BELFAST– On Friday, Nov. 1 let your shoes fly at the monthly community dance & contra dance, an evening of incredible social connection and music, presented by Belfast Flying Shoes.
The intergenerational evening begins at 6 p.m., when the All Comers Band warms up and chooses tunes. The band is open to all ages, instruments, and skill levels; tunes are posted at belfastflyingshoes.org. The easy-to-learn community dance led by Chrissy Fowler and Lisa Newcomb starts at 6:30. Whirling around the floor are families, new folks, and longtime dancers.
This month, the 8 p.m. contra dance features exciting special guest musicians from County Clare in Ireland. Irish fiddler Denis Liddy, and New Hampshire native Elvie Miller on piano and accordion will anchor the band, and will be joined by musicians in Tigh na Coille, the Irish teen ensemble they’re touring with this fall.
Calling the contras is David Millstone, making a return visit to the Flying Shoes stage from his hometown of Lebanon, New Hampshire Besides sharing his talents at camps and weekends across the globe, Millstone is an avid dance historian. He co-founded The Square Dance History Project, gives presentations on the evolution of contra dance, and has created a timeline of dance bands in the US. His documentary videos about important figures in the dance world are available in the Belfast Free Library’s media collection.
The First Church is at 8 Court Street in Belfast. Admission is $15-20 for the whole evening. (Just the community dance is $1 kids/$2 adults.) For info, First Friday FAQ, and BFS Community Care Policy, visit www.belfastflyingshoes.org or contact [email protected].
Support for Belfast Flying Shoes is provided by the Green Store, Searsport Shores Oceanfront Camping, Belfast Community Co-op, and First National Bank, as well as other local sponsors, grantors, and individual contributors. Founded in 2005, Belfast Flying Shoes builds community and cultivates well-being through the joy of traditional music and dance for people of all backgrounds and identities in Midcoast Maine. Among its diverse programs, the nonprofit produces a concert series for older adults, “Sing Along and Tap Your Toes”.
