Jazz plays from the stage as people adorned in suits and flowy dresses dance in a retro swing style. The scent of food whirls around nostrils as food sits lined up on a table.

The parent band booster club hosted a dance with swing dance lessons, food and a live jazz band composed of students on April 18.

Band director Wesley Harler feels the swing dance is an important community event.

“It is a great way for our students to connect with the community by providing live music for the event,” Harler said. “The swing dance is special because we invite the community to come in, learn to dance and have fun listening and dancing to fun tunes.”

Sophomore Janessa Pinckney relates to Harler’s comments, sharing what she feels makes the dance special to her.

“Just being around other people…having a good time and being able to hear music is really special,” Pinckney said.

Senior and jazz band member Lee Cluster feels that a live student band creates benefits for everyone.

“If they can physically see the performers, I feel like that kind of makes their experience better and at the same time,” Cluster said. “It’s fun for the students, it’s a learning experience for the students…It kind of gives them an aspect of what a real jazz gig would be, and it’s just a lot of fun.”

Not everything was smooth sailing; however, Cluster noted the challenges the jazz band faced while preparing for the swing dance.

“The jazz band practices after school, which is when theater practices, which is when sports practice,” Cluster said. “So, it makes it kind of hard to get the entire group together at the same time.”

As the school continues to host an annual swing dance, Cluster hopes to see the same effort in the time ahead.

“What I hope to see for future swing dances is a continuation of this excellence of the jazz band, and I think… that’s really one of the things that makes the swing dance great, is the jazz band,” Cluster said.