Dance Suite by Chris Carmean

Dance Suite is a set of six short pieces inspired by ballroom dance styles. The movements present a variety of musical styles and opportunity for exposure to the music, movement, and culture behind each dance style. Each movement provides each player an opportunity to perform various roles within the ensemble, so no one gets stuck just playing an accompaniment part. The four parts present a range of difficulty levels so that a group of four players with varying abilities are able to perform together. Several movements provide an opportunity to learn about relative and parallel minor scales, and each movement utilizes some extended technique, including playing with the handles of the mallets and playing with dead strokes. Students will be excited to perform any movement of the Dance Suite, and audience members will have trouble sitting still in their seats!