It’s early June in Maine. The days are long and bright, the landscape is awash in color, school is out for the summer, and there are many Rays of Sunshine to acknowledge.
Passings:
We are saddened by the loss of two people who were blazing Rays of Sunshine in our music and dance community, but we are deeply grateful for their luminous impact in the world.
Loell Rodgers died on May 27. Loell was an always-beaming fiddler, horsewoman, outdoors enthusiast, regular BFS All Comers Band musician, and dedicated member of the Belfast Bay Fiddlers who played for countless dances to culminate BFS school residencies. Her smile lit up a room and lifted people’s spirits just as much as her music did. Read more about Loell’s vibrant life here.
David Kaynor died on June 1. David was an influential fiddler, composer, caller, and dance organizer from Montague MA. Among other things, he was an inspiration for the BFS co-founders. Read more about David in this recent memorial, in this BFS blog post, and in our tribute in honor of the CDSS Lifetime Contribution Award he received in April.
BFS Music and Dance Programs:
As we begin to emerge from pandemic conditions, we’re fielding this heartfelt inquiry from many of our dear community members: When will the first Friday BFS dances start up again? The BFS Board’s answer is: We don’t know. But, we’re definitely talking about it and thinking about it – a lot. We do know that we want the returning First Friday Series to retain the inclusive and welcoming spirit that has been a hallmark of those dances since 2005, and we’ll keep you posted as soon as we have anything to report.
In the meantime, we’re partnering with Belfast Parks & Recreation and the Belfast Bay Fiddlers to launch a new series in July!
“Sundays in the Park” (SiP):
Each glorious event in this new BFS program will have four fabulous facets:
- music workshop led by Maine musicians, focusing on a distinctive branch of our contra dance music repertoire
- percussive dance workshop, to help us discover other ways for our shoes to fly
- concert and showcase, for our guest performers and workshop participants to strut their stuff
- open jam session, hosted by the Belfast Bay Fiddlers
We’re still polishing up those sparkling facets of SiP, and we’ll let you know all the delicious details soon!
Belfast Flying Shoes Radio Hour:
Last chance to stream the June 4th BFS Radio Hour on demand! This month’s show focused on tunes from Maine Fiddle Camp, and host Chrissy Fowler incorporated suggestions and stories from a merry band of MFC campers and staff. Scroll through the WBFY Short Term Archive until you see the Flying Shoes Radio Hour icon. You can always read the transcript, but the music is so rollicking, you really should get out your device and give yourself a treat while you’re washing dishes or transplanting your garden seedlings.