Make your Valentine’s weekend heart-healthy with dance!

Rather than a gift of sweet chocolate and empty calories, show your special someone that you really care with an evening of dance at Tapestry Folkdance Center. Not only is dance a fun way to say, “I wanna hold your hand,” it’s a great workout that promotes a healthy heart and a long life.

Tapestry Folkdance Center starts its Valentine’s weekend program Thur., Feb. 11, 7-8:30 pm, with Bollywood dance, which instructor Divya Maiya says “is almost always about hearts!” It’s high-energy hip-hop style makes this dance a real workout. (Fitness Blender puts hip-hop dance among the most aerobic, at 360 to 610 calories burned an hour.) The cost is $5. Fri. , Feb. 12, brings two dance options: an International Folkdance and Techno Contra. International dance includes both slower and faster-paced dances from around the world, taught by instructor Ed Stern. (Calories burned: 250 to 420.) Techno Contra is a vigorous workout with an unusual twist--it’s danced in the near-dark to the beat of Techno music, with DJ Lady Electra. 7:30-10:0pm. The cost is $8 general, $6 members, or $5 students. Sat., Feb. 13, 6-8:30pm, gives families a special time to share the love with their youngest members at Tapestry Family Dance. Line dances, circle dances, and kid-friendly snacks make this activity a treat for the 12 and under crowd, and their parents. The cost is $10 per family. Or swing into a high-energy date night at Contra Dance with guest band Sassafras Stomp, starting at 7:30pm. Cost is $10 general, $8 member, or $7 student. (Calories burned: 310 to 420 an hour.) After the dance ends at 11:30pm, you can join an informal group of dancers for a drink at Merlin’s Rest (Lake St. and 36th Ave.). Help your Valentine rise and shine Sun., Feb. 14, with a drop-in Zumba class at 9am and burn off 350 to 600 calories. $5. Or go with the flow at Dance Church (11am) for stretching and movement. $5. End the day with your arms around your sweetheart at Scandinavian Dance, 6-9pm. $5. Or try a stately English Country Dance, with baroque music, 7-9pm. $5. Don’t have a partner? No problem; you never need a partner to dance at Tapestry.