Belfast Flying Shoes and the Belfast Free Library present “Contra Connections”, a four-part series of documentaries related to contra dancing. Concluding the series on Wednesday, May 2, is What’s Not To Like?, a toe-tapping portrait of a monthly community dance series in Norwich, VT. Filmed and edited by David Millstone, the long-time caller for the series, the documentary gives viewers a taste of why one particular community gathers each month to play music and dance together.
Following the film, Chrissy Fowler, dance caller and Belfast Flying Shoes board member, will facilitate a live community conversation about our local first Friday dance series. According to Fowler, “Visiting callers, musicians, and dancers tell us that we have something special in Belfast, with our All-Comers Band and community dance followed by our contra dance. We’re eager to hear what folks right here have to say about our thriving traditional, participatory, social dance scene.” This snapshot of community and contra dance culture in Waldo County will be filmed and edited by Ned Lightner, of Insight Productions and BCTV2.
Belfast Flying Shoes has donated the four films in the series, along with three other documentaries connected to traditional New England social dancing, to the Belfast Free Library’s media collection.
“Contra Connections” is an outreach program of Belfast Flying Shoes, the non-profit arts organization that produces the first Friday community and contra dances in Belfast (pictured above). Additional support provided by the Belfast Free Library and a grant from the Maine Expansion Arts Fund of the Maine Community Foundation (mainecf.org). Each film begins at 6:00pm in the Abbott Room at the Belfast Free Library, 106 High Street in Belfast. For more info email [email protected].