The public is invited to celebrate start of the holiday weekend at the Belfast Flying Shoes Contradance, Friday July 3rd at the American Legion Hall Post #43, 143 Church Street, Belfast.

At 6:30pm the evening begins with a Community Dance for all ages, led by Chrissy Fowler with music by The All-Comer's Band. From bassoon to banjo, all musicians are encouraged to bring their instruments and join in the fun. $2 adults, $1 kids. At 7:30 bring a finger food snack for the Tasty Treat Potluck.

The evening continues with a Contradance featuring music by The Montville Project, and with contradances led Pat Tognoni. $8 adults, and $6 Teens.
The Montville Project is a Maine and New Hampshire based band dedicated to recording and performing the classics of New England contradance music. The inspiration for their project came in the summer of 2007 at Maine Fiddle Camp (in the town of Montville), when they presented a workshop on essential dance tune repertoire, and received a number of requests to record a collection of the standard tunes.
They have now issued two albums of “classic cuts”, presenting 108 tunes that every aspiring contradance musician should know. While founded primarily as studio repertory band, the quartet is also a great dance band, and were honored by being chosen to be the "roots" band for the 2009 Ralph Page Dance Weekend at the University of New Hampshire.
The Montville Project features Art Bryan (Hancock, NH) on tenor banjo, 5-string banjo, mandolin; George Fowler (Brooklin, ME), fiddle; Surya Mitchell (Bangor, ME), piano; Fred White (Augusta, ME), guitar, percussion.

Contradance caller Pat Tognoni joins us from Denver, Colorado where calling, dancing and playing music are very important highlights of her life. She says, "I absolute! love seeing people smile and having a great time at the dances."
"When I'm dancing, I'm in the clouds. Dancing has always been my passion and love to dance all types including contra, ballroom, Latin, country western, tap, jazz, and clogging. Calling and teaching dance allows me to pass that passion on to others." Over the years she has called across Colorado, and in Kansas, Utah, Wyoming, Pennsylvania, and Maine.
"What I know about calling I've learned from other callers, dancers, musicians an life in general. Sometimes it's exact and oftener than not it changes and morphs. My thoughts on the teaching — be concise and quick. Get the dancers to dance — that's what they came for."

Everybody is welcome, come with or without partner, and a clean soft soled pair of shoes to change into (street shoes are not allowed on the dance floor). No experience necessary. For links to the band and callers websites and photos and information about BFS visit www.belfastflyingshoes.org or call Chrissy at 338-0979.