Home Shuffling About Events Classes Merch

CHICAGO COMMUNITY

Emergence of groups

2007-2008

In 2007, YouTube gained in popularity for the source of uploading and finding shuffle videos. In 2008, the original groups of EDA, Excelerate established the underground parking lot shuffle meetups in Chicago.

01

02

Chicagoland Shufflers

2011

There were 2 main crews “CTF” & “WDK” that started. A lot of the scene that we see now, including the shuffle meetups, started in the millennium park parking lots and Buckingham fountain area.

Community break

2013-2014

A lot of the shuffle community disbanded for a short while, but the Illinois Shufflers Instagram was created.

03

View the rest of the timeline

04

Chicago Shufflers

2015

Stephanie “Mama Tempa” Frazier created the Chicago Shufflers in October of 2015. She recruited new people and others she found at the local raves in Chicago. She then proceeded to create a group chat to host all memebers that wanted to be a part of the community.

Rise of a new generation

2016-2017

In 2016, Momentum started to return in the Chicago scene with OG shufflers who started to come out to studio sessions hosted by Mama Tempa. By 2017, A new generation started to take part in the scene as Mama Tempa continued her efforts in recruiting new faces. This was a time when the foundation of Chicago Shufflers was being built for what it would look like in the future. Chicago Shufflers began hosting their own official meetups and workshops in Dance Studios: Dance Center Chicago. Meetups at Chicago House Music Festival (where a lot of the core members all met), MyHouse Music Festival, Spring Awakening, Mamby, etc.

05

06

Bigger opportunities

2018

Chicago Shufflers had their first ever club host at Stereo Nightclub. Instagram page began to gain more traction and followers as there more active members throughout Chicago. This is when we see a huge following and passion on our page. The foundation of the new core members was established and a big ole happy family was created! Chicago Shufflers had their first-ever host an event at the now-closed “The Mid”. The event named “Noctuary at the Mid” was the lift-off point for the future of the shufflers performing at various clubs in the city. Chicago Shufflers had their first festival performance at the infamous My House Music Festival

Collaborations

2019

Chicago Shufflers first-ever collaboration/meetup with What’s Good Chicago as part of the continuous efforts of being a community-based organization. Numbers grew as our meetups at festivals like Spring Awakening brought tons of members. Members Jesse and Don collaborated with BosBpm to host a meetup at Electric Forest. Mama Tempa and Don went to Ezoo to have their own meetup in NYC. Shuffle workshops returned.

07

08

Individual classes, connecting other communities

2020

Shuffle classes grew, Gaby and Don host their first class! The Shuffle Circle comes to town to host their own class! Member Santana helps host “dance for change” to fundraise for our communities. This was held at Mary Bartelme Park. Then covid hit…

Passing the torch

2021

Mama Tempa starts to discuss with her closest members her desire to pass the torch to Don who can preserve and advance the culture and community.

09

MEET THE TEAM

Don

President, Owner

My journey into this scene started in 2013, when I attended my first festival, North Coast Music Festival. I met the Chicago Shufflers in 2017 at the Chicago House Music Festival four years later. There, I met the creator, Mama Tempa, and others. It was here that I realized that I had a community and a family! I helped co-lead many projects and be the co-leader during this time, and it wasn't until January of 2020 that I officially took over as President and Owner of the Chicago Shufflers! Since then, my mission has been to advocate for my dancers, the dance styles of shuffling, and the city of Chicago most of all!

Although I started raving in 2013, I've been an avid festival/concert goer since 2008. I used to be a metalcore/warped tour kid! I started shuffling back in 2017 and have been going strong since. My style can be described as groovy and funky with a sprinkle of spins.

On top of running the Chicago Shufflers organization, I also run my own podcast dedicated to men’s mental health (Brospective Podcast) and have a full-time job as a licensed clinical mental health therapist.

Courtney

Administrator, Co-Leader, Social Media Manager

Although I’ve been shuffling since 2018, it wasn’t until halfway through the pandemic when I connected with the Chicago Shufflers. When gyms closed down, I had to find an alternative to get my cardio in. I dedicated almost an hour every morning to honing my craft and finding my flow. When things started to open back up, I attended a drive-in rave and happened to park right next to the Chicago Shufflers! I found Don and he introduced me to everyone in the group. Since then, I’ve been an active member as well as one of the co-leaders and social media administrators. No matter the club attire, I’m most likely rocking a bucket hat and phat pants or cool joggers at a show. When I’m not shuffling, I’m building my business and taking photos of really cool architecture & interiors for architects, designers and custom home builders.

