With two days left, there’s still time to join the thousands of students and musicians flocking to the University of Idaho for the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival.

Entering day three of the four-day event, the festival still has plenty to offer in terms of workshops, concerts and other special events.

“… The community support for the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival is incredibly strong,” said Chloe Rambo, marketing coordinator for the event.

A showing of “Girls in the Band,” an award-winning documentary, will take place at 12:30 p.m. today on the UI campus.

The documentary covers some of the untold stories of female jazz musicians and the struggles with racism and sexism many had to endure as performers.

Those interested in dancing, or learning how to, will find a large selection of workshops available over the next two days.

“Dance is an expression of the arts with the body, while jazz is an expression of the arts with an instrument. Both expressions use the heart, soul and mind in incredible ways,” Rambo said.

Christa Davis, an assistant professor of kinesiology at Lewis-Clark State College, will host a dance workshop focusing on krumping at 9:30 a.m. today.

Krumping originated in Los Angeles more than 20 years ago, Davis said, and has since become a way for youth to process complex emotions without turning to gang involvement.

Individual krump dancers “battle” each other in ways that are distinctly their own, and the focus is more on intensity than technique, Davis said.

“It’s about being comfortable and confident – trying to leave self-consciousness at the door and leaving it all on the dance floor,” she said.

There’s a misconception surrounding krumping, that it’s an angry movement, but there’s no violence allowed during dance battles, Davis said.

“The original intent was aimed to provide youth a way to ‘show their skills’ – something to feel good or confident about, for youth to express difficult things and heal,” she said.

The festival will come to a close at 10:15 p.m. Saturday with a special extravaganza featuring a number of famous jazz musicians.

“We’re bringing some of the country’s best jazz artists together on one stage for an incredible performance,” Rambo said.

The final concert will feature artists such as Stefon Harris, Tia Fuller, Ken Peplowski, and the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival Big Band.

In a press release, Steven Remington, the festival executive director, said the festival committee has been putting together the grand finale for months, working hard to have a high-quality lineup for the audience to enjoy.

“They see Moscow as a fantastically cultural city and love being an integral part of the artistic landscape on the Palouse,” Remington said in the press release.

Tickets to the event range from $20 – $50 and can be purchased at www.uidaho.edu/ticketoffice.

Despite an omission in the program, the Sesitshaya Marimba Ensemble will perform and offer a workshop called “African Roots Music” as part of the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival tomorrow from 10-11:15 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Moscow.

Sesitshaya Marimba Ensemble is an all-women music group that performs in and around the Pullman-Moscow area under the instruction of two musicians from Zimbabwe, and has done so for more than a dozen years, ensemble member Kathy Dawes said.

This is Sesitshaya’s sixth year hosting the workshop as part of the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival.

Sesitshaya has a collection of marimbas, both from Africa and the Pacific Northwest.

“The keys are made of an African soft wood,” Dawes said, “They are very temperamental to weather changes and must be retuned occasionally.”

Sesitshaya will perform a multitude of marimba pieces originating from locations such as Zimbabwe, Kenya and South Africa, and discuss the historical and rhythmic aspects.

Many of these African tunes would be turned into jazz hits by artists such as Louis Armstrong, Herb Alpert and Hugh Masekela, Dawes said.

The workshop will explore African roots of jazz through song, dance, presentation, and performance. It is very interactive, and near the conclusion, audience members will be invited to learn how to play a song on the marimba and get the chance to play along with Sesitshaya, Dawes said.

The performance and workshop are free and open to the public.

As the jazz festival enters the swing of things it brings with it an energy that radiates into the entire community, Davis said.

“Students skip school to perform or attend classes; professional performers converse with wide-eyed dreamers, seeking insight and inspiration, coffee houses become jazz clubs – it’s almost magical,” she said.

For more information on concert tickets, workshop themes and times, as well as a full-program guide, visit http://www.uidaho.edu/jazzfest.