Calendar

2024

Belfast Flying Shoes programs, below, w/ details on our monthly dances, weekly Radio Hour and First Friday Sponsors

Looking for more music & dance?!?  Check the DownEast Friends of the Folk Arts online calendar ~ deffa.org/events/

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First Friday Dance DETAILS:

SCHEDULE:

  • 6:00 pm ~ Musicians Warmup ~ Tunes on the All Comers Band page
  • 6:30-7:30 pm ~ Community Dance ~ Lisa Newcomb & Chrissy Fowler calling with the All Comers Band, led by Benjamin Foss & Willy Clemetson ~ Community Dance admission is $1 kids, $2 adults
  • 8:00-11:00 pm ~ Contra Dance ~ We use the terms lark and robin to identify the dance roles. (More on roles, here.) ~ Contra Dance Admission is $20 – $15 (a sliding scale lets us cover expenses & compensate performers; please pay as much as you can!)

LOCATION:   First Church in Belfast UCC, 8 Court St, Belfast (enter via Spring St)

POLICIES:     See Community Care Policy and First Friday FAQ ~ BFS programs are chem free (please be sober) ~ Stay home if you don’t feel well

SPONSORS:  Artisan Builders, Belfast Community Co-op, Colburn Shoe Store, Daisychain Farm, First National Bank, Grace Chiropractic, The Green Store, Searsport Shores Oceanfront Camping, Thomas Fowler PE, Trillium Caterers, and Worth Real Estate

EVERYONE IS WELCOME at this two-part monthly dance series. From neophytes to lifelong participants, and so many other demographic variations, we all collaborate to make this community-building participatory arts program a joyful success. See you at the dance!

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BFS Programs (& BFS-sponsored Events)

2024

MARCH 15, Friday ~ OH! Flying Shoes! ~ Special 3rd Friday dance while the Brooks dance is on winter break ~ Program partnership with the Rockport Opera House and the Town of Rockport

6pm All Comers Band Warmup | 6:30-7:30 Community Dance: Chrissy Fowler calling with the All Comers Band | 8-11 pm Contra Dance: Lisa Greenleaf calling with Eloise & Co. (Becky Tracy – fiddle; Rachel Bell – accordion; Bethany Waickman – guitar).  $15 – 25 sliding scale admission. The Rockport Opera House is at 6 Central St in Rockport. Come let your shoes fly at this special program in a gorgeous & historic hall on the harbor in the coastal village of Rockport!  (*for folks only attending community dance, it’s $1kids/$2adults) 

MARCH 16, Saturday ~ DownEast Country Dance Festival ~ The return of DECDF! A full day of dancing and performances in Topsham. Featured performers are Lisa Greenleaf w/ Eloise & Co. and Hannah Chamberlain w/ Benjamin Foss, Bennett Konesni & Noah Fishman. Details: deffa.org/festival/

MARCH 17, Sunday ~ DECDF “Survivor’s Dance” ~ 1-4pm at the Topsham Grange with Eloise & Co and Lisa Greenleaf. Details: deffa.org/festival/

MARCH 24, Sunday ~ Armenian / Eastern European Folk Dance ~ Special program of folk dancing led by Carolyn Rapkievian, with music and singing by Kotwica,  3:00 – 5:00 pm at the UU Church, 37 Miller St, Belfast. Admission $15-20 sliding scale. ~ Program partnership with the Makers Guild of Maine

Carolyn is a skilled and gracious teacher who grew up dancing at Armenian picnics and studied many forms of international folk dance (especially Armenian, Russian, and Ukrainian traditions). The members of Kotwica are David Rapkievian (band leader) – violin, oud, balalaika; Anne Tatgenhorst (vocal director) – vocals; Carolyn Rapkievian (dance leader) – guitar, percussion; Kevin Stone – button accordion; David Quinby – bass; Eloise Schultz – vocals; and Frances Stockman – vocals.

APRIL 5 ~ First Friday Dances ~ (Scroll up for details) The contra dance features Hannah Chamberlain calling, with music by SpringTide (Willy Clemetson, Elsie Gawler & Ethan Tischler) and Alex Hennings on sound.

MAY 3 ~ First Friday Dances ~ (Scroll up for details) The contra dance features Lisa Greenleaf calling, with music by Julie Metcalf & Larry Unger.

MAY 4, Saturday ~ Contra Caller Workshop ~ A convivial session for contra dance leaders to geek out and learn together, facilitated by Lisa Greenleaf. At Belfast Social Capital, on Spring St in Belfast. Details to come.

JUNE 7 ~ First Friday Dances ~ (Scroll up for details) The contra dance features George Marshall calling, with music by Calico (Eric Boodman, Jesse Ball & Casey Murray).

JUNE 20, Thursday ~ Footbridge Dance ~ Program partnership with the Belfast Parks & Recreation Department ~ Community dance on the Armistice Footbridge. Fiddle tunes, participatory dance, and the Solstice sunshine sparkling on the waters of the Passagassawakeag River, Belfast Harbor, and Penobscot Bay. What could be finer!?! Details to come.

JULY 5 ~ First Friday Dances ~ (Scroll up for details) The contra dance features Chrissy Fowler calling, with music by Cedar Stanistreet & Amy Englesberg.

JULY 28, Sunday ~ Armenian Picnic ~ Program partnership with the Makers Guild of Maine  ~ A cultural day of music, dance, food & community, featuring the Maine Kef Ensemble, Kotwica, and folk dance leader Carolyn Okoomian Rapkievian. At Searsport Shores Oceanfront Campground from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm.  Info and meal reservations at makersguildmaine.org/armenian-picnic/

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Every WEEK ~ Flying Shoes Radio Hour: 

An hour-long program that highlights the roots and branches of the contra dance music we love, here in Belfast and beyond; the musicians who play it with and for others; and the dancers of all ages that it inspires.

Every MONTH ~ “Flying Shoes First Fridays”

Participatory social dance programs (see info above). Supported in part by these fabulous First Friday Sponsors:

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Past Programs:

JAN 5 ~ First Friday Dances ~ (Scroll up for details) The contra dance features Chrissy Fowler calling, with music by Don & Cindy Roy (Don Roy, Cindy Roy & Jay Young) and John Pranio on sound.

FEB 2 ~ First Friday Dances ~ (Scroll up for details) The contra dance features Ben Sachs-Hamilton calling, with music by Starling (Mo Brachfeld & Jared Kirkpatrick).

MARCH 1 ~ First Friday Dances ~ (Scroll up for details) The contra dance features Chris Ricciotti calling, with music by Honey BEE (Benjamin Foss, Emily Troll, Eric Boodman) and Eric Johnson on sound.

MARCH 10, Sunday ~ Music and Movement in the Classroom ~ Chrissy Fowler leads a session at the 20th anniversary party for the Maine Association for the Education of Young Children (MaineAEYC.org) ~ 6:00 – 8:00 pm at Windham Middle School in Windham, ME ~ Join us for two-hours of joyful learning and community connection with networking and social opportunities, plus dancing and playing with your peers! 1-hour elective training certificate included; no cost to participate; register here.

See top of page for Upcoming Programs!