Brief: Dance groups offer music, fun weekly

Dancers can shuffle their feet weekly with two campus groups. 

The Illini Folk Dance Society, which meets from 7:30 to 10 p.m. each 
Tuesday and Saturday in the Illini Union, will offer several special 
events during the fall semester. 

The first hour of each Tuesday session is devoted to teaching; requests 
usually are taken during the Saturday sessions. Evenings begin with easy 
dances and progress to more difficult ones.

The special events:

 * Sept. 18: Mostly teaching night.

 * Sept. 28: Country and western line dance workshop. Lee Roberts will 
teach "Boots, Scootin', Boogie" and an introduction to the Texas 
two-step.
 
 * Oct. 12: Russian dance workshop.

 * Oct. 23: Tango workshop taught by Amy Berger. 

 * Nov. 2: Special dance evening. Buffet 5:30-6:30 p.m. ($5), 
international dancing 6:30-7:30 p.m. (free); contra dance, with the band 
Uncle Gizmo and calling by Lisa Greenleaf, 7:30-10:30 p.m. ($5 donation).
Call 352-2803 for buffet reservations. 

Sessions are free and informal. A partner, costume or membership is not 
required. Beginners are especially welcome. 

More information is available from 367-5250 or 398-6686.

The Country Dance and Song Society, a campus-community group also known as
the Urbana Country Dancers, dances weekly to live string-band music, and 
offers instruction before each dance. 

Members perform contra dancing each Friday, except for the second Friday 
of the month. That week, contra dancing is on Saturday.

Contra dancing has its roots in English country dancing and has been done
in New England since before the American Revolution, according to Jonathan
Sivier, who can give more information about the dance locations and times.
He can be reached at 244-1923 or 359-8225; e-mail: j-sivier@illinois.edu.