a bachata ballroom, and a turn-up/chillout ballroom.

Confirmed artists for zouk include Paulo Victor and Luisa Teston, Clinton and Cristi, Sydney Charisse and Carvalho Gabriel, Brad Meccia, and Crystal Bedford.

Confirmed artists for sensual bachata include Jose Serrano and Mayah Sandock, John Manego and Shiloh Cardenas, Angel Cruz and Megan Hutsell, and Dore Kalmar. Confirmed DJs include Alex Bousgas, Jessica Jamilla, DJ Web, and Just Jacob.

Without further ado, here is the 411 on how to navigate this congress with ease.

TRAVEL:

FLYING:

You can either go to O’Hare or Midway for this congress. If you are taking Spirit, you will fly into O’Hare.

DIRECTIONS FROM O’HARE:

Take the blue line towards Forest Park to the Montrose stop. From there take the 80 bus toward Broadway to Irving Park and Damen/Lincoln and DCC is a three minute walk south on N Lincoln Avenue from there.

DIRECTIONS FROM MIDWAY:

Take the orange line north to the Harold Washington Library-State stop and transfer to the brown line north. Take the brown line to the Addison stop. From there, DCC is approximately a six minute walk north on N Lincoln Avenue.

TRAIN:

DCC is about a 40 minute trip from Chicago Union Station on the brown line. Head east on W Adams Street toward S Wells Street, make a right on S Wells Street and get on the brown line toward Kimball at the Quincy stop. Take the brown line to Addison and DCC is a 7 minute walk northwest on N Lincoln Avenue up.

BUS:

Take Megabus to W Polk Street between S Clinton Street and S Canal Street. Walk west on W Polk Street toward S Clinton Street and make a right on S Clinton Street. Take the Blue line to O’Hare from the Clinton Stop to Clark/Lake and get on the brown line toward Kimball and follow the train directions from there.

Information on all train lines and the 80 bus here: http://www.transitchicago.com/

Chicago is supported by Citymapper and Via at the time of writing.

LODGING

Lodging here is readily available, but lodging downtown sadly remains as pricey as it was on New Years Eve, especially in the summer at the height of tourist season when this congress happens. Of course, roomsharing can ease the pain, but you have to show more discretion about having more than 1-2 people in a room at a non-event hotel (meaning don’t flaunt it directly to hotel staff), and be mindful that different hotels have different policies regarding multiple room keys etc.

Since this congress is located at a dance studio rather than a hotel, I will freely discuss a multitude of lodging options.

The Hotel Versey, located about 15 minutes from DCC at 644 W Diversey Pkwy, is the option recommended by Future Zouk management, but at $267 per night, it is one of the pricier options. Regardless, it has 4.2 stars on Google and 880 mostly positive reviews. Pictures on Google show clean, modern, Wrigley Field-themed rooms.

There are two reasonably priced hostels nearby. The Wrigley Hostel, located at 3514 N Sheffield Avenue, goes for $138 per night the weekend of the congress and has mostly good reviews.

The Chicago Getaway Hostel, located 16 minutes away at 616 W Arlington Place, goes for $72 per night that weekend and has mostly good reviews as well.

The closest chain hotel is the Best Western Plus Hawthorne Terrace, located at 3434 N Broadway and going for $196 per night the weekend of the congress.

The historic Inn At Lincoln Park, located 16 minutes away, goes for $149/night and also has good reviews.

There are two Rodeway Inns located about 16 minutes away that could be good budget options as well. The Rodeway Inn, located 16 minutes from DCC and priced at $82 per night the weekend of the congress, has the outward appearance of a roadside motel, but the rooms appear to be pretty clean and modern from the pictures. Reviews are mixed, with some praising the clean rooms and excellent service and others complaining of glaring cleanliness issues in some rooms. Rodeway is a Choice Hotels hotel and is worth checking out as a budget option, but caveat emptor and bring antibacterial wipes and a light sleeping bag as a precautionary measure.

The Rodeway Inn Chicago-Evanston, located another four minutes up the road from the other Rodeway and priced starting at $89/night, is the same deal – an unfussy budget hotel with the outward appearance of a roadside dump but updated modern rooms on the inside that people seem to either love or hate judging by the reviews. Reviews also complain of a standoffish front desk staff and overbearing security so keep this in mind as well. This could also be a good option if caveat emptors similar to the other Rodeway are applied.

Expect a commute of at least 10-15 minutes one way to and from DCC for all of these options, but since we’re pretty sure sleeping at DCC is frowned upon, commuting will be a part of this congress for as long as it is at this venue. You can help this congress grow to the point of moving to its own hotel in the near future!

A quick search of AirBNBs around the area shows a good selection priced anywhere from $42-$180 per night. They will undoubtedly go quickly, especially the less expensive ones, so book soon!

FOOD

For your grocery shopping needs, Trader Joe’s is located a block down at 3745 N Lincoln Avenue. A Walmart Supercenter is located about 21 minutes away at 4626 W Diversey Ave, but whatever you save going there you may spend getting there if you are from out of town. A Walmart Neighborhood Market is located a little closer to DCC, 15 minutes away at 2844 N Broadway.

You have several meal out options directly nearby. Wasabi Cafe, C’est Bien Thai, Mrs. Murphy and Sons Irish Bistro, Xurro – Churro factory, and Spicy Mexican Grill are all located on the block of Lincoln Ave directly north of DCC, and it’s pretty self explanatory by their names what types of restaurants these are. Bricks Pizza and Barbecue is located a block south.

Portillo’s, Lou Malnati’s, and the infamous Weiner’s Circle, three notable Chicago restaurant landmarks detailed in our CSBF guide, are all 18 minutes or less away from DCC by Uber/Lyft/Via.

CONCLUSION

Chicagoans who are fans of Brazilian Zouk finally have a congress to call their own! Come out and make the 2019 edition of the Future Zouk Chicago Congress one for the books and help it grow!