The GP Swing Dance will be hosted on Jan. 31 between 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the GP Commons. The Swing Dance is a yearly event where both of the school’s Jazz Bands, plus the Valley View Jazz Band come together to host a dance where students can learn the basics of swing dancing while all three Jazz Bands perform a jazz set list they have prepared. “It’s really fun to have everyone dance, and being able to play music with no pressure,” Emma Niculescu said. “It’s mainly just to play fun songs without having to be serious.”
The Swing Dance has an entrance fee of $12 for general admission and $25 for a family of four. It’s highly recommended to arrive one hour before the dance, because there is a one-hour segment where professional swing dancers teach the basics of swing dancing. For example, they teach basics of footwork, the rhythm needed to dance with a partner, and how to lead your partner or follow your partner. Natalia Carmona, a four-year veteran attendee, has learned how to swing dance through this event. She has even continued to practice her moves and improve her dancing skills by watching YouTube videos and dancing with friends. “I think dancing is special and it’s a great way to connect with friends. I think it’s a very important social skill because dancing is so prominent in many social settings beyond high school. But apart from that, I love swing dancing specifically because it’s dancing to jazz music, and jazz can be so diverse in how it makes you feel. There are some songs that are so uplifting, and others that are romantic, so I think you get the best of everything,” Carmona said.
During the event, the Band Booster parents provide snacks and beverages, including an Italian soda station, plus a table with baked goods, chips, fruit, pastries, and more. To purchase drinks and food, you must buy tickets at the entrance. Prices vary with Italian Sodas being $1 while Lotus’ are usually $4. Chips, cupcakes, and snacks vary between $1-5. “All the snacks are usually really good. I love seeing what the parents provide for the students, because a lot of times it’s really good sweets,” Nyx Baldeviso said. “My mom also makes a lot of stuff that people usually don’t see, like these Ube cupcakes which are so good.”
For some of the Jazz Band members, this year will be their fifth year performing at Swing Dance. Lucy Choyke, a Jazz 1 senior trumpet player, is one of them. “I love performing at the Swing Dance and love seeing people’s reactions to the music, like the different song choices, or going from a slow song to an uplifting song that gets you moving. But I also enjoy the hidden jokes within my section that nobody really understands. Like the “I messed up so bad” moments or the “I dropped my flute for the fifth time” jokes. It’s those things that bring me so much joy when I’m performing. It’s the community, and the life of the moment,” Choyke said.
The purpose of the Swing Dance is to come with friends and family to enjoy live Jazz music, the food and drinks brought by the Band Booster parents and volunteers, and to support the Glacier Peak Bands. Lousia Davis, a senior trombone player, thinks that’s it’s worth attending the swing dance. “People should attend the swing dance because it’s a great way to connect with community and to listen to live and local music,” Davis said. “It’s a perfect opportunity to socialize with friends and family, to have fun dancing with treats, and to get to hear what the school’s jazz bands have been working on.”