It’s official: Dancing with the Chamber, the Brookfield Chamber of Commerce’s one-night dance competition featuring members of the local business community, is back for a third iteration that organizers promise will be bigger than ever. There’s still time for you to throw your hat in the ring before the competition takes place on March 21, 2026.
“In previous years, we have gone out to the community and looked for the contestants ourselves. This year, we are opening up applications to any Chamber business or Chamber-affiliated person who is interested in dancing,” said Teresa Swanson, the lead choreographer.
Swanson told the Landmark applications are restricted to members of the Chamber of Commerce, so the “first thing” interested applicants who aren’t members should do is sign up. You can do so at brookfieldchamber.net/become-a-member; membership costs $50 per year for an individual, $90 for a nonprofit or $125 for a business.
Then, visit swaydancechicago.com/dwtc to fill out an application. The webpage has all the information you might need if you’re wondering what it takes to prepare for the event and have a shot at winning.
“We’ve done this twice now, and everywhere I go, people ask me about it,” Swanson said. “I’ve had probably 30 people tell me that they’re interested in dancing. So many people are interested, which is so great. At the beginning, we had to go and explain it to people, talk them into it and tell them the vision because they weren’t sure what it was going to be.”
The Chamber’s board will vote on the cast by the end of August, she added.
“I think they’re looking for people that are interested [in becoming] or already very active with the Chamber,” Swanson said. “Even if they’re new to the Chamber and they haven’t been active yet, if they’re really looking for that exposure and to get involved in the community. People that have a lot of investment in Brookfield and in the Chamber.”
While the first iteration in 2022 took place in October and the second in 2024 took place in April, this edition will be held in March. Swanson attributed the inconsistent timing to scheduling difficulties and said Dancing with the Chamber will likely never be held on an annual basis.
“It’s a huge project, and it takes me away from my business, what I regularly do. Part of it is that; the other thing is that we have this event at Riverside-Brookfield High School and finding the perfect time in their schedule. We tried it last time at the end of the [school] year, and that turned out to be difficult because of all of the end of the year activities at the school,” she said. “We’re still trying to find that sweet spot, and we’re hoping [it’s] March.”
While the big day is still eight months out, Swanson said her work will start in September with a group meeting with the finalized cast of 10 dancers. Individual rehearsals will start as early as October, with each competitor practicing for six to seven hours in half-hour blocks.
“They can space those out, or they can cram them in, however they like. There are holidays and things like that, too, so I work around the business owners and their schedules,” she said. “We’ll first talk about any interest that they have, if they’ve always wanted to do a salsa or if they’re interested in a certain type of dance. I get a feeling of their personality type, or if there’s certain types of music they really like, and we go from there.”
Swanson said she’s most looking forward to working so closely with another group of Brookfield community members.
“I have had so much fun getting to know other business owners in Brookfield. It’s made me feel so connected to them, and this really brings out different parts of them that I think the community doesn’t get to often see, and I love that,” she said. “Usually, they’re nervous, and it’s a very out-of-their-comfort-zone thing, and it’s really fun to watch them come out of that and show some of the personality behind the business.”
