BRATTLEBORO — Brattleboro Time Trade (BTT) hosts a contra dance on Sunday, Dec. 7, from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Stone Church on Main Street.
This event is a benefit for BTT's Scholarship Fund to help more people join the organization and to help defray its overhead costs.
BTT is a service exchange network in which everyone's time is valued equally. It has 325 members who exchange services for time instead of money. Examples of these services are childcare, gardening, transportation, music lessons, meal preparation, and computer help.
The organization says it is the most active time bank in Vermont: its members have made more than 7,300 exchanges totaling more than 21,600 hours. BTT aims to strengthen communities, create connections, and help people get involved with their time and talents.
All are welcome to the dance regardless of experience. Contra is a partnered dance with origins in English and French country dancing. The music is a mixture of Irish, Scottish, French-Canadian, and old-timey folk tunes that have a fun, swingy feel. People are friendly about inviting others to dance.
The contra dance caller is Quena Crain. Music is performed by an all-comers band hosted by Lissa Schneckenburger, Louise Engle, Everest Witman, and Amanda Witman. All performers are BTT members donating their time and talent to this event.
The evening starts at 7 p.m. with contras for children. Caller is Louisa Engle, and all dances will be taught. The full contra dance starts at 8.
The event is fragrance-free. Please wear soft-soled shoes to protect the dance floor. Snacks, including gluten-free, are available by donation, and there's going to be a raffle to boot.