This show features not one, but two bands: Don't Tell Dan and The Rubin Brothers!
Don’t Tell Dan was formed by all former students of Dan Gabel’s and the Worcester Youth Orchestras program. This young, versatile, and talented group has a fresh and danceable sound with a large repertoire. Fronted by bassist/vocalist Ava Johnson, the group features brothers Zac and Jake Brennan, Dominic Porcelli on drums, and Ash Norris on keys. Who knows, they may even have a special guest joining them, but, shh! Don’t tell Dan!
Making their Savoy Night debut, The Rubin Brothers present an evening of classic swing and holiday dance music! Complete with their trademark humorous stage antics and a dance competition, they’ll be joined by talented pianist Nika Ko and the inimitable Dan Gabel on drums to make an evening of merriment you won’t forget!
Warning: Your toes will start tapping and you may feel an urge to dance on the shiny new wooden floor in the beautiful ballroom!
Dance lesson
Want to learn how to swing dance? We got you. We start the evening with an introductory lindy hop dance lesson, available to those who sign up, from 6 to 7pm.
We will get you up and dancing with an introduction to basic lindy hop six-count and eight-count footwork patterns, partner connection, and moving between open and closed position. The aim of this lesson is to give you the tools you need to express yourself to the music and have fun in a dance partnership. No partner required to join the lesson. Dancers will be required to wear a mask while dancing.
Mix-and-match Lindy hop contest!
As the contest begins, leaders and followers will be matched up by picking a name out of a hat. Each pair of dancers will then improvise a social dance to a short recording of uptempo swing music. Judges will be looking for connection between partners, technique, musicality, creativity, and a playful exchange of ideas. We make no attempt to define “lindy hop”, and welcome the incorporation of fresh moves into this dance style, in keeping with its heritage in the Savoy Ballroom of Harlem in the 1930’s and 1940’s, where the original Lindy hoppers would always be up to new shenanigans! (Air steps are not allowed, sorry.)
After the first round, two couples will be chosen to dance it out for first prize in the final round to live music. The final round will occur later in the second live set. The two winning contestants—the leader and the follower in the winning couple—both earn their very own choice of dance shoes from Teddy Shoes!
If you are entering the dance contest, be sure to buy the ticket associated with the role you wish to compete in. Please buy a "Mix-and-match lindy hop contest" ticket for the role you wish to compete in (lead or follow). Contest ticket price includes entry to the show. If you are competing, please arrive at the ballroom by 7:00pm. The first round of the contest will be around 8:30pm.
Presented by The American Big Band Preservation Society, Inc.
Safe Space Policy
Savoy Night is dedicated to providing a harassment-free event experience for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, dance skill level, or dance role. We do not tolerate harassment of event participants in any form. Event participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the event without a refund at the discretion of the event organizers or the course instructors.
Examples of harassment include, but are not limited to:
- Offensive verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, dance skill level, or dance role
- Sustained disruption of events or unwelcome sexual attention
- Inappropriate physical contact
- Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following
Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately.
If a participant engages in harassing behavior, the event/course instructors and organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, not limited to but including:
- Logging the incident in a written report
- Issuing a verbal and/or written warning to the offender
- A temporary or permanent expulsion from the Savoy Night classes and events
- Sharing we have issued an expulsion to other dance organizations in town
If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact an event organizer or a course instructor immediately, or email [email protected] if you'd prefer. Organizers and instructors will be happy to help participants contact local law enforcement, provide escorts, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe during our classes.
COVID-19 Warning
COVID-19 is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death. There is an inherent and elevated risk of exposure to COVID-19 in any public place or place where people are present and there is no guarantee, express or implied, that those attending an event at the Crystal Ballroom will not be exposed to COVID-19.
Health & Safety Rules
IMPORTANT: The rules for entry are subject to local mandates and therefore may vary from venue to venue. Individual events may have additional restrictions or requirements as determined by artists or promoter.
For all events, all attendees will be required to show evidence of their full vaccination against COVID-19 prior entering the venue.
"Full vaccination" means 14 days or more following the final dose of a US FDA approved or WHO recognized vaccine against COVID-19 (e.g., Moderna, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca/SK Bioscience, Serum Institute of India/COVISHIELD and Vaxzevria, Sinopharm, and Sinovac). Acceptable vaccination documentation may be either a physical copy of a COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card or a digital photo / copy of such card.
All attendees are required to wear a mask at all times except while eating or drinking. This will be strictly enforced.
Please arrive at the venue early, as entry lines may be longer than usual.
Fragrance Policy
A fragrance-controlled environment helps create a safe and healthy venue. Fragrances have been associated with adversely affecting a person’s health and can contribute to headaches, severe migraines, upper respiratory issues, shortness of breath, difficulty with concentration, and other painful symptoms.
Our goal is to be aware of and sensitive to the needs of community members who experience symptoms from added fragrance. In order to reasonably accommodate individuals who are medically sensitive to the chemicals in scented products, we request that you refrain from wearing scented products, including but not limited to colognes, after-shave lotions, perfumes, body/face lotions, hair spray or similar products. In addition, please refrain from using air fresheners, room deodorizers and scented cleaning products. We appreciate your cooperation with our efforts to minimize, to the extent possible the barriers and difficulties experienced in shared air by musicians, organizers, instructors, staff and volunteers, students, and general attendees subjected to chemical/fragrance sensitivities.
Attendee Promise & Health Acknowledgment
All attendees agree to follow venue policies (including health and safety policies) and posted instructions while at the venue. According to the CDC, older adults and people of all ages with serious underlying medical conditions may be at higher risk of death or severe illness from COVID-19. All attendees should evaluate their risk in determining whether to attend the event. By entering the venue, attendees voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and confirm that they will adhere to local quarantine mandates and the CDC quarantine requirements, available at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/quarantine.html.
