Free dances for regulars and walk-bys.
Maybe it's time to plan a dinner downtown with that friend you'd been bugging to try contra... on a third Wednesday some month this Summer... planning to walk past Congress Square Park... at a particular time...
(You're so sly!)
Thanks to a super collaboration with Friends of Congress Square Park, PICD will be offering free outdoor dances third Wednesdays June through September 2017! All dancing will be from 6 til 8 PM in Congress Square Park, located on the corners of Congress and High Streets downtown.
Yes!
Our first show will be part of Make Music Portland, an annual celebration of sound that takes place on the first day of Summer every year in our city and cities around the world. Walk around from 10 AM til 8 PM this Wednesday and you'll encounter hundreds of free performances on the streets of the city, raising the music of tons of genres.
We have an awesome lineup of talented folks:
June 21: Make Music Portland! Dugan Murphy calling with Maivish
Dugan Murphy will teach each of this evening's dances; he's known for emanating joy and for teaching with the artful precision of clockwork. He's joined by Maivish, playing tunes from British Isles, Ireland and America with a mix of original compositions. With Jaige Trudel on fiddle, Adam Broome on guitar and Matthew Olwell on flutes, bodhrán, and percussive dance, their performances are infused with lush vocal harmonies, inspired interplay, and captivating spirit.
July 19: Maggie Robinson calling with Greg Boardman & Friends
Maggie Robinson will teach each of this evening's dances in her casual and warm style. She's joined by a trio comprised of Greg Boardman on fiddle, Neil Pearlman on piano and mandolin, and Hadith Bani-Adam on Somali Oud. Surprising influences result in a delightful musical mix of culture, tradition, and innovation.
August 16: Dela Taylor calling with Volution
Dela Taylor will teach each of this evening's dances, bringing her humor, and fresh, light calling style. She'll be joined by Volution, a dynamic band that deftly moves from tunes with energy and zest to those with room and gravitas. Adams Carney is on fiddle and sometimes accordion, Helen Newell is on another fiddle, and Nolan Rogers is on cello, playing both tunes that hold places of honor in the New England folk tradition and tunes inspired by European links.
September 20: Dugan Murphy calling with Glen, Bethany & Dave
Dugan Murphy is back for the final dance. He's joined by a trio comprised of Bethany Waickman on guitar, Dave Langford on fiddle, and Glen Loper on mandolin and tenor banjo. All three musicians are mainstays on the national contra dance circuit, combining in countless foot-stomping, electric collaborations inspired by traditional music from Ireland, England, the Balkans, and New England.
See you in the park!