Brookswood celebrates 10 years of swing

This coming Friday night (June 1), students at Brookswood Secondary School will show off their best Lindy Hop, Balboa and Charleston moves, and all for a good cause.

The annual Swing Night and Dance, taking place in the school’s small gymnasium, will once again raise money for Brookswood’s music department.

Now in its 10th year, the event is open to the public to attend, and will feature a swing dance lesson, live music and a DJ.

“All of our instrumental ensembles will be participating — concert bands and jazz bands,” said Derrick Turi, music director at BSS, in an email to the Times.

“Lil’ Mishka Electro Swing Band is our guest band. All of the repertoire will be based on swing, big band and dance music.”

The event begins at 6 p.m. with performances by the school’s concert bands, before the swing dance lesson at 7 p.m. From 8 to 10:30 p.m., the school’s junior and senior jazz bands will play music for everyone to dance to.

The event is put on in partnership with Brookswood’s music department and FatCitySwing. There will also be food tables, desert and a silent auction.

“Our music department is doing well and we are maintaining a reputation for great ensembles and skilled musicians,” Turi said.

“Our music courses include concert bands, jazz bands, music composition and now musical theatre orchestra. Over the past nine years, our Brookswood Musical Theatre Company has staged the musicals Oliver, Grease, Legally Blonde, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, In The Heights, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Urinetown, The Addams Family and Fiddler on the Roof, where the live orchestra is made up entirely of our music students. Over the last few years we have traveled to Whistler, Disneyland and Italy and we are hoping to go to Eastern Europe next year.”

Tickets are $8 for students and $10 for adults if purchased in advance at the school office. Tickets will also be sold at the door for $12.

For more information, contact Brookswood Secondary at 604-530-2141 or email Turi at dturi@sd35.bc.ca.