SUU Community Education’s annual Spring Swing features live jazz
By Haven Scott
On Feb. 29, Southern Utah University Community Education and the SUU Jazz Ensemble are partnering again for the third-annual Spring Swing, the only dance in town that offers dance instruction, an opportunity to dress up, and a live band happens this year on Leap Day evening.
The Jazz Ensemble will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. with a packed score full of jazzy tunes from the early 1900s. To add to the spirit of the event, 1920s attire is encouraged but not required.
For those who have yet to be bitten by the jitterbug this winter, dance lessons will be provided by SUU Assistant Provost James Sage and his wife Toni, director of student success at SUU. The Sages have been instructing community dance classes in their free time for more than five years. They learned to dance at community events several years ago and have since found teaching dance a great way to meet residents in Cedar City.
To prepare for her “most scared moment” for a performance in Community Dancing with the Stars, Cedar City resident Kathy Long took a dance class taught by the Sages through SUU Community Education because she had never “danced a step.”
“I had no experience at all,” Long said. “But Toni and James were so patient with me. They were fun and entertaining, and in the end, I completed the dance with my partner in front of a theater full of people without making a complete fool of myself. The skills I learned from them are a huge part of that.”
“This event grows more every year and is a perfect opportunity for our music students to gain professional experience by playing in front of a fun, sometimes boisterous audience,” said to Dr. Adam Lambert, director of bands at SUU. “And they can’t wait to get the crowd moving this year.”
The Spring Swing dance lessons taught by the Sages are free and begin at 7 p.m. and again during intermission. Light refreshments and beverages will be served. Tickets for the community concert and dance can be bought at the door for $10 for students, $15 for non-students, and $25 per couple. For online tickets, visit tinyurl.com/YA369WDO or go to suu.edu/wise and click on “Music, Theatre & Dance.”
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