Students, their families and alumni laced up their dance shoes and headed to the annual Jazz Cabaret and Swing Dance on the evening of March 1.

Hosted by the music department and Saratoga Music Boosters, the event showcased the Jazz Bands I and II, the Men and Women’s Choir, Concert Choir, the Redwood Middle School Jazz Band and Footnotes Jazz, a professional jazz group.

Students and parent volunteers decorated the Small Gym with lights and cleared room to create a spacious dance floor. The night also featured an all-you-can-eat refreshment bar with hors d'oeuvres and sweets.

Sophomore saxaphone player Uday Singh said “the never-ending dessert bar could not be resisted.” Many students praised the delicious goods and said it was one of the main reasons they attended.

The various music groups performed jazz tunes the entire night, including popular tunes like “Birdland” and “A Riff in Time.”

This year, Jazz Cab also featured the Footnotes Jazz Band. Recommended for the event by history teacher Kirk Abe, the band performed while student musicians took a break. Singh was glad he and the other student musicians “got a glimpse of a professional jazz band.”

Attendees spun, kicked and swung with friends to upbeat jazz tunes, as if time had travelled back to the 1920s. Unlike other school dances, the Jazz Cabaret encourages students to try a new style of dance. The Cabaret is known for being a casual and carefree gathering, and it attracts many students who do not enjoy regular school dances.

Freshman Megana Saripella enjoyed the music and food but especially enjoyed “dressing up for the event with her friends.”

The event turned out to be a huge success and enjoyable to all ages. The Jazz Cabaret will continue to be one of the highlights of the year.