Folk Week

BAY AREA — Learn how to swing your partner, pick a tune for dancers or lead a group in a sing-along during South Coast Folk Week Oct. 4-10. 

It’s a week of contra dances, concerts, singing and workshops for people of all ages who want to have fun with traditional American song, music and dance. 

The South Coast Folk Society is presenting South Coast Folk Week with help from its affiliated national organization, the Country Dance and Song Society. The Country Dance and Song Society chose the South Coast Folk Society as one of six communities in North America to throw a week-long festival to celebrate the national organization’s 100th anniversary.

The Country Dance and Song Society is sending Bob Dalsemer, a dance caller, and Firefly, a string band, from North Carolina, to the South Coast for Folk Week. By day, Bob and the band will visit local schools and introduce high school and college students to contra dance, a traditional American dance form similar to square dancing. Evening activities for the whole community include three contra dances, concerts, and a sing-along. Bob and Firefly will also teach workshops about how to lead groups in singing, how to play music for dancers, how to be a better contra dancer and how to get started as a contra dance caller.

Absolutely no experience is needed to attend the contra dances or sing-alongs; if you can walk, you can contra dance. The caller walks you through every dance; just wear comfortable clothes and clean shoes. All events are admission by donation.

A schedule of some of the Folk Week events is below. To learn more about workshops for song leaders, dancers and musicians, visit www.southcoastfolkweek.com.

Sunday, Oct. 4, 3-4 p.m.: Sing-along. Songbooks provided. North Bend Public Library, 1800 Sherman Ave.

Sunday, Oct. 4: 7-7:45 p.m.: Firefly in concert. Appalachian tunes and songs peppered with gospel, blues, swing, and old-time country. Harding Learning Center, 755 South Seventh St., Coos Bay.

Sunday, Oct. 4, 7:45-9:30 p.m.: Contra and square dance for everyone. Harding Learning Center, 755 South Seventh St., Coos Bay.

Friday, Oct. 9, 7-10 p.m.: Contra and square dance for college and high school students and other young adults. Southwestern Oregon Community College Recreation Center, 1988 Newmark Ave.

Saturday, Oct. 10, 7-10 p.m.: Contra and square dance for everyone. Harding Learning Center, 755 South Seventh St., Coos Bay.

South Coast Folk Society also puts on contra dances, folk dances, sing-alongs and other events year-round. For full information, visit www.southcoastfolksociety.wordpress.com.