Dancing Trombonist Goes Viral (Again) for Stealing the Show at Wedding: 'Absolute Diva' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Dancing trombonist Jonathan Arons steals the show at a wedding.Photo:Jonathan Arons

Jonathan Arons

It’s normal to hire a band for a wedding. But it’s not-so-normal for the trombonist to play while doing the splits or to gallop atop his instrument like it’s a horse.

“Imagine hiring a band for your wedding and getting this absolute DIVA,” wedding attendee Carlie Dreux Lenskold captioned a video compilation of Arons' wild performance in which he danced and played the trombone while on his back, feet and nearly every other body part.

“I always give 110% whether it’s a wedding, backing up a major artist, performing my solo show, or jamming in the street with buskers,” Arons tells PEOPLE. “I maintain my energy with diet and exercise, but also because I believe in the power of music.”

The party began with the DJ spinning remixes of Bee Gees' “More Than a Woman” and George Benson’s “Gimme the Night.” After playing some Millennial and GenZ crowd favorites, there was a strong set of ’90s music, including hits from the Backstreet Boys. At one point, Arons sang along to Rik Rok and Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me.”

“The crowd was amazing,” Arons recalls. “They came to party and have a good time. That means different things to different people. They just happened to be a little on the wild side, and all for it haha.”

When things winded down, Arons played more laid-back country music. But he never lost his high energy.

“Every time I perform is a declaration of war againstSaturday Night Live,Napoleon Dynamite, and Jim Carrey dancing tropes that you can be as shamelessly soulful and rhythmic as you want to be, if you own your experience and struggle regardless of the type,” Arons says. “Because at the end of the day it’s music and art that brings people together for a feeling, not a product, nor belief system.”

He has additionally appeared onSteve Harvey’s Big Time Challenge,The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, andLate Night with Jimmy Fallonas the “dancing trombonist!” Last year, he played a lot with the brass bandTriad Brassand they even won “best subway act” onGood Morning Americafor their choreography and arrangement of The Weather Girls' “It’s Raining Men.”

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For others hoping to be the life of the party, Arons' advice is simple.

“You don’t have to be drunk or high to let your freak flag fly when you’re around people you love, or you love what you do, or you leave it ALL out on the dance floor,” he says. “It’s primal if you let it be. You just have to let go of your self consciousness, and really become whoever you want to be when that beat drops.”

Arons is currently performing group and solo gigs, and is also a part ofDon Casino Entertainmentfor headlining on cruise ships. Like they did last year, Arons and the Triad Brass will return to Times Square on New Year’s Eve fora special street performanceto ring in the new year.

“It’s been and continues to be a wild journey,” Arons says.

source: people.com