Looking Glass Music And Arts Association
Lansing, Michigan

 

Looking Glass is a loosely knit group of fun seekers who have been organizing monthly square and contra dances, workshops, and other traditional music and arts activities for nearly 30 years. We are a volunteer, non-profit organization, and anyone is welcome.

Did you know we host the Looking Glass Dance Festival the 3rd Weekend of October?

We hope you can join us for a contra dance sometime soon. Dancing is fun, good exercise, and movement to music with a group of smiling people. Join us on the floor and give it a try, we think you'll like it.

Want to know a little more? The Hamilton Country Dancers, Hamilton, Ontario have put together two sets of "instructions"- The Contra Dance Primer is a nice overview. There is also the more detailed Introduction to Contra Dance.

Local Dance and Caller Info
Michigan Dance Links
Out of State Dances
Out of State Weekends

Upcoming events 2008:

Unless otherwise noted, all dances take place at the Central United Methodist Church, 215 N. Capitol, in Lansing on the third Saturday of the month. Directions and Map to church
Beginner's workshops start at 7:30 p.m.; the dance is from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. Unless otherwise noted, cost is $7 for Looking Glass Members, $8 for the public, and $4 for students ( high school, college) with ID. Children under 15 are admitted for free!

Saturday, June 21
Band: Oh! Contraire Caller: Bev Bernbaum

Sorry- no contras in July or August

Saturday, Sept 20
Band: Scarlet Runners Caller: Julie Levy-Weston

The weekend of Oct 17,18 and 19

The Looking Glass Festival

Bands: The Elderbullies and Dr. Grangelove
Callers: Seth Tepfer and Kathy Anderson
workshop info to come
All at Central United Methodist Church, 215 N Capitol Ave, Lansing, MI

Saturday, Nov 15-
Band:Celticladda Caller: Adina Gordon

Saturday, Dec 20
Band: TBA Caller: TBA

Wed Dec 31, A New Year's Eve Potluck and Dance
More info in the fall

Saturday, Jan 17, 2009
Band: TBA Caller: TBA


Looking Glass Membership
Memberships are currently $8 per calendar year- renewable each January. Members get discounted rates to all non ticketed events and The Michigan Folk Notes. For more information
call 517/371-2122
or write LGMAA at P.O. Box 1403 E. Lansing MI 48826
or email Looking Glass

Hey! Bands and callers passing through Lansing, contact Bonnie,
about playing or calling for one of our dances.

Local Bands and Callers

Bands
Java Junkies
Scarlet Runner String Band
Oh! Contraire

Callers
Bob Stein
Julie Levy-Weston

Join Us for the Looking Glass Festival, 3rd Weekend in October each year.

Michigan Dance Links

  • Ten Pound Fiddle- Dances and Concerts in Lansing
  • AACTMAD- Ann Arbor Dance
  • Grand River Folk Arts Society
  • Wheatland Music Organization
  • Country Dancing in Kalamazoo
  • Allegan Woods Folk Arts (Dancing in Holland, Michigan)
  • Oakland County Traditional Dance Society Webpage
  • Paint Creek Folklore Society Webpage
  • Bayside Travellers in Traverse City
  • Folk Music Society of Midland
  • The Michigan Dance Calendar lists traditional dance and music, mostly for Southern Michigan and is updated regularly
  • Michigan Dance Heritage presents two dance camps ( Spring and Fall) a year. MDH also offers support for traditional dance in Michigan
  • You can enjoy various dance types at the Great Lakes Folk Festival in East Lansing. In 2008, it will be held August 8, 9 and 10.

    • Michigan Dance Weekends

  • Michigan Dance Heritage - Fall - usually 3rd weekend in Sept Looking Glass Festival- 3rd Weekend in Oct
  • Ann Arbor Dawn Dance Weekend- early spring (date moves around depending on site availability)
  • Michigan Dance Heritage - Spring - usually 3rd weekend in April
  • Looking Glass Festival- 3rd Weekend in Oct. Right Here in Lansing!

    Out of State Information
    Regular Dance Series

    Bloomington, IN
    Goshen, IN
    Indianapolis, IN
    Toledo, OH
    Cleveland, OH
    Columbus, OH
    Chicago, IL
    Madison, WI Dancing
    St. Louis, MO
    New York Dancing
    Index of local contra dance pages in the US and Canada
    Ted Crane's USA Dance Database
    Looking Glass is a member of the Country Dance and Song Society


    Dance Weekends and Special Events-
    Dance Flurry- Saratoga Springs, NY in Mid-Feb
    Pigtown Fling- Covington, KY- usually early March
    Spring Thaw- Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in early April
    Swing into Spring- near Bloomington, IN, in April
    Dandelion Romp- Oberlin, OH in late April
    NEFFA- Natick, MA, in late April
    Kimmswick - near St. Louis, MO in late May
    River Rendezvous- Coshocton, OH in Mid July
    Sugar Hill- Near Bloomington, IN, in Mid Aug
    Gypsy Moon Ball- Near Bloomington, IN late Oct or early Nov
    Pittsburg Fall Dance Weekend- In Pittsburgh, in Mid-Nov
    Breaking Up Thanksgiving- Near Chicago, Thanksgiving Weekend
    Winter Warm-up- Columbus, OH area, in early Dec

    In Canada
    London, Ontario
    Toronto, Ontario
    Hamilton, Ontario

    I try to keep all the links on this page current, but if you find something broken, please send an email to Julie at levyj at msu dot edu.
    This page last updated May 14, 2008