Dance Mix

Saturday, October 11, 2025 – 2:00 PM @ St. Andrew UMC, Highlands Ranch

The Colorado Wind Ensemble invites you to get moving with Dance Mix, a vibrant, genre-hopping celebration of rhythm, movement, and joy.

Taking the stage on Saturday, October 11, this concert is a kaleidoscope of styles. Whether you’re tapping your toes or simply soaking in the groove, Dance Mix promises a performance that’s as colorful as it is compelling.

About the Program

This show is all about movement! Expect a high-energy lineup that fuses tradition with innovation, nostalgia with surprise.

Overture for Band – John Heins
A bold and energetic concert opener featuring vibrant contemporary harmonies and engaging rhythms across the ensemble. With driving brass, soaring woodwinds, and lyrical solos for flute, oboe, and clarinet, it builds from a striking fanfare to a dynamic finish.

Danceries (Set I) – Kenneth Hesketh
Drawing inspiration from medieval and renaissance dance forms, Hesketh reimagines them with rich orchestration and rhythmic drive. The melodies themselves are a mixture of new and old. Where the old occurs, it has been adapted in mood and composition and is often interspersed with completely new material. The harmonies and rhythms bring a breath of the new into these themes and add to the drama of the set.

Grainger Set: Children’s March & Gumsucker’s March – Percy Grainger
Grainger’s whimsical, characterful marches are full of heart and humor. Children’s March—Grainger’s first original work for band—is playful and bright. Gumsucker’s March is a nod to Australians from Grainger’s home state of Victoria, where residents would often suck the leaves of gum trees to stay cool in the summer.

Masquerade – Anna Clyne / arr. Dennis Llinas
A dazzling contemporary work inspired by the vibrant costumes and characters of 18th-century pleasure gardens, Masquerade is full of surprises, from unexpected harmonic turns to bursts of percussion and color.

Tahiti Trot – Shostakovich / arr. Brubaker
Borrowing melodic material from “Tea for Two,” Dmitri Shostakovich’s Tahiti Trott explores the familiar tune in a variety of settings based upon the characteristic fox trot form. Published originally in 1926, the creation was a challenge issued by conductor Nickolai Malko to orchestrate it in less than an hour. Leaving time for a cup of tea, Shostakovich completed it in 45 minutes!

Samba Magic – Basement Jaxx / arr. Sadler
Closing the show with pure party energy, this dancefloor hit by electronic duo Basement Jaxx gets a bold band makeover. Latin beats, funky grooves, and technicolor orchestration turn the concert hall into a samba celebration.

🎟️ Join Us!

🗓️ Saturday, October 11, 2025
🕢 2:00 PM
📍  St. Andrew United Methodist Church, Highlands Ranch (9203 S University Blvd, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126)