Jesse

Administrator, Co-Leader

Jesse aka HappyFeett here! I started shuffling since 2018 and have been a huge supporter of the Chicago Shufflers community ever since! Outside of shuffling I am a current student studying for Bio Medicine. I also Dj on the side as Happyfeett for local venues here in Chicago! My current role as an admin is to help Don and the team with any tasks they need for event set up and be a point person for any questions the community might have!

Amrita

Administrator

Hi Everyone! I fell in love with the electronic music scene going to college in St. Louis, gravitating toward alternative and trap artists like Kaytranada, RL Grime and Keys n Krates. Over time I became really obsessed with deep and progressive sounds which is also when shuffling came onto my radar. I officially began my shuffle journey in 2020 and spend a lot of time listening to deep house music, melodic techno and “indietronica” (according to Spotify) these days. I am currently a Biochemistry PhD student studying the proteins our immune system uses to recognize infections and cancer. Shuffling and the electronic music scene have been the pillars of my mental health through grad school and I love this community because there’s so much room for my music taste to evolve while connecting with the nicest and coolest people over the most beautiful music. Much love ❤️

Christina

Administrator

Tina is an energetic new comer to the scene. She is best described as a Mary Poppins-Harlequin Gem fusion. Coming out of the pandemic lockdown in spring 2021 Tina was eager to find a way to connect with new friends and bring dancing back into her life. As a dance group who often held outdoor meetups with their own local DJ’s, the Chicago Shufflers was the perfect community to fill those long neglected needs. Thing is, she knew nothing about shuffling. Over the course of the year she helped organize shuffle workshops and meetups using her background in project management. Simultaneously she honed her shuffle craft… and added flow toys! Now you can find her bouncing, flowing and shuffling all over chicago’s house and tehcno scene. Just look for the girl in neon, black light body paint and technicolor braids.

Xavier

Event Coordinator

I was first introduced to Melbourne shuffling in 2008. I have always had a love for all types of electronic music but seeing how shufflers flowed so gracefully to the music yet with attitude really intrigued me. I didn’t get serious about shuffling until 2019 where I was introduced to the Chicago Shufflers after being spotted shuffling by one of the members at a night club. Through them, I started taking classes, learning techniques and fundamentals eventually leading me to figuring out my own style. Now, I help coordinate events for the organization, helping the shufflers facilitate fun and exciting experiences as well as be one of the many welcoming faces to new members. The Chicago Shufflers have led me to meeting some amazing and creative souls. I’m not hard to find at events, I’m usually right in front of the booth dancing non stop. Feel free to say hi because I always enjoy meeting new people to dance and vibe with!

Ktop

Videographer

After being inspired by the shuffling scene and learning a few moves, I made a few friends at shows who then referred me to the Chicago Shufflers back in 2017. Flash forward to present day, I worked with the CS team to help produce videos such as their 'Get To Know Us' Docu-series, a few of their meetup aftermovies, and their Speaker Honey collab for her song 'All Night'. Although not an active shuffler as much now, you can still probably catch me grooving out when the house beats hit at a show, club, or festival.

Matt

Web Developer

I started shuffling around 2017. It was one of those things where you go into a rabbit hole of YouTube one night and find the most random videos and one of them happened to be a shuffle compilation. Back then, Instagram blew up with Cutting Shapes. I was obsessed! I watched YouTube tutorials, bought my own pair of light up shoes, and made an Instagram too. I followed every single shuffler I could find, popular or with a few followers. Eventually I found the Instagram and Facebook to Chicago Shufflers and was like, "Yo! I'm from Chicago too!". I immediately linked up, joined the team, traveled to festivals, and tried my best to go to every event and class possible even though I lived 4 hours away for college.

I shuffled seriously for about a 1 - 1 1/2 years until life caught up with me and took a long break. Pandemic hit..you know how that goes. Then comes ARC Festival 2021. I felt so euphoric seeing everyone and all the shufflers again that it inspired the idea of creating this website. After finally moving back into the area in July 2022, the website came into fruition and my passion for the dance is on its way back!

Contact Us