Letter to the editor: 07-26- 17
This past weekend Just Make It Happen produced the 12 th Annual ‘Let’s Dance’
Big Band Weekend, July 21-23 at NIU’s Duke Ellington Ballroom. Attendees included residents from 50 Illinois cities, states from Alaska to Florida.
Evaluations listed a spacious wood floor allowing smooth physical moves, great
food, natural acoustics, on-site hotel, clean venue, professional teachers, and
most important, live big bands size 10, 12, 17. High marks for Roger Hintzsche’s Shananigans Dance Combo w/Zach Harris, vocals at Saturday’s Cabaret Dance. Also access to Travelin Shoes from Milwaukee and their professional assistance.
The Shananigans salutes NIU’s Jazz Studies for producing outstanding musicians
eager to perform. We hire 70’s – today grads that demonstrate unusual talent for classic live big band performance. JMIH guest band compensation policy requires a generous salary to their musicians for their services. We celebrate talent! NIU Shananigans ‘new generation’ guests included Nick Roach, recent MFA trombone grad and Frank McKearn, trumpet.
JMIH’s ‘break even’ budget policy depends on guest sales. Wonderful
partnerships include OCCreative, NIU’s Holmes Student Center, guests and
musicians. The win-win result is outstanding quality at affordable prices.
We are grateful to NM’s Kishwaukee Hospital’s ‘Dancing for Health’ scholarship
program for DeKalb County Residents that provided $10 discounts.
JMIH encourages school PE classes, area studios and park districts to continue
providing ballroom lessons and live music dance opportunities.
Let’s Dance participants included Dow Chemical executives, farmers, mining
equipment, physicists, mathematicians, accountants, lawyers, college professors,
ballroom teachers from Purdue University, Sears Tower Union Shop air
conditioning experts, postal executives, police chiefs, nurses, and doctors.
Attendees loved the relaxed and exciting Let’s Dance weekend experience.
FYI: The HSC Let’s Dance room block for 2018 is full. Cindy Meeks, hotel
manager has announced opening 13 more rooms for our guests.
Ian Crone, executive director of Holmes Student Center is excited to partner with
JMIH and expand Let’s Dance events to benefit our community and regional
friends. JMIH is proud of Duke Ellington’s jazz and dance legacy. It is alive at Let’s Dance.
We loved joyful smiles and guests admonition to create more Let’s Dances!
Congratulations to all residents who participated. It was fun!
John D. Smith, President
Just Make It Happen, Inc. a 501 c 3 non profit entity
Let’s Dance Host Band Leader
John Smith and Shananigans Big Band, DeKalb, IL.
E john@justmakeithappen-dekalb.com
DL 815-758- 1093
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