Contra Dance & Waltz Workshop

The public is invited to warm up for Valentine’s Day this Friday, Feb. 13, with an evening of dancing for all at the Lewiston Public Library’s Callahan Hall.

Performing a selection of lilting waltzes and lively jigs-&-reels will be Miss Molly & the Good Golly Orchestra, featuring fiddler extraordinaire Molly Gawler backed up by a multi-age ensemble including additional fiddlers as well as guitar,  banjo, mandolin, spoons and bodhran (Irish hand drum).

The evening begins with a Family Barn Dance at 6:30, followed by an Intro-to-Waltz workshop at 7:30, and a Contra Dance from 8-10:30 p.m.

Presiding over the festivities will be dance teacher and caller Cindy Larock, who extends an enthusiastic welcome to all ages to get in on the fun. “No prior dance experience is necessary,” she says. “Folks can attend either with or without a partner. It’s great exercise, and in honor of Valentine’s Day we’re offering a special bonus lesson in the basics of waltzing which will have people happily gliding around the room within a half hour.”

She points out that there will also be seating available for those who prefer to just listen to the music, tap their feet, and cheer on the dancers.

To keep the event affordable to all, admission to the family dance is just $2 for adults and $1 for youth (including students up to age 22), and admission to the full evening is only $5, or $3 for students.

The event is co-sponsored by the Lewiston Public Library and the Maine Folque Co-op, a local grassroots initiative dedicated to celebrating Maine’s cultural heritage by bringing the generations together through traditional music and dance.

More information is available by calling 207-782-0386 or visiting the Co-op’s website at www.MaineFolqueCo-op.com .