Lexington, SC 10/5/2021 —Lexington United Methodist Church invites you to a night of music and dance to support Mission Lexington from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on October 25, 2021 at Lexington United Methodist Church’s Wesley Hall. Tickets for the Big Band Dance are $10 and can be purchased at https://missionlexingtonsc.org/.
The Big Band Dance will include performances from The Charlie Gatch Big Band, The Swing Set Band, and demonstrations of ballroom and shag by local dancer, Tracy Steele and his team. The dress code for this event is dressy casual. Desserts and refreshments are available for purchase.
"Partnerships with our churches are vital to our mission,” says Executive Director Robin Bowers. “All proceeds of this event will impact the basic needs of some of our Lexington neighbors who are in crisis."
Organized in the 1950s, the Charlie Gatch Big Band is composed of sixteen musicians and features two singers. Formerly known as the Jimmy Farr Orchestra, the ensemble is led by LUMC member and retired principal of Lexington Middle School, Charles Gatch. Attendees can expect performances of songs from the 40’s and 50’s of the traditional big band era, favorites from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, and of course, classic beach music. The Charlie Gatch Big Band continues the tradition of the Jimmy Farr Orchestra of performing for Governor McMaster’s inaugural ball.
The Swing Set Band is a nine-member variety band that plays similar music as the Charlie Gatch Big Band, but emphasizes more up-to-date music and rock and roll. Over the last ten or more years this band has performed for dances, wedding receptions, and other events from North Carolina to Texas.
Tracy Steele, former member of LUMC, has been a professional ballroom dance instructor for twenty years. Steele has taught and competed in over fifteen types of partnered dance, such as waltz, tango, salsa, and swing. He has performed in and or choreographed over fifty productions for various Columbia theaters. Steele will be choreographing Town Theater's production of “Jekyll & Hyde” this Spring.
