Morgan Cafferata grew up in the occupied coastal territory of the Wabanaki. Most often, Morgan can be found cultivating crops or raising livestock. They also enjoy partner dancing of many flavors, playing tabletop games, and exploring Maine’s inland watersheds by canoe.
Mike’s family is from Aroostook County, and he was raised in Southern Maine. He loved the square and contra dance lessons in elementary school gym class, but it was uncool—especially for the boys—to show any interest. In college he began living out his passion for traditional music, attending coffee houses in Boston and Portland, Oregon and tuning in to local public radio stations. Entering the dance scene was more challenging, as it was uncommon then for openly gay men to be involved, and he lived many years in Germany where there were no dances. Following his husband’s retirement, the couple looked for a place to move on the Maine coast with their cat. A big draw to Belfast was BFS and the many opportunities in the area to support traditional music and dance.
Alessandra Martinelli arrived in Maine to attend University 18 years ago and has never looked back. For over 12 years, Alessandra has been living, working, and raising her family in the greater Belfast community, where she developed a deep passion for and commitment to the cooperative model. She currently shares her co-op experience and knowledge with the world as the Outreach Coordinator for the Belfast Community Co-op, after serving on the Board of Directors for 6 years, during which time she held the office of president for 2 years. She believes that the cooperative structure has the remarkable ability to bring people together and bind them to a common cause. In her free time, Alessandra loves to read, knit, build Legos with her kids, and is currently teaching herself to sew.
Ethan is a recent transplant to Midcoast Maine by way of Maine Fiddle Camp and the Gawler Family. He has been playing, dancing, and teaching folk music for the last four years, in both private lessons, school settings, and venues around Maine (more here). He takes particular delight in connecting young folks with traditional dance and music in the Belfast Adventure Education Program, the Sweetland School in Hope, and elementary schools in RSU71. He’s thrilled to be stepping into a contributing role with Flying Shoes, and helping grow and develop the school and community outreach of this joyous crew.
Margo Burnham’s first contra dance was in the Eli Whitney Barn in New Haven, CT in 1991, and she was completely won over–particularly at the moment when two lines of four passed through each other and stumbled into novice dancer oblivion and hysterical laughter. Years later, she renewed her love of this and many other forms of social dance, and enjoyed endless hours dancing at Glen Echo Park in MD and various contra dance weekends. As a new Mama a decade ago, she and husband Kenneth Kornfield found family dance camps on both coasts. More recently Margo’s been drawn to clogging and tap dance each summer at Pinewoods Family Camp in MA. Best of all is now living in the “danceshed” of Belfast Flying Shoes!