A renowned Washington, D.C.-based band will provide '30s- and '40s-era music Saturday night for an upbeat installment of Late Night Penn State with an open swing dance featuring the Brooks Tegler Big Band.

Sponsored by the Penn State Swing Dancing Club, the musical event welcomes anyone who wants to get their swing on.

Members of the club are excited they were able to snag such an impressive band, club president Sheri Kayam (junior-computer science) said.

"Normally, we don't get bands this big," she said. "But this is a special occasion."

John Harlow, assistant director of student activities, said the combination of opportunity and money allowed them to book this "gold mine."

"They are one of the best big bands on the East Coast," he said.

Brooks Tegler, who doubles as bandleader and drummer, said the band splits its gigs between swing-dance-era tributes and World War II-period concerts.

For swing dances such as Saturday's performance, tunes by big band legends like Duke Ellington and Count Basie are set staples, Tegler said. However, the band occasionally slips in a few songs from the '50s and '60s.

"We're not a bunch of sleepy, old buzzards who just go through the motions," Tegler said. "The music is quite danceable."

Full-time and professional, the 18-piece band features the regular big band instruments, a couple of singers and even an emcee.

Don't know how to swing dance? No problem.

"We cater to people of all levels of dancing," Kayam said.