The Monadnock Folklore Society presents the Peterborough First Saturday Contra Dance on Sept. 7 featuring Dereck Kalish calling with the band Cloud Ten.
Contra dance is a fun, easy style of folk dance which has flourished in New England since the 1700s. Partners form lines and dance a short sequence of steps with their neighbors. Over the course of the dance, each couple travels the length of the line and dances with every other couple. Dancers are welcome to bring a partner or a group of friends but it’s not necessary – traditionally, dancers are encouraged to change partners throughout the evening.
Caller Dereck Kalish specializes in teaching dances that are fun for all, whether brand-new to dancing or a long-time contra dancer.
The band Cloud Ten is Cedar Stanistreet, fiddle; Donal Sheets, guitar and cello; Arthur Davis, piano, banjo, trumpet; and Ness Smith-Savedoff on drums. Cedar Stanistreet is well versed in both traditional fiddle and classical violin. He studied violin performance at the Crane School of Music, and violin-making at the North Bennet Street School. Donal Sheets played jazz bass and classical cello from a very young age and has spent many years playing American and Irish folk music on cello and a variety of other instruments.
The dancing begins at 8 p.m. The dance also hosts a free jam session for beginning and intermediate musicians at 6:30 p.m. and a workshop for new dancers at 7:30 p.m.
Admission is $10 or $7 for students and seniors.
The dance takes place in the historic Town House in Peterborough, at 1 Grove Street. For more information call 603.762.0235 or visit www.monadnockfolk.org. The Monadnock Folklore Society has presented contra dances and concerts of traditional music since 1982.