DeKALB | The NIU Jazz Orchestra will be performing its second annual Swing Dance concert where the audience will be able to dance along to some of the greats like the “Rat Pack,” singer Frank Sinatra and jazz pianist Count Basie.

Old fashioned jazz and swing music and some of the classic songs the jazz orchestra will be playing includes “In The Mood” by Glenn Miller and “Sing Sing Sing” by Benny Goodman.

The concert is 6 p.m. Sunday in the Holmes Student Center, Duke Ellington Ballroom.

“People can sit and just enjoy it or they can get up and dance,” said Tina Zemzemi, office support specialist for the School of Music.

The Jazz Orchestra is a student jazz ensemble and for a long time has been considered to be one of the best college jazz bands in the world, according to the School of Music’s ensembles page.

Jazz Orchestra director Reginald “Reggie” Thomas, associate professor and coordinator of jazz studies, is also a professional musician who performs with the Count Basie Orchestra. Thomas wants the event to be an opportunity for young people to experience old fashioned swing dance music and dance along with it.

Thomas said some students attending the concert even helped teach others how to do basic swing dance steps. He wants people to be all out on the floor dancing to live swing music and having fun, much like swing concerts were in the old days.

“Last year’s event was called ‘Let’s Swing Dance,’ and had a nice response,” Thomas said.

He said the event last year wasn’t the first time NIU had a concert with swing dance music, However, he is calling this year’s concert “second annual” because he wants to make the concert a yearly event.

“I want to be able to get the community to our concert,” Thomas said. “The whole purpose is for it to be fun.”

Tickets will be available at the door and will cost $3 for students, $5 for seniors and $8 for general admission.