22 of the Valley’s Best Bands, Benefiting the RED HOT BALLROOM After School Program
THIS SUNDAY, December 28th 11:00 am – 9 pm, $10 @ Door
By Lisa Morgan
The Indio Performing Arts Center is teaming up with Red Hot Ballroom, Inc. to benefit children in the afterschool “Red Hot Ballroom” Dance Program. On Sunday, December 28th, they will be hosting a “Red Hot Battle of the Bands” competition featuring 22 of Coachella Valley’s best rock, pop, country, salsa, and big bands. The show begins at 11 am in three different theaters, with awards announced at 8:45 pm. Bruce Fessier, long-time supporter of local arts and entertainment here in the desert, and popular writer for the Desert Sun, will be the guest MC for the awards. First Prize is $1000 along with a paid booking, second prize is $500 and third prize is $250. But perhaps, more importantly to some of these bands than the cash, is the opportunity to showcase their music for a possible shot at playing solo at the IPAC or many other high profile venues in the valley.
The event is open to the public, who can drop-in all day from 11:00 am to 8:30 pm. The $10 entry at the door not only gives you the opportunity to listen to your choice of bands, but you will receive 10 tickets to use to vote for the band/bands of your choice. A wristband will be given that allows guests to come and go throughout the day, and additional tickets for votes can be purchased for $1 each. Pizza, beer, wine, and soda will be available for purchase on site.
The mission of the Indio Performing Arts Center is to provide a creative environment that promotes awareness and education in the performing arts for Indio and its surrounding communities. Those who serve on the board for the IPAC “believe that the arts are the fulfillment of human aspirations,” so they provide a variety of affordable entertainment events for all audiences that encourage community participation and stimulate educational programs for young people. “The Red Hot Battle of the Bands is a great event that Traci Kaylor (chairperson for Red Hot Ballroom and vocalist in the band Trill) has put together as a fund raiser for Red Hot Ballroom, the after school dance program,” shared Peter Aaronson, IPAC CEO and Executive Director. “I look forward to people coming and checking out all the local music talent that the Coachella Valley has to offer, and vote for their favorite band.”
“Red Hot Ballroom” is a non-profit volunteer organization operated by local desert residents who love ballroom dancing. The program provides healthy physical activity for 4th through 6th grade students in all three Unified School Districts in the Coachella Valley. The program teaches students poise, social skills, and respect while learning to ballroom dance. It has the added benefit of improving a student’s self-esteem, which helps them deal with peer pressure and in interacting with others. Red Hot Ballroom is serving over 1,000 students in the 2014-2015 school year. “The development of these social skills are tools these children will be able to use their entire lives,” shared Kaylor.
Volunteers for Red Hot Ballroom go to the participating elementary schools and help the afterschool teachers teach their students Ballroom and Latin dancing. They also raise funds to purchase ballroom dance outfits and shoes for every child in the program. Most of the students in the afterschool program are Title I students, which means their family income is at or below the Federal poverty guideline.
At the end of the school year the volunteers put on a ballroom dance competition:
Coachella Valley Unified School District – Saturday May 2nd, 2015 at Desert Mirage High School
86150 Ave. 66, Thermal, CA 9:30 to 1 pm
Palm Springs Unified School District – Saturday May 9th, 2015 at Palm Springs High School
2401 E. Baristo Rd., Palm Springs, CA 9:30 to 1 pm
Desert Sands Unified School District – Saturday May 16th, 2015 at Shadow Hills High School
39225 Jefferson St., Indio, CA 9:30 to 1 pm
These ballroom finals, which are free to the public, provide each student participating with a commemorative medallion. Trophies are given to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers in each of the five dances that are taught during the school year including the Waltz, Tango, Salsa, Cha Cha, and Swing.
Providing the dance instruction, dance outfits and shoes, and to put on the dance finals, costs $75,000 per year, which is raised through fundraising events like the Red Hot Battle of the Bands, throughout the school year. Red Hot Ballroom, Inc. also receives financial support from the Anderson Children’s Foundation, which provides a $25,000 grant, and from Riverside County Supervisor John Benoit, who provides them with a Community Enrichment Grant of $4,500.
For more information on the afterschool Red Hot Ballroom Program, to donate or to become a volunteer, please call Bob Horn, President Red Hot Ballroom, at 760-413-3593.
The Indio Performing Arts Center is located at 45-175 Fargo St in downtown Indio.
Local bands participating:
Main Hall:
Bridger
R Buckle Road
Waxy
Machin’
Tribe O
Caxton
Moon Baby
Cabaret Theater:
Elektric Lucie
OGR (Old Guys Rule) Band
Mighty Delta Tones
Wyldsky
Refills
Kyd Icarus
TRILL
212
Village Theater:
Radio 60
Bone Thumpers
Art of Sax
Fiesty Joe
Kill the Radio
Sweat Act
Alyce Bowie
