The Jazz Band Dinner Dance is set to take place on March 5 at the Willowbrook Ballroom in Willow Springs. Dinner will begin at 6 p.m. with dancing beginning at 9 p.m. and will proceed until 11:30 p.m.

The Dinner Dance is an annual event hosted by the band program and sponsored by the Lemont HS Band Parents Association, in which students look forward to dressing up and dancing with their friends. This dance is more casual than Prom, which allows attendees to let loose and have fun.

The evening consists of an optional dinner, followed by the actual dance. The night will also hold a silent auction, raffles, and a cash bar.

The cost of admission is $10 at the door, but $55 to have dinner included with a ticket to the dance. All proceeds from the dance go towards supporting the band program.

Funds raised from the evening will go towards general expenses for the band throughout the year, providing the band opportunities to work with clinicians, and any other special events and functions if applicable.

Music for the evening is provided by none other than the LHS Jazz Band.  Four different bands affiliated with the band program play at the dance, including the Lab band, Jazz band, Combo Group, and Alumni Band.

Each band holds different characteristics unique to each ensemble. The Lab Band and Jazz Band are bands that are auditioned for and play a variety of literature. The jazz combo is a “big band” that plays various local events and is made up of members of the Lab and Jazz bands.

One of the performances that many look forward to is that of the Alumni band, which consists of all LHS alumni. Any unfilled parts are filled by students of the Jazz Combo.

Overall, Students who plan on attending should anticipate a night full of music, dancing, and history from the Willowbrook Ballroom.

Matt Doherty, Assistant Director of Student Activities, states, “Anyone in attendance should expect to step back into time when entering the Willowbrook Ballroom. They should expect to dance, and to be surprised by the variety of music that our talented students put together.”

The evening is one that students, staff, and alumni look forward to every year as March rolls around. Doherty states, “I’m looking most forward to sharing great music with a room full of people that appreciate the arts – and most importantly – the arts at LHS.”