On Saturday, May 11, the Jazz Band will be hosting a community swing dance at Bel Air High School. Doors open at six p.m. with swing dance lessons, and the live music and dancing is from seven p.m. to ten p.m.

This is the second annual swing dance, and it is open to the public. The Jazz Band will be playing for three hours with a ten minute break every hour. Between forty and fifty pieces of music will be performed, and it will be a high energy level dance.

The swing dance is different compared to other performances and concerts. At the swing dance a certain tempo and feel will be maintained so that the dancers can have an easy time keeping up with the music and enjoy themselves. There has been a lot of preparation going into this dance since the first day of school.

“This will be different because we’re very much more an entertainment for people, where they can dance and they can have a good time,” said Mr. Dominico, Bel Air High School Band Teacher.

The swing dance music is not like most music that people have heard before, or hear at regular dances. It has a different culture to it. The last years swing dance was very successful and people asked the Jazz Band if they were going to play for prom, or perform live for another dance.

“Every kid last year that you asked is going to tell you that it was better than a homecoming dance, better than another dance they’ve been to just because of the live music. Because it is so much energy,” said Karlie Scherba, a junior in jazz band.

“For them to come up and be like ‘Hey we like this live music, it’s better than having a DJ sit behind and do whatever he does,’ just basically it’s a good experience for everybody and its broadening the horizons of music and everything,” said Nick Rhodes, a senior in jazz band.

Tickets will be sold at $20 per person. They can be purchased from: a Bel Air High School band member, during all lunches April 29 – May 3, the Music and Arts in the Festival Shopping Center, or online at www.seatyourself.biz/belairband. Ticket sales will end on May 6. All proceeds go towards supporting the Bel Air High School Band Program.