Albany Family Barn Dance

Come kick up your heels to live fiddle music.  Enjoy a tradition of community dancing and music handed down from generation to generation. We play music and get everyone involved – from ages 2 to 102 -- especially those who have not danced before, in easy-to-learn American barn dance favorites: circles, squares, contras, as well as a few international folk (Irish, Dutch, Polynesian, Middle Eastern, French, African, Latin American, Irish, Asian, and more) dances. 

The toe-tapping music makes it hard to resist getting up and dancing. Besides fiddle, instruments in a family dance could include banjo, mandolin, flute, pennywhistle, clarinet, guitar, piano, recorder, accordion, dulcimer, percussion, and more. While participation in the dancing is encouraged -- and it's hard to sit still -- it's fun to just listen to the music and watch too! 

Here is an article written by a parent of family dance participants for over ten years

We have a rule in my house: If we can’t make one of Paul Rosenberg’s family dances, we must not allow the kids to know it is happening, or we’ll never hear the end of it.

I wouldn’t have necessarily expected that the first time I showed up with a shy three year old, who watched the ever shifting, circling group with interest but refused to participate. But it’s hard not to be drawn in by the lovely live music and Paul’s cheerful, rambling teaching style, and it wasn’t long before his multicultural repetoire of dances became old friends for her, and, to be honest, for me. There’s the Chinese friendship dance; the spiral dance; storytelling dances like the one about searching the Pacific for the best coconut; the hands-down favorite, “Zodiac,” with its chance to strut your stuff with your partner down the alley; and so many more.

I remember once looking down into my daughter’s eyes as we were turning each other, seeing the delight of dancing together reflected in her wide blue eyes, and feeling like I was interacting with her in a new way, a little bit closer to equals than we had yet been. Now, except for a waltz, she will only dance with her peers, but that’s as it should be.

There’s no judgment or pressure at a family dance, and I’ve seen hyper kids and quiet kids, sullen kids and eager beavers interact with each other in new ways on Paul Rosenberg’s dance floor. But mostly, it’s about some pretty basic things—Moving your body to music makes you feel good. Dancing with people is an ancient ritual of community. Kids get those things and deserve them, and a family dance is a great introduction.

By Miriam Axel-Lute