Dancin' into the '20s (A Ragtime Dance Music Revue): Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Hunsberger has curated a genuine slice of American dance and theater history here, and the variety keeps every section engaged. The fact that pieces can stand alone or function as a complete revue gives you real flexibility in programming without forcing a all-or-nothing commitment to the full compilation.

The energy of a vaudeville house mixed with the precise, syncopated swagger of early ragtime. This is dance music written for bodies in motion, with orchestrations that sparkle and drive without losing sight of the idiom's theatrical roots.

Concert bands at the intermediate to advanced level who want to program American theatrical music from the turn of the twentieth century. Directors seeking repertoire that balances educational value with genuine theatrical appeal will find this collection especially rewarding.

• Balance the rhythmic energy across the band. Ragtime writing often pulls orchestral weight toward the lower voices and brass; ensure your woodwinds sit above the texture rather than getting buried.
• Pay attention to the character distinctions between the one-two steps (marked as more energetic and forceful) and the waltz movements (which require greater lilt and rubato). These are not interchangeable.
• Use the printed parts to identify exposed melodic lines and soloistic passages typical of the era. Ragtime articulation should be crisp and dance-oriented rather than symphonic.

Program individual pieces as concert openers or pops-style moments during a formal concert, or assemble the full revue as a thematic second half that celebrates American musical theater history. The variety of pieces and styles makes this especially effective for spring concerts or ensemble festivals.

• Ragtime rhythm and syncopation specific to early 20th-century dance music
• Orchestral balance and texture in wind band settings
• Distinguishing and executing contrasting articulation styles (energetic one-two step versus lyrical waltz)
• Reading period-appropriate markings and stylistic conventions from transcribed orchestral scores
• Ensemble cohesion in music designed for theatrical clarity rather than symphonic blending