Dear YHS Band Parents and Students,
Our Swing Dance Concert is this coming Saturday, February 7th! Info and reminders below. Looking forward to a fun week!
YHS BAND SPIRIT TRIP – ICE SKATING @ BEAR MOUNTAIN
Thank you to the Band Officers for hosting today’s skating outing. It was great to spend time together outside of the Band Room and enjoy some winter fun! And, thank you to the parents who helped make this spirit trip possible!
EVENTS THIS WEEK:
DECORATION/LOGISTICS HELP ~ DAILY
Students, help is needed organizing supplies and decorations for our Swing Dance Concert every day this week during any free period, or p.9-10. Thanks!
JAZZ BAND “WORLD TOUR OF YORKTOWN” FIELDTRIP ~ WEDNESDAY 2/4
· Wear concert black (don’t forget black shoes/black socks) and your white tie.
· Report to the Band Room immediately upon arrival to YHS (by 7:20am). We will need to pack the bus and get on the road ASAP.
· Our itinerary and your equipment assignment for the day are attached.
JAZZ BAND REHEARSAL ~ THURSDAY 2/5
This will be rehearsal #5 of 5 to prepare for our Swing Dance Concert. Our music, recordings, and your assignment are posted on Dashboard. Let’s have a great final rehearsal this Thursday from 6:50-8:30pm. Happy practicing!
BASKETBALL PEP BAND PERFORMANCE ~ FRIDAY 2/6
Support our Huskers and Blythedale Children’s Hospital at YHS’s 5th annual “Charlie Strong” game!
WHEN: Friday 2/6/25. Report at 5:45pm in the Band Room
BRING: Bring your instrument and charged cell phone.
WEAR: Your YHS Band polo (or the Charlie Strong shirt). Music and Snacks will be provided.
GAME: The basketball game will run from 6:45-8:30pm.
17th ANNUAL SWING DANCE CONCERT ~ THIS SAT. 2/7, 7-10:30pm ~ YHS GYM
Our Swing Dance Concert is an eagerly anticipated, well-attended and fun evening for our entire Yorktown community. Each year it always makes me smile to see so many generations come together to enjoy the music and the evening together!
All YHS Band students are required to attend – Concert Band, Jazz Band, and Wind Ensemble will perform.
Parents, this is NOT just a student dance. The event is attended and enjoyed by many age groups within our community; families, senior citizens, WWII historians, social dance enthusiasts, and our YHS Band Family.
INFORMATION TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR EVENING:
· Cost: $15 for adults / $10 for students and seniors. Tickets sold at the door only. Cash, Check or Zelle. YHS Band students are free.
· Time: Dance Lesson 7-8pm / Music and Dancing 8-10:30pm
· WHEN STUDENTS SHOULD ARRIVE:
1. Jazz Band – arrive at 5:30 so that you are ready to play for our soundcheck at 5:45.
2. Students interested in participating in the dance lesson – arrive by 6:50.
3. Students NOT interested in the dance lesson – arrive by 7:45.
4. FYI – students can earn 2 points of extra credit for quarter #2 or #3 (you pick!) by respectfully participating in the dance lesson (about 45 minutes).
SWING DANCE CONCERT SNOW DATE
Please be aware that the Swing Dance Concert Snow Date is Sunday 2/28.
SWING ERA ATTIRE ENCOURAGED (For both adults and students!)
Get into the “swing” of things and have fun dressing up in 1940’s style.
Gentlemen
· Usual Concert Attire: Black pants, long sleeved button-down black shirt, black shoes, black socks.
· Swing Additions: fedora hats, suspenders, solid color or pin striped shirts, colorful ties, spats, jackets.
Ladies
· Usual Concert Attire: Black top (appropriate neck-line, no spaghetti straps or sleeveless tops), black pants, or black skirt/dress (appropriate length).
· Swing Additions: saddle shoes, any color 1940’s style dress as long as it has an appropriate neckline, length, and sleeves.
· Ladies – Skirt/dress lengths are incredibly short these days. Please save these short styles for another event. When seated to perform, your skirt should cover your knees.
SWING DANCE HELP NEEDED, PLEASE
Many parent and student volunteers are needed, please, to make this evening a success.
PARENT HELP
Please consider donating an item or volunteering your time. Sign up here As of this e-mail, we are in particular need of food and drink donations, batteries, and clean-up crew volunteers.
Many thanks to the parent planning committee for their awesome help and suggestions, and to Ms. Rindone for creating our SignUp Genius!
STUDENT HELP
Please mark your calendars to help us set up and tear down the gym on Saturday 2/7. Part of the fun (and community building) of this event is setting up and decorating the space together!
· Saturday 2/7, 8:00am – 4:00pm – help is needed setting up and decorating the gym.
· Saturday 2/7, 10:30pm-12:00am – help is needed cleaning up the gym.
YOUR STUDENT CAN DANCE?
As part of our Jazz curriculum, students study the music from the period and also learn to social dance the Jitterbug. Here is a peek into our dance moves from this week 🙂
Wind Ensemble Dance Lesson 1-29-26
Concert Band Dance Lesson 1-29-26
SHIM SHAM TUTORIAL
The Shim Sham is a line dance the students are learning to take part in at our Swing Dance Concert. For those interested, here is a video I made over COVID to help review/teach the steps.
EAST COAST (JITTERBUG) BASIC STEPS
To review the social dance steps we are learning, I recommend this video.
SWING DANCE ETIQUETTE:
It takes a lot of guts to ask someone to dance! (And, it doesn’t matter who does the asking…leader or follower). When someone asks you to dance, please do everything in your power to answer “Yes.” As we’ve been learning in class, you should introduce yourself to your partner at the beginning of your dance, and thank them at the end of your dance
FEBRUARY LESSON CALENDAR ATTACHED
FYI
MUSICAL OPPORTUNITIES
Westchester Symphonic Winds Concert – Sunday 2/8, 2PM, Tarrytown Music Hall. Free tickets are available for students, parent tickets available at a discount. Please e-mail me for details. The program includes a tuba concerto, Danzas Cubanos, and other fantastic works for Wind Band!
The students and I are so looking forward to performing for you at our Swing Dance concert this Saturday 2/7! Please contact me with any questions.
Always Musically Yours,
Ms. Kluga
