Tapestry introduces global dance to new audiences

If you’ve ever wanted to explore the dances of other countries and cultures, but haven’t known where to start, the new Global Dance program at Tapestry Folkdance Center is for you.

Beginning Sept. 17, global dance lessons will be taught on the 1st Wednesday of the month, 7:30 to 9:30pm, and on the 3rd Saturday of the month, from 7 to 9pm. The cost is $10 general, $8 members and $7 students.

Experienced teachers will lead students through basic steps of dances from around the world, accompanied by exciting global music. The lessons will be paced to ensure newcomers have time to become comfortable with rhythms common in other parts of the world but rarely heard here in the U.S.

Learning to dance to different rhythms can be an interesting challenge. Students will feel a sense of accomplishment when they’ve mastered something new. The skills learned in each session build upon one other so it’s advantageous to attend regularly, but dances will be repeated and teachers will accommodate new students so feel free to start at any time or to attend just a single class.

Preregistration is not required. As with all dances at Tapestry Folkdance Center, no partner and no experience is required.

Friday International Dance focuses on the Balkans

Tapestry’s Friday International Dance program will focus on dances from the Balkans in order to prepare dancers to participate in two special events taking place in the Twin Cities: a weekend-long Serbian dance workshop, September 30-October 2, and a Balkan Festival on October 21-22. Select Friday night lessons will cover dances from these countries:

—Aug. 26: Bulgaria and Romania

—Sept. 2: Turkey and Greece

—Sept. 23: Bulgaria & Romania

—Oct. 7 and 14: Serbia

Lessons run from 7:30–9pm, followed by dances (by request) of various regions from 9–11:30pm. Admission is $8 general; $6 for Tapestry Folkdance Center members; $5 students; 13 and under free with a paying adult.