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29 February 2024
Katy Bishop, Editor
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Friday Night Folk Dancing
Arlington, MA
The leap year has given us an opportunity to enjoy Friday night folk dancing two weeks in a row! Come enjoy an evening together where we enjoy each other's company and - dare I say it - leap for joy!
--Marcie
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Victorian Ball
March 9, Berlin, MA
with Spare Parts and Chris Ricciotti
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The second annual Victorian Ball is coming up next weekend! We invite you to spend a fun-filled evening in the Victorian era, dancing the night away to the music of Spare Parts, enjoying great company, and feasting on scrumptious refreshments!
There will be an afternoon dance workshop starting at 1:00pm, led by the fabulous Chris Ricciotti, to run through the basics of the evening's dances. Chris will also call dances during the ball.
All are welcome; period dress is encouraged but not required. You can find more details and register in advance on the event page.
--Katy Bishop
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Waltz Weekend Workshops
March 22 - 24, Concord, MA
with Susan de Guardiola
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Today is the last day to get the early bird discount for the upcoming Waltz Weekend!
The weekend will feature a mix of cross-step and rotary waltz workshops as well as other selected dances from Susan's large and eclectic repertoire, creating a program full of variety and fun! Cross-step waltz is one of Susan's specialties.
See the Waltz Weekend website for details and to register. We look forward to seeing you on the dance floor!
--Diane Gonzales
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Balkan Music Night returns this year with its 35th edition, and we are thrilled with the lineup of talented musicians who will grace the stages at the Arts at the Armory in Somerville. Six hours of music and dancing, on two stages, in one beautiful venue!
Interested in being part of the effort?
Making Balkan Music Night happen requires hours of work before, during, and after the event. Work exchange for reduced or free admission is still possible. Please contact the FAC office via email - a Committee member will get back to you and tell you which volunteer jobs are still open.
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The Arts at the Armory is convenient to public transportation, and we encourage the use of the MBTA (both Green and Red lines have stations within a mile). The “Getting Here” page on the Armory website describes travel options in detail. The Balkan Music Night committee is also working on identifying additional parking lots for the event, and we will post that information soon on the “Location" page of our website.
With the fun less than three weeks away – now is the time to purchase your tickets, and benefit from the discounted rates! Visit our tickets page for prices, and on-line purchasing. For complete details, visit the Balkan Music Night website.
--Balkan Music Night Committee
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From the Executive Director | |
TODAY HAS BEEN AN AMAZING DAY | |
This extra day of the year kicked off magnificently this morning in the innocuous form of an email. It was just one of many awaiting my undivided attention, nestled among Balkan Music Night ticket orders, Mostly Waltz registrations, questions on a breathtaking array of subjects, and not-to-be-missed spam offers.
The news that caused me to abandon my coffee and sit quietly in a state of awe and gratitude for a prolonged period of time is this: an anonymous donor gifted the Folk Arts Center of New England $10,000.
This money, coming as it does when so many arts organizations are struggling financially in the post-pandemic world (and FAC is no exception), lifted a weight off my shoulders that I wasn't even fully aware was there. And the vote of confidence it transmitted - the message that FAC is doing a job worth doing, and doing it well - also warmed my soul on this windy and brisk February 29.
I will probably never know who gave FAC this extraordinary gift, but if you are reading this, please know that I speak for many and from the heart when I say the two little words that barely seem up to the task of expressing the extent of our appreciation: thank you.
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Special Events
Saturday, March 9: Victorian Ball with Spare Parts (Berlin, MA)
Saturday, March 16: Balkan Music Night (Somerville, MA)
March 22-24: Waltz Weekend with Susan de Guardiola (Concord, MA)
Dance & Music Series
Friday, March 1: Friday Night Folk Dancing (Arlington, MA)
Thursday, March 7: Thursday Night Folk Dancing (Arlington, MA)
Sunday, March 17: Cut a Rug (online)
Saturday, March 23: Monthly Dance Party with The Dark-Eyed Devojki (Belmont, MA)
Sunday, March 24: Mostly Waltz with Jacqueline Schwab & Dave Langford (Concord, MA)
Sunday, March 24: Melrose Community Dancing (Melrose, MA)
Camps and Tours
June 20 to 27: Pinewoods International Sessions (Plymouth, MA)
October 2024: Autumn in Bulgaria Cultural Tour with Iliana Bozhanova and Todor Yankov
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This week's contributors:
Anna Alter: FAC Program Manager
The Balkan Music Night Committee
Nick Bishop: Tech troubleshooter, Updates proofreader
Diane Gonzales: Mostly Waltz Coordinator
Lynne Janbergs: GASP Committee member, Updates proofreader
Marcie Van Cleave: FAC Executive Director
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The Folk Arts Center of New England is a nonprofit organization promoting participation in the traditional dance and music of many cultures. FAC sponsors community dances, annual camps, workshops, and other programs in the greater Boston area, elsewhere in New England, and online. | |
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The Folk Arts Center thanks
the Massachusetts Cultural Council
for its generous support.
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