As prom draws near, many CHS students have dancing on their minds. However, members of Swing Dance Club and others who enjoy jazz music will dust off their dancing shoes a bit sooner for Jazz at the Fountains, which is scheduled to take place on March 19.

Also known as Jazz Night, the event will be held in the ballroom of the Fountains on Carmel Drive. According to Crystal Wespestad, president of Swing Dance Club and senior, the night will start out with an hour of dessert and beverages from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wespestad said Swing Dance Club will give free dance lessons to those in attendance during the hour.

Rhiannon Miller, swing dance club member and junior, said, “We are going to focus on the basic east coast step and some of the basic spins. We might teach a little Lindy Hop or west coast step, which is a little more complicated type of triple step, but if people are willing to learn it’s actually a lot more fun.”

According to Wespestad, all four CHS jazz bands will perform at the event. Wespestad said, “Each band is going to play a selection of songs geared more toward dance music, so that everyone can come out on the floor and dance while the jazz bands are performing.”

Miller said in previous years, the night has also included a dinner. “The ticket with dinner was like $50. It was at the Ritz Ballroom downtown, which is a really nice area, but last year, attendance was really low, which is why they moved it to the Fountains, which is less expensive.”

Tickets for Jazz at the Fountains are on sale at the CHS bookstore, online or at the door for a general admission price of $15. Tickets can be purchased here.

Wespestad said, “(Those interested in the event include) anybody who likes to dance, especially swing dancing, and anybody who is just interested in jazz music.” By Alex Mackall <[email protected]>